Скачать или смотреть IP Addressing | Routing and Switching | SNS Institutions

#snsinstitutions
#snsdesignthinkers
#designthinking

An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a unique numerical identifier assigned to devices connected to a network, enabling communication over the internet or local networks. It functions like a digital address, ensuring data packets reach the correct destination. IP addresses are critical for routing data in networks using the TCP/IP protocol.
There are two main versions: IPv4 and IPv6. IPv4, the older standard, uses a 32-bit format, typically written as four decimal numbers separated by dots (e.g., 192.168.0.1), supporting about 4.3 billion unique addresses. Due to address exhaustion, IPv6 was introduced, using a 128-bit format, expressed as eight groups of hexadecimal digits separated by colons (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334), offering a vastly larger address space.
IP addresses can be static (fixed) or dynamic (assigned temporarily via DHCP). They are divided into public (globally unique) and private (used within local networks, like 192.168.x.x). Subnetting further organizes networks by dividing them into smaller segments, using a subnet mask to define the network and host portions.
IP addressing also involves classes (A, B, C, etc.) for different network sizes, though classless addressing (CIDR) is now more common, allowing flexible allocation. Routers use IP addresses to forward packets, while NAT (Network Address Translation) enables private addresses to share a single public address, conserving IPv4 space.
In essence, IP addressing underpins network communication, balancing scalability, efficiency, and connectivity in modern digital infrastructure.