Supporting next generation Internet applications today

Want to multicast real time applications over IPv4 without upgrading? Two protocols can help right now. New protocols are a response to the growing variety and volume of traffic on the Internet and intranets. The developers of IPv6 specifically refer to supporting a future in which low-power, handheld devices may tap into the Internet, as may refrigerators, soda machines, and electric meters. They acknowledge that any protocol developed will be viable only if it remains compatible with current standards and plans for incremental change-few companies can afford to change their systems all at once. Protocols such as IPv6, RSVP (Resource Reservation Protocol), and RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol) are attempting to take the Internet into the future while meeting the needs of users today.