What is one major drawback of IPv4 addresses?

The major drawback of IPv4 addresses is their susceptibility to address exhaustion. IPv4 uses a 32-bit addressing scheme, which allows for approximately 4.3 billion unique addresses. While this number may seem substantial, the rapid growth of the internet and the proliferation of devices requiring IP addresses have led to a situation where available IPv4 addresses are running out.

As organizations and individuals have increasingly connected devices to the internet—everything from smartphones to IoT (Internet of Things) devices—the demand for IP addresses has soared, depleting the IPv4 pool. This scarcity has prompted the development and implementation of IPv6, which uses a vastly larger addressing system (128 bits), thus providing an almost limitless number of IP addresses. The limitation of IPv4 in accommodating the ever-expanding number of devices connected to the internet is a key concern for network engineers and IT professionals.

The other options do not accurately capture the primary issues associated with IPv4 addresses. While IPv4 can be seen as complex in certain networking scenarios, the challenge primarily lies in address availability rather than complexity. Also, the need for more security measures is a relevant topic in networking, but it does not represent a fundamental drawback of the IPv4 addressing scheme itself. Finally, the assertion that