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JANET AND IPv6

IPv6 - Technical Summary for Network Managers has been updated

Tim Chown, University of Southampton, talks about IPv6 at Networkshop, March 2010

John Linn, ABMAN, talks about Ipv4/6 at Networkshop, March 2010

The IPv6 Management Briefing document is now available.

IPv6 Q&A session with Dr Tim Chown, University of Southampton

Why is IPv6 Important?

JANET IPv6 Policy

The JANET backbone currently supports both IPv4 and IPv6 services.

JANET(UK) will be introducing IPv6 Unicast formally into the JANET SLA through a phased approach:

  • Phase 1 - IPv6 Unicast was introduced into the JANET Backbone Service Level Agreement in August 2007
  • Phase 2 - IPv6 Unicast into the wider JANET (including Regional Networks) Service Level Agreement in August 2008

Regional Network Operators should now plan to build in support for IPv6 Unicast on their networking infrastructure within the timescales of IPv6 being introduced into the wider JANET Service Level Agreement.

JANET-connected organisations are advised to prepare for the need to support IPv6 within their networking infrastructure, which will most likely arise in the future with the developments in wireless and mobile applications. This should be done in the context of infrastructure procurement activities. Procurement advice is available.

JANET and IPv6 - Background

For over a decade, JANET(UK) has been involved in various IPv6 related activities, including the successful deployment of IPv4/IPv6 dual stack on the JANET backbone in 2003.

Since dual stack was deployed, JANET(UK) has established a number of IPv6 related peerings and a programme of IPv6 related activities to encourage regional and site network operators to get familiar with the deployment and operation of IPv6 services within their network. The support and guidance has been provided through a series of IPv6 hands on workshops through to the dissemination of IPv6 publication material.

By the end of 2006, JANET(UK) had observed the stability of the dual stack infrastructure. Also noted was the stable IPv4/IPv6 dual stack services deployed on the pan-European network, GEANT2, other national research networks across Europe and Internet2 in the US.

Further background information on IPv6 is available.

UK Government Position

The e-GIF defines the technical policies and specifications governing information flows across government and the public sector. These cover interconnectivity, data integration, e-services access and content management. Version 6.1, published in March 2005, contains the high level policy statements, management, implementation and compliance regimes.

This report provides a clear policy statement on the direction that public sector services should take in terms of IPv6. Section 2.12 of the report states:

“The e-GIF policy is for a gradual migration to IPv6, maintaining coexistence with IPv4. Our advice for new procurements is to support coexistence of IPv4 and IPv6 networks and to procure dual IPv4 and IPv6-enabled products when it is cost effective to do so”

Given that the JANET community is traditionally an early adopter of advanced networking applications, JANET(UK) believes that it is now cost effective to provide support for IPv6 across JANET.

The e-GIF Interoperability Framework can be found here.

European Commission (EC) Position

The EC has funded a number of IPv6 related activities over a number of years. They state that 74% of the IPv4 address space has been assigned and that the push for wireless and mobile devices will see the take up of IPv6. To raise awareness the EC have provided significant funding to initiatives such as the IPv6 Task Force and projects such as 6NET. Further details about the EC’s action plan on IPv6 are available.

Commercial Sector

It is acknowledged that within the commercial sector most vendors are now building IPv6 support as standard within new equipment that is manufactured.

Procurement Advice to Regional & Campus Network Connected to JANET

The advice given to Regional and Campus Network Operators is to request IPv6 support as mandatory for any new networking infrastructure. Example text to use in procurement documentation is available; however, feel free to contact JANET(UK) for further advice and guidance.

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