IPv6 Research Highlights
IGF in Hyderabad
December 3-6, 2008
Presentation by IPv6 Research Group 2008
DiploFoundation’s Internet Governance Capacity Building Programme
Research Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
What economic, developmental and technical issues concern IPv6
transition?
Who are the global, regional and national players in IPv6?
What is happening concerning IPv6 in research participants’ countries?
What recommendations can be passed on to governments concerning
IPv6?
Methodology
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First part of research concerning transition issues and global players was
done through secondary research.
National research to find out status in participants’ countries was done
through primary research using a questionnaire.
The research was done by a group through a wiki platform, where text was
produced collaboratively.
Introduction
What is IPv6, and do we really need it?
What is IPv6?
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IPv6 is a new version of IP, also known as IPng (Next Generation)
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It is a new system of addressing for the Internet, and allows for 2 ^ 128
addresses
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This protocol will replace IPv4, which has been the protocol since the
Internet became established and allows for 2 ^ 32 addresses
Need for IPv6
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IPv4 is the protocol that has been used on the Internet since its inception.
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This protocol did not anticipate:
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Exhaustion
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Need for more robust security
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Need for less complex configuration
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Hence IPv4 is pending exhaustion
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IANA reports only 15% unallocated addresses
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Experts warn of possible exhaustion dates, 2010 – 2011
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The need for more addresses, and thus IPv6 is therefore unavoidable
Current Uptake of IPv6
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Although IPv4 exhaustion is clear, the current uptake is still slow
Most current uptake is in Europe and Asia Pacific
Reasons for slow uptake:
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Governments are not taking the lead in IPv6 uptake; small
organisations are
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Lack of IPv6 expertise
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Lack of transit support
Main Advantages of IPv6
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IPv6 has many advantages, added incentives to its adoption. We mention
a few:
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Larger address space
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Stateless and stateful address configuration
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Security
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Autoconfiguration
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New opportunities…
IPv6 Transition
What are the technical, economic and developmental
aspects of the transition?
Technical Issues
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There is need for hardware and software to be able to support IPv6
technically. The following should be addressed:
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All operating systems must support IPv6
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All network gadgets must support IPv6
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There must be technical expertise to handle installation and
maintenance of IPv6 networks
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Networks must be ready to handle both IPv4 and IPv6, especially for
transition period
Economic Issues
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IPv6 transition, like any major change, comes with financial implications.
The following questions need to be addressed so that IPv6 does not
become a last minute urgent financial burden. Here are some of the things
that can be done now:

Evaluating all network hardware, taking an inventory of those that
cannot be upgraded to IPv6
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Evaluating software as well, OS, and applicationsSpecify minimum
requirements for new hardware and software
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Include IPv6 in current organisation training programmes
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Evaluate cost needs for client side hardware and software
Development Issues
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IPv6 will certainly have implications on development, especially the digital
divide
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Increased number of IP addresses allows for more people to be
connected, thus, having a positive impact on the digital divide
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Allows for development and deployment of new technologies which
developing countries can take advantage of
IPv6 Main Players
Who are the main players in this field, globally,
regionally and nationally?
Global Players
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ICANN
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Ratified global policy for IPv6 allocation in 2006
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Has set IPv6 adoption as a key priority in its strategic plan
IETF
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Is working on IPv6 standards in different areas:
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IPv6 over low power WPAN
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IPv6 maintenance
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IP over DVB
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…
Global Players (cont’d)
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ITU
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Organises and hosts IPv6 workshops
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Brings awareness to those countries who are less developed in
Internet to promote IPv6 development
OECD
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Has exhorted governments to be aware of imminent depletion of IPv4
International agencies,such as UN agencies
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Involved in capacity building and policy development
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Regional Players
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Regional registries are the main players when it comes to IPv6 issues.
They are involved in different ways:
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Afrinic
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Raising awareness, training, supplying IPv6 addresses
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APNIC
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Introduced IPv6 transit exchange, passed resolutions underlining
critical importance of IPv6 to future success of the Internet,
allocating IPv6 addresses
Regional Players (cont’d)
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ARIN
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Educating community on need for IPv6, supplying IPv6 addresses
LACNIC
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Supplying IPv6 addresses, training (IPv6 tour), raising awareness
RIPE NCC
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Already supplying IPv6 addresses
Regional Players (cont’d)
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Regional Organisations, involved with policy development and capacity
building:
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CITEL
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Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU)
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…
Regional Industry Associations, also involved with capacity building, such
as CANTO (Caribbean)
National Players
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Governments
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Those that are taking a lead role in migrating to IPv6 are seeing
success in their countries
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In a position to regulate incoming equipment to be IPv6 compatible
ISPs
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Are strategic in providing support to all clients with IPv6
NGOs
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Are instrumental in persuading public and private sector to transition to
IPv6 and creating awareness on the same
National Case Studies
What is happening in different countries?
Brazil
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No IPv6 national policy yet
Have an Internet steering committee called CGIbr
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21 members
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9 government, 4 NGOs, 4 private sector
Initiatives in the country concerning IPV6:
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Adoption of IPv6 in government networks
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Training
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Raising awareness
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Making recommendations concerning technical issues in IPv6
Kenya
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National IPv6 policy for Kenya will be out in the first quarter of 2009 for
public consultation
Has taken a lead role in demonstrating the urgent need for IPv6
Has jointly organised IPv6 trainings
Kenya joined the IPv6 forum in 2008
Universities are being targeted to start using this technology
Uganda
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No specific national policy regarding IPv6; government taking a “wait and
see” approach
No clear process towards developing a policy
However, government involved in organising IPv6 training in the country
The country overall shows limited awareness/perceived urgency to the
issue
A private sector does not see the current need for IPv6, and does not have
anywhere to connect if it did. It also plans to “wait and see”
An NGO which once tried IPv6 said it had to turn it off due to technical
problems
Employees working for a number of organisations in Uganda have
undergone IPv6 training
Uruguay
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In 2001 the RAU (Uruguayan Academic Network) jointly with the SECIU
(registry of the ccTLD.UY) started to implement IPv6 for study and
research
ANTEL, the state telecom operator, is prepared to offer its clients IPv6 for
their services
One of the biggest hurdles is the lack of knowledgeable staff, and the cost
of the insfrastructure upgrade
The private sector is quite reluctant to adopt IPv6; lack of users’ demand
A national IPv6 task force was created to promote a massive IPv6
adoption, coordinate actions and prepare policies with the stakeholders to
accomplish a good and broad IPv6 transition.
Some multi-stakeholder actions were taken to organise a national IPv6
workshop this year (SECIU, ANTEL, UY6TF,LACNIC), it convened more
than 80 techies.
Trinidad and Tobago
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No current national policy on IPv6
Contributing to development of a Caribbean Internet Governance Policy
Framework in which IPv6 transition is recommended (2009 target)
Minimal local usage of IPv6 at present (mainly for testing and experience)
Relatively low national Internet penetration resulting in low ISP urgency for
transition
Major ISPs expected to develop transition plans in 2009
Recommendations
•
Governments should be at the forefront of demonstrating the need for
IPv6 by transitioning to IPv6 in their own networks
•
ISPs should provide IPv6 transit for all clients
•
Organisations should make sure that all purchases of new equipment
and software is IPv6-compatible
Organisations should incorporate IPv6 training in their current training
programmes
•
•
Governments and organisations should make maximum use of efforts by
global and regional players to provide IPv6 training
Thank you for your attention
About this Research
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The research was carried out as part of the Research Phase of
DiploFoundation’s Internet Governance Capacity Building Programme
2008.
Participants:
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Atnafseged Zeleke - Switzerland
Didier Kasole – DR Congo
Fabio Marinho – Brazil
Komi Gbedeh Attiogbe – Togo
Judith Okite – Kenya
Milton Aineruhanga – Uganda
Nicolas Antoniello – Uruguay
Nigel Cassimire – Trinidad and Tobago
Ruth Puente – Uruguay
Ulemu Nyasulu (tutor) – Malawi