One of the hot topics at Cisco Live 2011 last week was around the topic of IPv6 deployment and how to handling the exhaustion of IPv4 address space, both for Enterprise and Service Providers. Over fourteen sessions on the topic were covered, including such titles as How to Convince your Boss to Deploy IPv6, Cisco on Cisco: Making the Leap to IPv6, and IPv6 Planning, Deployment, and Operation Considerations. When it comes to IPv6 implementation, there is no “one size fits all” design, which is why the Cisco CGv6 solution is intended to preserve existing network infrastructure investments, prepare for the transition to IPv6, and enable companies to prosper in the new IPv6 environment.
In the second video of our series on the Service Provider Transition to IPv6 with Kelly Ahuja from Cisco and Roy Mota of ACG Communications, we hear perspectives from cable providers Comcast (USA) and Rogers (Canada) on how they are making the transformation to an IPv6 network. Or as John Brzozowski, Distinguished Engineer & Chief Architect for IPv6 at Comcast, notes “V6 matters to everybody…” that it’s an “…industry, internet community challenge that everyone has to face.”
One critical point that John makes is the need to make the transition seamless despite the huge number of moving parts in the network. This was a key reason for Cisco’s Carrier Grade Network Address Translation implementation, which provides the scale and performance required to offer a simple way to immediately deal with IPv4 address exhaustion issues. Equally important is that many customers aren’t expected to flash-cut over to IPv4. Instead, the transition time will likely take years to ensure that Internet end users are not adversely affected by the migration.
IPv6 has been top of mind lately, with World IPv6 Day on June 8th that provided a global-scale test flight of IPv6 technology for the purpose of testing and data collection. Cisco also recently announced that French service provider SFR is using our Carrier Grade v6 solution to offer IPv6 services to their residential customers, while still preserving their existing infrastructure investments.
Many people still have questions on the issues and options associated with making the evolution to IPv6. Below, in part one of a four part series, Cisco’s Kelly Ahuja, SVP Service Provider Chief Architecture Office and ACG Research’s Managing Partner Dr. Ray Mota discuss the changed landscape which network operators face that is driving the adoption of IPv6 technology. Ray does make an interesting comment about 2011 being the year of the tablets - and not just for consumer use, but also for business applications. Another point that Ray makes with which we agree is the need for network operators make a near term plan which extends or preserves the use of existing IPv4 assets, and a longer term plan which can migrate services to IPv6 - seamlessly - when needed.
Renowned for their forte in traditional and cultural delicacies that date back more than 6,000 years, the French have developed quite a classy reputation. Fine dining, wine and cheese are, of course, the most obvious of their specialties, and now they have a new specialty to add to that list -- IPv6.
France is among the leaders in the worldwide deployment of the Next-Generation IPv6 Internet Their research and efforts date back 15 years and have played an important role in our understanding of IPv6. A recent study by Google has revealed that France is responsible for more than half of current IPv6 traffic worldwide. Three service providers are leading the IPv6 deployments -- France Telecom Group’s Orange, Free and now with this joint announcement, SFR.
SFR announced today that it has selected Cisco’s Carrier-Grade Internet Protocol Version 6 (CGv6) Solution as a first step in transitioning its network infrastructure to IPv6. SFR, the second-largest telecommunications operator in France, has deployed the Cisco ASR 1000 Series router, enabling IPv6 access to the Internet for its business subscribers and 4.6 million residential customers.
Renowned for their forte in traditional and cultural delicacies that date back more than 6,000 years, the French have developed quite a classy reputation. Fine dining, wine and cheese are, of course, the most obvious of their specialties, and now they have a new specialty to add to that list -- IPv6.