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How IPv6 can help
In today’s hyper-connected world, enterprises and consumers alike are more dependent on technology than
ever before. We are now accustomed to being constantly connected, regularly demanding more sophisticated
internet-based applications that run on a wide variety of devices from PCs to tablets and smartphones. With
this in mind Chris Kimm, VP Network Field Operations EMEA & APAC, Verizon Business, looks at how IPv6 can
contribute to a more agile and responsive organisation.
This prevalence of internet applications is
one force driving organisations towards
using the IPv6 internet address protocol,
as IPv6 provides a much greater number
of internet addresses compared to IPv4.
And with unallocated IPv4 address space
nearing exhaustion, the move to IPv6
provides the means to ensure the future of
IP-based applications and the internet itself.
However, if these applications are to be
available to the public, organisations need
to ensure that their networks and those of
their network provider are ready to support
them. So what does a migration to IPv6
really mean and what are the benefits?
IPv4 vs. IPv6
Historically, the driver for the transition
to IPv6 has been the depletion of IPv4
addresses. Current industry forecasts
for exhaustion of the unallocated IPv4
address space range from by 2014. In
addition to the address depletion, there is
growing recognition that IPv6 will present
significant opportunities for enterprises.
IPv6 will make it possible to increase the
current four billion IPv4 addresses to many
trillion IPv6 addresses; this is down to IPv6
using 128-bit addresses in comparison to
only 32-bit used by IPv4. This abundance
means that globally unique IPv6 addresses
can be assigned to objects within an
enterprise environment, removing the
operating costs and complexity associated
with deploying and maintaining network
address translation (NAT) devices.
The road to long-term growth,
scalability and cost reduction
From an overall cost perspective IPv6 can
help manage – and potentially reduce –
network and IT operating expenses over
time. For example, the auto-configuration
feature offered by IPv6 can help enterprises
improve manageability and also streamline
network administration costs.
Furthermore, the local support for mobility
permits the seamless integration and
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management of a mobile workforce into
an enterprise. Plus IPv6 will enable the
continued deployment of multimedia
collaborative systems, helping enterprises
obtain global greening and IT efficiency
benefits by reducing the need for travel.
What’s more, as both public and private
IP networks are moving toward the use
of IPv6 technology, investment in IPv6
rather than existing IPv4 applications
provides investment longevity.
Opening new revenue streams and
greater communications potential
One of the most important value
propositions of IPv6 is its role in facilitating
the emergence of the ‘internet of things’
– also sometimes called ‘machine to
machine communications’ – a network
interconnecting common objects
equipped with embedded miniaturised
intelligence modules. The enormous
address space of IPv6 will enable support
of smart appliances, mobile devices and
associated services that will underpin
the envisaged internet of things. In the
connected enterprise, this will give
rise to improvements in operational
automation, productivity and efficiency.
Futurists have speculated the internet
of things could potentially result in one
of the largest transformations of human
civilization subsequent to the Industrial
Revolution. Because the number of
objects that can be connected to the IPv6
network is infinite, this advancement
will create unlimited market spaces
for products and services that support
machine-to-machine interaction.
An obvious reason for organisations to
migrate to IPv6 is the potential to develop,
support and use the new and powerful
applications enabled by the technology.
These include applications such as sensor
networks and telemetry applications
for monitoring remote objects (e.g.
vending machines, utility meters etc.),
streamlined communications, on-board
diagnostics and inventory management
and control through integration with radio
frequency identification (RFID) systems.
IPv6 also enables the deployment and
evolution of fourth generation wireless
networks such as 4G long-term evolution
(LTE), which will substantially increase
bandwidth capacity available to end-users.
When is it the right time to transition?
The basic dilemma confronting
enterprises is not whether to evolve to
IPv6, but when and how to implement
the transition. In essence, major
communications carriers must deploy
IPv6 in their networks before their
customers can take full advantage of its
benefits. Organisations should therefore
turn to experienced carriers that share
their own commitment to IPv6 in order
to support their own migration process.
A key starting point for any organisation
migrating to IPv6 is to establish an overall
company-wide, phased strategy for a
smooth IPv6 adoption. Due diligence
should include considering what the IPv6
requirements will be in future planned
product replacements; ensuring that IPv6
compliance is mandated when procuring
new hardware and software; and most
importantly allocating investment for
staff training and IPv6 competency
development. Then, following this initial
preparation, an organisation can clearly
determine which transition method
is right for its individual business.
IPv6 is the future
IPv6 is no longer just a solution to IPv4
address depletion; it is a driver for
sophisticated new business models that
could transform, automate and optimise
the enterprise operating environment. IPv6
can usher in new opportunities for the way
people do business and communicate. The
key to harnessing this IPv6 potential is
preparation, understanding and developing
a clear path for making the initial move.
TW E N TY: 1 2 E NH A N C E Y O U R IT S T R A TEGY
01/03/2012 15:48