[arin-discuss] IPv6 Hurdles

[Keith W. Hare]

As a relatively small end user, I see a number of hurdles to implementing IPv6:

1. Finding supported equipment that supports IPv6
2. Getting IPv6 service from my ISP
3. Learning enough to configure and use IPv6
4. Pushing business application vendors to support IPv6


1. Finding supported equipment that supports IPv6

At the moment, finding equipment that support IPv6 is the biggest road block.

I'm not looking for millions of dollars worth of equipment, I'm looking for thousands of dollars worth of equipment. I don't have a sales rep from any of the networking vendors. My primary source for network equipment are places such as PC Connection, CDW, etc. 

Try going to the websites for several of the computer retailers and search for IPv6. Either equipment that supports IPv6 is not yet available, or marketing doesn't think IPv6 is sufficiently important to mention it in the specifications.

Sure, I could find a linux download that supports IPv6 and build my own firewall, but networking and firewalls are not my primary job -- I do them because somebody has to. I'm looking for off-the-shelf supported equipment.

2. Getting IPv6 service from my ISP

My ISP does not yet support IPv6. I do have a sales contact at my ISP and it sounds like the ISP is working on beginning to think about planning to deploy IPv6. However, there is no benefit in pushing the ISP when I can't figure out what network equipment to purchase.

3. Learning enough to configure and use IPv6

Learning IPv6 is on my list. I even have an IPv6 book on my shelf. However, without network equipment, what's the point?

4. Pushing business application vendors to support IPv6

I don't think the business applications we use support IPv6 yet. However, without network equipment, I can't test and can't push the vendors.

Summary

Until I can go to computer vendor's web store, search for IPv6, and find network equipment, IPv6 will not be real.

There is a stalemate here. The equipment vendors are not providing IPv6 because there is no customer demand. The customers are not demanding IPv6 because there must not be a need for IPv6 since vendors are not marketing IPv6.

The recent ARIN letter from John Curran may kick the discussion up a notch. If it does, the letter was worth the cost.

The ARIN IPv6 wiki (http://www.getipv6.info) is a start, but is still pretty sketchy. 

A really useful addition to the IPv6 wiki would be a section that documents what equipment and software versions support IPv6, and the approximate cost. Making it possible to find equipment that supports IPv6 will certainly increase the IPv6 adoption rate.

Keith

______________________________________________________________
 
Keith W. Hare                     JCC Consulting, Inc.
keith at jcc.com                     600 Newark Road
Phone: 740-587-0157               P.O. Box 381
Fax: 740-587-0163                 Granville, Ohio 43023
http://www.jcc.com                USA
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