[arin-ppml] "Millions of Internet Addresses Are LyingIdle" (slashdot)

[michael.dillon at bt.com]

> I agree with this approach.  One of the components of the
> IPv6 negative feedback loop is the lack of v6-ready products.
> Governments are a big enough purchasing entity to spark 
> vendor movement in this direction.

It's not enough to rely on governments. We know that in two
to three years there will not be enough IPv4 addresses to
fuel network growth. We know that IPv6 is a viable alternative
if enough people deploy it. We know that one barrier to 
deployment is incomplete hardware support. Therefore, we
should go to vendors today and tell them that we want this
support in two to three years. Before we spend any more money
with a vendor buying today's product, we should ask the vendor
to explain, in detail, their roadmap for getting to full IPv6
support.

Find the people in your organization who deal with various vendors,
and ask them if they know the vendor's roadmap to IPv6. Explain
the IPv4 exhaustion scenario to them and the need to be prepared
for IPv6.

Also, consider alternate products. Maybe you should go to a new
firewall vendor if your current vendor isn't interested in IPv6.
That too, is a way of sparking vendor action.

--Michael Dillon