[arin-ppml] How hard is it to transition to IPv6?

[Ted Mittelstaedt]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: arin-ppml-bounces at arin.net 
> [mailto:arin-ppml-bounces at arin.net] On Behalf Of Matthew Kaufman
> Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 11:04 AM
> To: arin-ppml at arin.net
> Subject: Re: [arin-ppml] How hard is it to transition to IPv6?
> 
> Leo Bicknell wrote:
> > http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/032509-google-ipv6-easy.html
> >
> >   
> Google has the advantage that they have the source code to 
> the applications and developers on staff to modify that code.
> 
> This is not the case for most of the world's users of 
> computers and/or embedded devices. They are looking at 
> whether or not an upgrade is available, and if not whether or 
> not a new program or device is available that does what their 
> existing things do. In some cases a solution is not currently 
> available at any price.
> 

And it will not be, because those were least-cost devices that
were designed by the manufacturer with a finite lifespan.

What the problem is that it's hard to convince someone that the
device they have had for the last 5 years that's still working
perfectly, will not get support from the manufacturer for upgrades.
People tend to forget that the money they saved by buying the
cheap device will need to be spent in the future on a new device,
ie; there ain't no free lunch.

SO far the only really egregious violation of this was from Cisco,
who promised IPv6 support in mainline 12.1 and 12.2 IOS then
never delivered until 12.3 IOS which doesn't run properly on
a large amount of gear that was purchased when Cisco was promising
IPv6 would be available for that gear.

Ted