 | Issue: | Asia-Pacific III 2013 |
| Article no.: | 9 | |
| Topic: | IPv6: The perfect cure in a packet | |
| Author: | Patrick Ng | |
| Title: | EVP, Network Solution | |
| Organisation: | NTT Com Asia Limited | |
| PDF size: | 228KB |
About author
Patrick Ng, Executive Vice President, Global Network Business Division, NTT Com Asia Limited / HKNet Company Limited
Patrick Ng is a 20-year network industry veteran who currently heads the Global Network Business Division in NTT Com Asia/HKNet Company Limited. His talents lie in defining strategy and spearheading development of network solutions for the rapidly evolving global telecommunications market.
Since joining in 2012, Mr. Ng has used his vast experience in engineering, product, bid management and business development in telecommunications to take charge of the development roadmap of NTT Communications’ network business. His areas of focus include IP transit wholesale services for regional carriers and ISPs, private network product development for enterprises, and local internet services. He is also a firm believer of innovation and is always looking to develop new network solutions for NTT Com Asia and HKNet Company Limited.
Patrick holds a Master of Electronic Engineering from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University majoring in Telecommunications
Article abstract
IPv6 is a complete network revamp. It is not just a walk in the park. Real-world issues go beyond the technical – writing-off IPv4-only inventory, re-training engineers, or workaround binding long-term contract with an IPv4-only ISP. However, IPv6 is its own cure. It makes NATs redundant, allowing direct and efficient connectivity. It simplifies routing and makes ISP prefixes a thing of the past. Using the Stateless Address Auto Configuration (SLAAC) feature, networks can configure themselves automatically. Multicast is easier, enabling embedded rendezvous point addresses in the longer group address, and the extra 16-bit space for subnets means that your subnet and host address remain the same even when you choose a new Cloud service provider.
Full Article
Introduction
The world looked very different when Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) became an industry norm. Internet-based businesses, IP streaming, mobile internet, peer-to-peer networking and other network models were Star Trek concepts or childish wishful thinking.
Now, the world is experiencing a networking revolution, and the strain on the deficient IPv4 infrastructure is opening up gaping holes and raising roadblocks. Diminishing address space, no support for real-time networking and peer-to-peer applications, mobile networking constraints and so on has prompted the IETF to look for another solution. Band aid solutions like Network Address Translation (NAT) may be enough but are meant only to be a temporary relief.
IPv6 offers a better cure. Hailed as the successor of its version 4 cousin, the sixth version of the Internet Protocol (IP) is clearly designed for today’s network era. Spacious with 128-bit addresses, support for real-time traffic, plug and play configuration, better optimization and other capabilities, it offers a better packet-size cure to today’s networking ailments. The time is right to jump onto the IPv6 bandwagon—or risk getting left behind.
IPv4: Persistent ailments
The number of available addresses has always been IPv4’s biggest concern. The 32-bit address was already a concern in the 1980s, but then the Internet was a closed playground for professors and IT professionals. As a de facto platform for today’s global communications and transactions, this concern has been elevated.
Mobile internet and IT consumerization did not help. With Internet now being accessed anywhere, at any time and on any device, the lack of address space is becoming a huge concern for both businesses and consumers. With the Internet of Things concept, which transforms everyday appliances into networking devices, looming on the horizon, the problem is set to worsen.
Asia, which is experiencing a networking renaissance, has already run out of address space. NATs are the main reason why the continent has not gone dark. By using a single unique public IP address to represent more private IP addresses, NAT offers some breathing room, but it is far from being the perfect cure. Besides, it increases network complexity, asymmetry between clients and servers, complications when provisioning public services within a local network, and interference with peer-to-peer applications like Voice over IP (VoIP).
In addition, IPv4 was never really designed for real-time connectivity. Today, where ICT-based traffic is inelastic, mobile Internet growth mushrooming and peer-to-peer networking is becoming a fact of life, the protocol is becoming a major roadblock for innovation.
Clouds pose another threat. Promises of better scalability, reliability, ROI and costing has made this new IT concept a board room topic. This drive for Cloud adoption is further exposing the issue of diminishing IP addresses.
IPv6: Prescribed remedy
IPv6 is not just the “next” version of IP, it is a complete revamp with a new packet design. Here are some of the main advantages:
Larger Address Space
IPv6’s 128-bit address space has 2128 (or 3.4×1038) addresses . That means every person and device on this planet can have a unique IP address, and still have more room to grow. Longer addresses also mean better networking efficiency. It simplifies address allocation, allows for efficient route aggregation, and enables special addressing features. In addition, the large subnet space and hierarchical route aggregation improves network management and routing efficiency. Besides, renumbering headaches when changing connectivity providers with different routing prefixes are now a thing of the past.
Multicasting ready
IPv6 is designed to make multicasting a cinch, unlike IPv4. It also supports new multicast implementations, such as embedding rendezvous point addresses in an IPv6 multicast group address. This greatly simplifies inter-domain solution implementations.
Automated configuration
Forget DHCP or manual configuration nightmares that are common with IPv4. IPv6 hosts, using the Stateless Address Auto Configuration (SLAAC) feature, can configure themselves automatically when connected to an IPv6 network. If SLAAC is unsuitable, it can still be manually configured using stateful configuration with the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol version 6 (DHCPv6) or hosts.
More online customers
Business horizons are widened. With Asia on the rise in both economy and population growth, the adoption of IPv6 will bring more customers online. In addition, it allows organizations to connect to current customers who already use IPv6 for their communication but are not “recognized” in the IPv4-based Internet.
Meet customer expectations
Connections can become more personal. Customers today are demanding near real-time personalized services, thanks to mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, making the Internet a part of their daily lives. This often requires end-to-end or peer-to-peer connections. However, NATs do not do both, as it makes the devices behind it not addressable from the Internet. IPv6 makes NATs redundant.
Mobile efficiency
Mobile IPv6 avoids triangular routing, making it as efficient as native IPv6. It also allows connected users to stay connected when moving from one access network to another.
Cloud advantage
IPv6’s extra 16-bit space for subnetting and 64-bit for assigning addresses to your hosts means choosing and migrating to a new Cloud service provider is much simpler. Your subnets and host address assignments do not change, and the IPv6 routing protocol informs everyone and every device of the change. In addition, the elimination of NATs makes application server deployments simpler.
Beware the Side effects
So why aren’t everyone jumping onto the IPv6 bandwagon? The answer it is that it is not so simple.
Building a new IPv6 network from scratch, although ideal, is not an option for many. In reality, many are looking to upgrade an existing environment to support IPv6. Besides, having an inventory of IPv4-only hardware, IPv4-educated engineers in your payroll, or a long-term contract with an IPv4-only ISP can pose problems that go beyond the technical.
Everything that touches or uses IP packets must be upgraded. This means every device with an Ethernet port needs to be re-examined, a huge exercise of labor. As networks get bigger, it’s almost guaranteed there will be some device or application that will become inoperable with IPv6.
So what can you do? Try a dual stack (having both IPv4 and IPv6) approach. For example, with a dual stack proxy, even Windows 95 machines can reach IPv6-only content, and IPv6-only systems can reach content hosted on IPv4-only servers.
Consider using a Cloud environment for your migration. Cloud with IPv6 capabilities can provide an excellent test bed. You can examine whether your applications (with hidden IPv4 dependencies) may break in an IPv6 environment, while allowing you to ensure that your hardware is IPv6-ready. Clouds also provide convenient online portals to manage and monitor an IPv6 environment—all with just a few clicks.
More importantly, find yourself an IPv6-ready network partner. Choosing one who is both a leader in the IPv6 field, has the right blend of expertise, a wide network reach and a strong track record can offer you insights and tips that smoothen your transition journey.
Conclusion
IPv6 has become an Internet backbone technology that should be a major concern for all organizations. With Asia becoming a key focus after the Global Economic Crisis and with IPv4 addresses now unavailable, Asian organizations need to rethink their IPv6 strategy and look into transitioning now.
More importantly, the days of sitting on the fence in regards to IPv6 are long gone. With the dearth of IPv4 addresses available and interim solutions such as NATs are affecting performance and service customization, IPv6 offers the only route forward.
Transitioning to IPv6 is not going to be a walk in the park. It is a very different protocol to IPv4, and a well laid out plan is a must. You need to also look beyond your own network and examine your partners, vendors, service providers and suppliers. With enough due diligence, the right Cloud environment offering you a test bed, and the right partner at your side, IPv6 can be your best cure in a packet.
