An urgent need to develop an appropriate response and support for IPv6

Tulisan tentang transisi IPv4 ke IPv6 ini dikutip dari milist dwi mingguan dari the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) Japan, Vol. 21 No. 3, June 18, 2010


The Internet is the basis of social economic activities, and it has become an indispensable instrument.

However, due to the accelerating global adoption of the Internet, the inventory of Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) addresses is expected to run out. As we know that this communication system is utilized as the main basic technology behind the Internet today. Approximately 4.3 billion IP addresses can be allocated using IPv4, with numeric IP addresses used to identify computers connected to networks, etc.

IP addresses could be thought of as telephone numbers that identify individual devices
connected to the Internet, so the depletion of this inventory would mean that no new machines would be able to be connected to the Internet. Moreover, as it would become difficult to provide new services, the depletion of the inventory would be an obstacle to the development of the Internet, which has so far supported the development of society. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop an appropriate response and support for the successor of IPv4, which is IPv6 with a practically infinite number of IP addresses (3.4 x 10 38). Compared with IPv4, its features include enhanced security and the simplification of all options, for example.

It is important to conduct appropriate public relations with the wide range of stakeholders, including telecommunications carriers, ISPs, Application Service Providers (ASPs), Contents Service Providers (CSPs), communications equipment manufacturers, software developers, and system integrators (Siers). Moreover, the Internet users' environment will undergo changes; the users may have to bear a burden (not limited to a financial one). Considering all this information, it becomes obvious that the role of public relations and internet-related businesses and users is very large.

As ISPs are the point of contact with the Internet for all users, individual and corporate alike, how ISPs deal with the depletion of IPv4 addresses is the crucial factor that will determine exactly what kind of impact users will face. In other words, how the impact will be dealt with will differ completely according to which ISP a user subscribes to.

Therefore, it would be appropriate to form a basis for relations with users by giving ISPs the role of the "Gateway to the Internet." However, regarding IPv6 corporate users, Siers, etc. are the main cases that have to be considered. In such cases, Siers are required to cooperate with ISPs in properly publicizing the results of analyses on the impact on corporate users.

It is very likely that customers will have many questions regarding, for example, whether they can continue to play existing online games, or what features to look for when buying a TV that will be connected to the Internet. For this reason, it is necessary for other Internet-related businesses to conduct appropriate public relations in line with ISPs' public relatios activities.