Statement at ICANN New Delhi Meeting (Feb 2008)

ALAC Statement on
Coexistence of IPv4 and IPv6 Network and Services

February 14 2008 at ICANN Delhi Meeting

We are aware that within the next few years, the current pool of IPv4 addresses will expire, which may have a significant impact on the use of Internet by the general public. We are also aware that the technical community is making efforts to prepare for the depletion of the IPv4 addresses and promote the smooth transition towards IPv6 based network. We respect the work done by the RIRs and their community and we are willing to actively collaborate more. The current ALAC position, first presented at the ASO workshop of the ICANN Los Angels meeting, remains essentially unchanged.

However, since the LA meetinglast October, more information has surfaced. We have learned that the IPv4 based network will not likely to go away within 10 or 20 years. Thus there will be a need to make sure that the two different IP networks – as well as the services layered on top of them – coexist and be interoperable to the maximum extent possible. If higher level application layers cannot communicate properly between the two systems, it will be irrelevant (from the public point of view) that the lower levels are compatible.The achievement of compatibility at higher levels indicatesmore challenges ahead than originally anticipated. Recent information from technical experts, including the Study Group Report published by the Japanese government, suggest that three possible solutions - 1) conserving IPv4 addresses through increased use of NAT/NAPT, 2) increased re-allocation of unused IPv4 addresses and 3) acceleration of the transition to IPv6 – may each have significant technical, operational and economic and policy challenges.

Among the specific challenges identified are:
·For the coexistence of IPv4 and v6 based networks, all users equipment should have “dual stack” capability, which does not exist in most broadband routers currently installed at or sold to homes and offices.
·Ingenuity to provide communications between IPv4 and IPv6 will be required:
For users without dual stack capability, “translation” function between IPv4 and v6 protocols and applications abovethem should be placed inside the network, but to date no such service is practically incorporated. It will require technical development and business decisions to purchase and place them. The Japanese Working Group report suggests that realistically only a limited number of most important application protocols can be prepared within limited time and resources.
·Network configurations must be changed to such a degree that a new network could be built “from scratch” (which poses both burdens and opportunities)
·Technicians and operational know-how are not sufficient at the moment hence the need and the commitment for training
·Initial costs will be huge
·The operational costs will be the same as those now, but double investments for both IPv6 and IPv4 operations will be required for some time by many users

We are very aware that the operation of Internet and provisions of many services on top of IP connectivity are not under the direct purview of ICANN per se, however in order to minimize the potential confusion and instability for the global end users, we call for ICANN to work collaboratively with other bodies as appropriate to address the challenges at hand. It is our view that only the concerted and coordinated efforts by all parties – including the ICANN communitywill sufficiently achieve the necessary transitions without disruption of service.

We expect ICANN community, including address allocation (RIRs) and Domain Name operation community (IANA, gTLDs and ccTLDs) to work together with standardization community (IETF), operation community (NANOG, SANOG, ISPs and ASPs), Vendors and Governments together. Within ICANN the meaningful participation, inputs and outreach is required by the user communities (AtLarge, Business and NCUC) as well as public policy entity (GAC).

It is ALAC's position that the lack of such effort will create more confusion rather than solutions to network users and general public.

To this end, ALAC plans to organize a series of workshops at the coming ICANN meetings and any other feasible venues and hope all stakeholders concerned to join this campaign.

English presentation of the Japanese Government Study Group Report is placed at the ALAC wiki site:　IPV6 MIC Dec 2007.pdf

Original material in Japanese are found here: http://www.soumu.go.jp/joho_tsusin/policyreports/chousa/ipv6/index.html )