Interest in IPv6, the new Internet Protocol, is growing rapidly as support from major manufacturers is emerging from the beta stage through into production code. Wide-spread deployment of IPv6 on international backbone networks is potentially a lot nearer than most people think. Although initial deployment will co-exist with existing Internet Protocols, the long-term picture is potentially of an IPv6-only network. This workshop will outline the current state of play and highlight both the benefits and current stumbling blocks of this new protocol.
The workshop will be presented by staff from the Systems and Networks Group, which is part of the Multimedia Research Group at the Department of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton. The SNRG has a substantial test bed of equipment upon which IPv6 research and interoperability analysis is being performed. It also has the UK's first native WAN IPv6 connection, deployed in July 1997 thanks to collaboration with UUNET. Further information on the Group's activities can be found on the Web at the URL http://www.snrg.ecs.soton.ac.uk/ and details of the IPv6 international test bed network are under http://www.6bone.net/.
Some basic knowledge of the existing Internet Protocol (IPv4) would be advantageous but not essential.
Ben Crosby is a member of the Systems and Networks Group within the Department of Electronics and Computer Science at the Universtity of Southampton. He has been responsible for the evolution of the Group's IPv6 interoperability lab and is currently involved in a number of projects including new draft standards for IPv6 as published through the latest IETF IP Next Generation Working Group. Further information on the IPNGWG can be found at the URL http://www.ietf.org/ under the Working Group page in the Internet Area.