Google Reflects IPv6 Deployment Growth, Challenges

Nemertes Impact Analysis:

Google’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) announced plans to fully deploy IPv6 across its internal network highlights the slow but steady increase in enterprise IPv6 adoption, as well as well as network and software challenges inherent in IPv6 roll-outs. Google is implementing a dual-stack approach, supporting both IPv4 and IPv6 at the same time. Google’s move beyond a pilot and into a general roll-out has faced numerous obstacles, as many hardware devices and software applications either lack IPv6 support or are unable to support IPv6 at the same performance level as IPv4.

More than 10 years after IPv6’s birth, the lack of v6 capable infrastructure reflects the continued slow adoption.Only about 22% of firms are implementing IPv6, mostly to support external access to web servers. This has created a chicken and egg problem for early adopters; those that wish to deploy are constrained by lack of acceptable network infrastructure, and vendors are slow to deliver acceptable network infrastructure due to lack of demand.

Impacts:

Enterprises: Begin your IPv6 transition planning now, assess your network infrastructure for IPv6 compliance and create remediation plans

Vendors: Deliver parity between IPv4 and IPv6 products

Investors: IPv6 adoption creates an opportunity for service providers such as AT&T (NYSE:T), Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) Level 3 (NYSE:LVLT) and NTT (NYSE:NTT) who deliver IPv6 WAN services.

By Irwin Lazar, VP and Service Director

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