Lazy network operators

Fri Apr 16 16:37:48 UTC 2004

On 16-apr-04, at 17:45, Paul Vixie wrote:

>> Unless I'm very much mistaken, this transition mechanism ("NAT-PT")
>> translates from IPv6 to IPv4 and vice versa, NOT from IPv6 to IPv6.

> sure, but abusing tools for purposes other than what they were made 
> for is
> how most IT directors earn their salaries (though they don't call it 
> that.)

I'm not entirely convinced, but replace NAT with a bunch of proxies and 
you basically have the same thing...

> and i don't imagine the site-local address ranges will be given to a 
> RIR,
> so folks who decide to number their enterprise in that range and then 
> speak
> to "the internet" through an as-yet-unannounced ipv6-nat product will 
> just
> do that.

I'd love to be around and watch sparks fly when they start asking for 
the same ugly hacks in IPv6 that make NAT work to the degree that it 
does in IPv4.  :-)

>> IETF multi6 wg is working on this problem. Hopefully it's possible to 
>> come
>> up with something that offers both scalability and functionality, as
>> current PI and PA paradigms each only offer one.

> as someone who cared deeply about this at one time and who watched 
> A6/DNAME
> become a fly on the windshield of ietf backroom politics, i wish you 
> luck.

Thank you.

> it's important to remember that large network owners don't care about 
> this,

It looks to me like many do...

> and they are the ones who tell the vendors what to build.  someone who 
> wants
> to build a 3G network doesn't want A6/DNAME or any other added 
> complexity
> adding logic and bugs to their handhelds or their cell towers.

So why are they sending their people to the IETF to work on mobile 
IPv6?? (Current MIPv6 spec is version 24 clocking in at 170 pages, 
implementing that can't be much fun.)

> someone who
> wants to sell a lot of business-DSL is happier if their customers are 
> locked
> in.  so exactly where the multi6 group is planning to sell their 
> results, i
> can't imagine.

Maybe to the customers of those business DSL shops? And easier 
multihoming sells more circuits, so I doubt we'll hear people with 
glass or copper in the ground complain.