IPv6 Confusion

Wed Feb 18 05:08:21 UTC 2009

Steven Lisson wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I find it a shame that NAT-PT has become depreciated, with people
> talking about carrier grade NATS I think combining these with NAT-PT
> could help with the transition after we run out of IPv4 space.

For me the bigger problem is how do I enable IPv6 on my assorted 
CE-facing edges when management is still buying edge hardware that can 
not and will not ever support IPv6.  Our CATV solution can't support 
IPv6 (it's not a DOCSIS 3 thing; it's that the specific model of CMTS 
we're buying can not do IPv6).  Our shiny new ADSL2+ solution can't do 
IPv6 and support in hardware can't be added down the road.  For that 
matter our FTTH solution which is L2 only doesn't really support IPv6 
with their pseudo L3 security options.

So 1) how does one get management of a US SP to realize that IPv6 is 
coming well within the lifetime of the brand-new equipment that we're 
purchasing and should be a major show-stopping purchasing decision, and 
2) how do we get common equipment manufacturers to build in IPv6 support 
to the equipment we're buying?  During our FTTH dog and pony show 
process with half a dozen different vendors, I asked each of them about 
their IPv6 support and they all unanimously claimed that there was no 
demand for it from their customers.

At this point I'm looking at doing 6to4 tunnels far into the future.

Justin