IPv6 is not just another buzzword thrown around in the IT space; it is a phenomenon that will eventually take its rightful place within network management. Although it seems that the majority of IT professionals are not overly concerned with the transition to IPv6 right now, I can bet it has crossed their minds and is likely on their to-do list for the future.
The strength of technology is its progressiveness, which both excites and scares people. And the progression of IPv6 is a not a new idea. We’ve been aware of it for years, even as discussion has been dormant at times because of how effectively we’ve been able to exploit the IPv4 address space and make it last. Regardless, there seems to be genuine intrigue about the progression of IPv6 and what it means for IT going forward. The one thing that is certain is that we need to be prepared when these changes occur.
I’ve found that many vendors are preempting this eventual transition with a transition to hardware and software of their own with dual-stack capabilities. To me, this means that there is a conscious effort to ensure that the eventual transition to the IPv6 address space will be as smooth as possible. As vendors start to do their part, it is up to end users to ensure that they will be ready to accept the changes.
HelpSystems recently conducted a survey asking IT professionals to tell us how they’re preparing for IPv6. We wanted to gauge the level of awareness around IPv6 in the industry, how many companies had deployed, and what top concerns were for teams that hadn’t deployed. The results, which included responses from over 300 IT professionals, were incredibly interesting:
- Only 7 percent of respondents have deployed IPv6
- Of respondents who haven’t deployed, the majority (48%) are holding out because they don’t see an immediate reason to transition
- Time and manpower required for an IPv6 deployment is a top concern for 55% of respondents
- Dual-stack implementation looks to be the most common transition mechanism, with 47% of respondents planning to leverage it
- 40% of respondents aren’t sure of their transition mechanism to IPv6
Don’t wait for IPv6 to be upon us. Take time to understand who, what, when, and why we need to be thinking about this eventual transition to this new address space.
With over 15 years of expertise in IT infrastructure, consulting, and support, Kevin Jackson is currently a technical solutions architect at HelpSystems. He has written extensively about IT network management and performance best practices. Prior to joining HelpSystems, he worked with an IT firm as an IT technology design engineer and business analyst. He holds a Masters in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix.
