2014: The year of IPv6

IPv6 is #1, #2, and #3 on my technical “to do list” for 2014.  This is, for me, the year for IPv6.  

Why IPv6 when there are so very many “exciting buzzward acronyms” out there right now? Because it is time.  

In the lab where I work we have a “lab infrastructure” for all of our equipment. Every device has a dedicated IPv4 address on it so we can run scripts, syslog, tftp, telnet, etc. Last year, I mentioned to a co-worker that I wanted to start to design and deploy IPv6 in our lab infrastructure. To “dual stack.” He was puzzled. “Why?” he asked. It was confusing to him as to why we should do this when we have so much space still in our IPv4 address block for our lab.

Planning for Tomorrow

I asked my co-worker a question. “Do you think that 5 years from now CPOC infrastructure should have IPv6 in it?” His answer was yes, without any hesitiation. My question back “So when do we start working on getting there?”

When is it time to start? When is it time for your NOC and your engineers to start getting used to IPv6 addressing? When is it time for you to start designing? When is it time for you to start planning? 

My view? Today! Without a doubt!  

IPv6: Learn It, Live It, Love It

Wanna start learning today?  Here are some ideas:

• CiscoLive On Demand Library
• ARIN IPv6 Info Center
• IPv6 Hurricane Electric Certification
• CiscoLive 2014
• IPv6 Books

CiscoLive On Demand Library

Cisco has an “On Demand Library.” This is a repository of recorded CiscoLive breakout sessions from over the years available to you for free. Go there and use the search box to request a search for all things with IPv6 in the title. Voila, 206 sessions. Now go over to the left and click just to filter just for 2014 Milan. Voila, 36 sessions. That should get you started. 

ARIN IPv6 Info Center

ARIN has an IPv6 “Info Center” that is also a great starting place. This can be found here.

IPv6 Hurricane Electric Certification

Want a goal? Go for a Hurricane Electric IPv6 Certification. Information for this can be found here.

CiscoLive 2014

In San Francisco this year there will be more IPv6 centric classes to attend then at any CiscoLive US event ever! I’m planning on attending as many of the below as I possibly can as long as I’m not already scheduled to teach something else during that time slot. You will for sure find me in BRKRST-2116 and TECRST-3614.  

• BRKCOL-2668 SIP IPv6 and Dual Stack Native Endpoint support for Unified Communication Manager
• BRKCRT-2000 HardCore IPv6 Routing – No Fear
• BRKRST-2116 IPv6 from Intro to Intermediate
• BRKRST-2301 Enterprise IPv6 Deployment
• BRKRST-2304 Hitchhiker’s Guide to Troubleshooting IPv6
• BRKRST-2311 IPv6 Planning, Deployment and Troubleshooting
• BRKRST-2667 How to write an IPv6 Addressing Plan
• BRKSEC-2003 IPv6 Security Threats and Mitigations
• BRKSPG-2602 IPv4 Exhaustion: NAT and Transition to IPv6 for Service Providers
• BRKSPG-2607 IPv6 Deployment Best Practices for the Cable Access Network
• BRKSPG-3300 Service Provider IPv6 Deployment
• BRKSPV-2951 Lessons learned from the first deployment of an IPv6 IPTV system
• COCRST-2355 Inside Cisco IT: Making The Leap To IPv6
• LTRRST-1301 IPv6 Hands-on Lab
• TECRST-3614 Practical Knowledge for Enterprise IPv6 Deployments

IPv6 Books

If you are anything like me, you have just read this article and now want to rush out and buy an IPv6 book. There are a lot of offerings out there. What book I would suggest you get is really exceedingly dependent on — 

• where you are at in your IPv6 learning
• what phase of IPv6 designing and deploying you are in

My suggestion?  See if any of your friends or co-workers have any suggestions or any books you can look at. Explain where you are in your IPv6 journey and explain what it is you are looking for.