NOW READ THIS
("Security Advisory")
Submitted by: Bill Hickey
NCVA List Master
NRT-0461 IPv6 Conversion Issues:
US federal government officials are confident they will meet a 30JUN deadline to support IPv6
on their backbone networks, but they see challenges ahead in transitioning their production
networks to this long-anticipated upgrade to the Internet's main communications protocol.
Challenges cited by federal IPv6 leaders include the lack of IPv6-enabled security devices and
software applications available in the commercial marketplace as well as budgetary constraints
and training hurdles. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a requirement in 2005
that all US federal agencies must be capable of passing IPv6 packets on their backbone networks
by 30JUN2008. Karen Evans, OMB administrator for E-government and Information Technology, said
in March that she expects agencies to meet the 30JUN deadline. The Department of Defense is
working under a similar deadline to migrate to IPv6. The department issued a memorandum in 2003
outlining a five-year transition to IPv6. By September 2008, the department has vowed to have
all of its core networks able to process IPv6 traffic. The Defense Department first will transition
its unclassified IP backbone network - dubbed NIPRNET - to IPv6, followed by its classified IP
network, which is called SIPRNET. NIPRNET will not be an operational IPv6-capable network by
30JUN, despite the agency having worked on IPv6 transition for five years. The big holdup is
the lack of IPv6-capable security devices, including firewalls and intrusion-detection systems
that meet the National Security Agency's requirements.
(IDG News Service 02APR08)