Archive for June, 2009

U.S. Government IPv6 Milestones and Progress Q3 2009

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009

I’m often asked what’s the latest news on in the US Government’s IPv6 programs since they are the driving force behind preparing US telecommunications infrastructure for the coming IPv4-to-IPv6 changeover. Since we know that the IPv4-based Internet will be having tremendous scaling problems by 2012, it’s an Internet continuity of operations and cybersecurity issue to keep IPv6 transition moving forward in a timely manner. Here are some of the key US Federal Government events from the last few months that are continuing to move the transition forward: 

  • Federal Acquisitions Rule (FAR) Mod 2005-41 is in final form and will (hopefully) be signed VERY SOON and should be in effect in FY 2010 requiring ALL US Federal IT acquisitions to be IPv6-capable
  • September 2008, NIST published A Profile for IPv6 in the U.S. Government Version 1.0 (Now they are launching a testing program)
  • NIST IPv6 lab accreditation and testing program will hold a meeting in May and will HOPEFULLY go into operation immediately after see Special Publication 500-273, “IPv6 Test Methods: General Description and Validation.

  • The Federal CIO Council is producing a suite of guidance documents via the Federal Enterprise Architecture PMO to guide to guide Federal IPv6 transitions. One of the key documents that many of us worked on under the leadership of Pete Tseronis is currently in final draft and should be signed and released IMMINENTLY. The “Business_Case_&_Roadmap_for_Completing_IPv6_Adoption in the US Government” document contains information on:

    • -Critical timelines and steps for upgrading Internet architecture and applications to IPv6 to avoid IPv4 scaling issues
    • -Coordinating IPv6 initiatives with the IT infrastructure Line of Business (ITILOB
    • -Utilizing the IT Infrastructure and Information Sharing Segment Architectures to define a “to-be” IPv6 environmen
    • -Reinforcing how EA and Enterprise Transition Plans drive IPv6 Exhibit 300 development
  • Multiple DoD IPv6 pilot exercises are taking place in 2009 (Joint Services JUICE exercise, Air Force pilot at Eglin AFB, Army C4ISR OTM, etc)
  • The DoD is issuing more detailed and actionable IPv6 procurement guidance to help program managers and network operators understand how to procure and fully implement IPv6 networks, applications, and communications systems
  • The DoD and Intelligence community are coordinating security guidance to implement IPv6 networks between operational enclaves
  • DoD’s successful IPv6 product testing program at JITC has been shut down, and the IPv6 testing is being transferred to be covered under DoD’s Unified Capabilities Requirements testing. See http://jitc.fhu.disa.mil/apl/dsn.html for information concerning UCR requirements and application procedures.

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