Over the past few years, the topic of implementing IPv6 (a new version of the Internet Protocol designed to replace version 4 - IPv4) has been highly popular and is an item on the agendas and activities of many countries and organizations. As we approach the hypothetical date when the central pool of IPv4 addresses shall end (at some time in 2011), increasingly more attention has been focused on this issue.

Organizations that are active in promoting IPv6

Up to now, in the Americas Region, LACNIC and ARIN have been, without a doubt, the organizations most actively promoting IPv6, providing information, funding projects, and organizing informative activities in various countries on this protocol and important aspects of the transition. This year, close to 1,000 persons have been trained in technical or hands-on activities. It is not simply a matter of disseminating what is IPv6, but rather preparing people from the technical perspective to spearhead the transitions that are needed in their companies and organizations.

Likewise, LACNIC and ARIN are not the only organizations that have been working this way. Internet Society (ISOC), NIC Brasil (which trained directly more than 200 technicians of Internet providers in Brazil in 2009 and implemented very successful online courses), governments, international organizations such as CITEL or CTU, and various national groups in different countries (labor forces) are some of the players that today are contributing to generating synergies in this process.

Are we ready?

Concerns about the level of progress in adopting IPv6 and doubts about whether or not we shall be ready when there are no more IPv4 addresses are frequently heard. Although many of us would like to see IPv6 rolled out now in the infrastructure of the entire region so we can be assured that the transition shall be successful, it turns out that the time when it will truly be necessary to have IPv6 massively rolled out is when there are no more IPv4 addresses.

The point therefore is not only the level of progress achieved up to now but also if we shall be ready at the right time. From LACNIC, we can provide an optimistic perspective on this matter; we believe that the conditions are ripe for everything to go in that direction. The most important component to ensure the transition is trained human resources, and it is on that component that we have worked the most.

Region’s progress toward IPv6

Despite this, we are seeing very substantial progress in the rollout of IPv6. Internet exchange points (IXPs) of at least six countries of the region are already operating on native IPv6, including highly emblematic cases such as Haiti, which has shown that developing countries can also be leading players in these areas and, despite the disaster that has recently hit the country, the NAP continues to function on IPv6. At least 75% of the ccTLDs of the region are accessible via IPv6. Several of the root servers installed in Latin America and the Caribbean by LACNIC under the +Raíces program are already functioning on IPv6.

The number of IPv6 address allocations has risen notably this year and, what is of even greater importance, the number of addresses of this kind that are being announced from the region on Internet is also growing at a sound pace, which shows that the organizations that are receiving IPv6 addresses are effectively beginning to use them.

There is still much to be done in this process of transition to IPv6 in the region and all players certainly have a role to play, but it is also good to know that we are on the right track and that the results are now starting to be seen.

Raúl Echeberría
Executive Director of LACNIC