IPv6 Deployment and Last-Mile Networks

06/10/2020

The tutorial titled “IPv6 Network Operation” focused on the creation of an IPv6 addressing plan, the transition to dual-stack IPv6, as well as the technical aspects of IPv6 and its deployment in last-mile networks (end users).

Before an audience of approximately 200 participants, Alejandro Acosta, Uesley Correa and José Cotúa led this workshop on IPv6 deployment within the framework of the LACNIC 34 event.

Currently, 96% of LACNIC member organizations have received IPv6 resources, yet only 47% have configured the protocol in their networks. In the past year, this figure increased by 30%.

Acosta’s part of the presentation was titled “IPv6 addressing plan and more,” which he defined as the form, the actions and the systematic model for assigning IP addresses on a network.

He noted that these plans allow network operators to increase their network efficiency (smaller routing tables), improve their order, design allocation policies that are easier to implement, and simplify the preparation of documentation. He also stressed that addressing plans simplify future assignments and scaling and support a more orderly growth of the network.

Uesley Correa then share his presentation on “Dual-Stack Transition to IPv6,” a method to implement a soft transition to IPv6. In this case, a network operator must have a large enough number of IPv4 addresses to deploy both versions of the IP protocol on their entire network. “Dual stack consists of simultaneously providing IPv4 and IPv6 addresses to each client connected to the network. In this case, when a connection is established with an IPv4-only host, the IPv4 path is used, but when a connection is to be established with an IPv6-only host, the IPv6 path is used,” Correa noted.

The instructor then performed a test in a virtual laboratory with IPv6 configuration to show participants how to verify whether they are receiving the IPV6 addresses assigned to these connections.

Finally, José Cotúa detailed the technical aspects of IPv6 deployment in last-mile networks (end users).

He highlighted GPON, a technology that is currently expanding. Cotúa observed that GPON has important quality of service features for subscribers. “From the moment the traffic enters, we can deploy different service elements to our subscribers,” the expert noted.

He then shared technical details of how to configure different devices with this technology and observed that with GPON Internet users will enter an era of high bandwidth consumption.