NETWORKS

Workshop prepares network engineers for new realities of Internet addressing 

Merit Network Inc. announced today that it will host the Internet2 IPv6 workshop, a special learning opportunity for network professionals led by the Internet2 IPv6 Working Group. The two-day workshop is presented through Merit's Professional Learning program and will take place on August 2-3, 2011 at Merit's offices in Ann Arbor. 

IPv6, or Internet Protocol version 6, is designed to replace the prevailing Internet protocol, IPv4. The most vital feature of IPv6 is that it offers a vastly expanded set of addresses for numbering Internet-connected computers. The set of addresses available under IPv4 is not adequate for future needs, and organizations that operate networks will be transitioning to using both IPv4 and IPv6 over the next few years. 

Dale Finkelson, chair of the Internet2 IPv6 Working Group, says that IPv6 implementation is a firm reality for organizations that operate networks. 

"The Internet community has foreseen for many years that the pool of IPv4 addresses would reach a point of depletion someday. That day arrived this past February, when the final blocks of available addresses were distributed to the registry organizations that assign addresses to network operators worldwide. While we expect a gradual transition, the time is now for network professionals to learn about IPv6 and begin implementing it within their networks." 

Andy Rosenzweig, manager of professional learning at Merit, is pleased that Merit is able to offer this development opportunity for network professionals. 

"The Internet2 IPv6 workshop is an ideal way to get an introduction to the fundamentals of IPv6 deployment. It combines theoretical knowledge about IPv6 with information about how to implement the protocol and hands-on work in constructing a live network." 

The workshop will provide participants with the skills needed to design and set up a functioning IPv6 network. A network built during the workshop will be connected to the Internet2 IPv6 network, and thus to the rest of the global IPv6 network. Participants will also learn about and implement IPv6 transition tools that can be used to gateway between devices that use IPv4 and those that use IPv6. The workshop will be of value to any networking professional. 

The workshop is led by members of Internet2's IPv6 Working Group, which works to provide campus engineers the information they need to deploy and support IPv6 within their campuses. Additional information about the working group is available at http://ipv6.internet2.edu. 

Anyone is welcome to attend the workshop. Members of Merit and Internet2 receive a special reduced rate. 
Registration and more information are available at: http://www.merit.edu/ipv62011