[AusNOG] IPv6 Article on CNN

[Skeeve Stevens]

Kevin,

Last week on our stand at CeBIT I spent a lot of time talking to many people about what we do...and IPv6 came up a lot.

The most frequent comments about IPv6 were:

- What is it?
- Is there really a need to look at it yet?
- They didn't have any customers asking for it
- We will be looking at it soon
- Not many providers offer it
- Telstra doesn't offer it - which means it isn't prime-time yet

But the biggest comment was:

- I know what it is, but I haven't heard much about it in the IT media, so we assume it isn't that important yet.

Which is why I now have a stronger opinion that ANY article talking about IPv6 - informational, hype, doomsday-like - are good things.  And the more articles, the more 'alarmist' in nature - the better.

Kevin, you'd rather show people the rewards and profits?  What profits? Apart from integration and selling people new hardware, there are no real profits in just 'having IPv6'.  Rewards?  The only reward is being in business in a couple of years time - the most important of all rewards - but you can't sell that.

APNIC, ISOC-AU, IPv6NOW (in this region) and other organisations have taken this softly softly approach for far too long and where is IPv6 adoption at? It is terrible considering how close we are to the ipv4 run-out.

This technology is critical to the Telco/carrier/isp/etc world continuing to operate... those who are responsible to handing out these recourses to the end users have, for the most part minus a few notables (such as Internode, Pipe), have made very little progress in deploying or making this technology widely available to the public/their customers.

Looking into my crystal ball I do see a time a year or so from now where Telstra/Optus/iiNet and Internode will most likely be telling all their customers and the general public about IPv6... at least I hope so.  But I am wondering that if that will be soon enough considering the amount of resources required to train all the support staff in the technology.

The only ISP that I know of - Internode - who is doing v6 prime-time, I assume has also internally trained a lot of their support staff.  Would Mark/Matthew or someone from Internode let us know where the company is with IPv6 knowledge amongst its front-line staff? (for curiosity and example purposes).

Internode, 'wherever they are' would have to be at the cutting edge of v6 awareness.... I hope. But my worry is that the other BIG ISPs in this country - Telstra, Optus, TPG, iiNET/Netspace, Exetel, Adam and others... how long will it take to get all their staff up to speed.... sales, support (including offshore), netops and so on.... and will it be done in time?

The big thing I hear from ISPs and alike at conferences is that 'no one is asking for it'.  Well, if articles that hype the issue of IPv6 up, bring awareness and hopefully cause them to start asking their ISPs, Integrators, local computer stores, and so on... great.... because all the soft talking so far has done very little to help to cause.

The time for softly softly is over. You (larger industry plural) have had your chance.

...Skeeve




--
Skeeve Stevens, CEO/Technical Director
eintellego Pty Ltd - The Networking Specialists
skeeve at eintellego.net / www.eintellego.net
Phone: 1300 753 383, Fax: (+612) 8572 9954
Cell +61 (0)414 753 383 / skype://skeeve
www.linkedin.com/in/skeeve ; facebook.com/eintellego
--
NOC, NOC, who's there?


> -----Original Message-----
> From: ausnog-bounces at lists.ausnog.net [mailto:ausnog-
> bounces at lists.ausnog.net] On Behalf Of Kevin Karp
> Sent: Sunday, 30 May 2010 12:24 PM
> To: ausnog at lists.ausnog.net
> Subject: [AusNOG] IPv6 Article on CNN
> 
> Hi Skeeve
> 
>  >Problem is... doomsday articles are sometimes the only way to
> motivate
> people.
> 
> Really?
> Surely self-interest is a far greater motivator. I don't think that you
> can use self-preservation as a motivator in this instance (see below).
> You have to show the rewards that are available that are otherwise
> unachievable with the current regime.
> 
> >I believe the impact of Y2K was minimalised due to peoples preparation
> mostly due to the many
> >  doomsday hype articles.
> 
> The accompanying exaggeration (and subsequent self-enrichment) is part
> of the reason why many
> non-IT industry insiders are justifiably sceptical of doomsday messages
> from the IT industry.
> 
> And anyway the doomsday message is just not true.
> 
> >  People are going to need something to move them to IPv6...
> >  and I really don't care how it happens.  Scare the crap out of them
> I say!
> 
> I'd rather show people the rewards and the profits that are available.
> 
> Regards
> 
> Kevin
> 
> --
> STUDENTNET(r) - Highly Commended: Australian Privacy Awards 2008
>     Kevin Karp                            kjk at studentnet.edu.au
>     next.studentnet.edu.au                  Tel +61 2 9281 1626
>     Suite 1, 89 Jones St
>     Ultimo NSW 2007 Australia              Fax +61 2 9281 3047
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