[AusNOG] IPv6 - What Should an Engineer Address when 'Selling' IPv6 to Executives?

[Robert Hudson]

I am a manager, albeit a technical one. :)

Presently, the case for iPv6 is seen by many managers (particularly
non-technical ones) as the next Y2K. And while I was actively involved in
Y2K projects at multiple levels, and I believe they were valuable to
business beyond simple risk mitigation, they were all sold to business
based on a "if you don't do this, the world as you know it will end" basis.

And that's exactly how IPv6 is often being sold to business. "Prepare for
the end of the (IPv4) world" is generally the catch-cry. And whether this
is right or not, we are suffering for the success of the Y2K effort - we
put so much planning and effort into Y2K that we almost entirely prevented
the problem from occurring - to the point where business became (and still
is) suspicious that we concocted the whole problem just to get money for
shiny new toys.

So - what I would propose is that any presentation done on IPv6 to
management (particularly non-technical management) focuses not only on what
is broken and will break with IPv4, but also what benefits IPv6 offers to a
business in a simple "choose IPv4 or IPv6" context (yes, I know it isn't
currently one or the other).

We need to get out of the habit of just selling projects and changes to
business based on risk mitigation. I suspect if a car salesman tried to
sell you a new car by saying "Your current car gets terrible economy, and
you know we've reached peak oil, right? And your current car isn't as safe
as this new model, you might die if you don't buy this new car!", then he
wouldn't sell many cars - and yet that's exactly what we do when we sell IT
to business, and we wonder why they're resistant to give us the money we
need...
On 06/03/2013 7:19 AM, "Don Gould" <don at bowenvale.co.nz> wrote:

>
> This showed up on the NANog list over night.
>
> Very helpful resource for the SMB space...
>
> http://mailman.nanog.org/**pipermail/nanog/2013-March/**056602.html<http://mailman.nanog.org/pipermail/nanog/2013-March/056602.html>
>
> Mukom Akong T. Tue Mar 5 17:55:14 UTC 2013 writes...
>
> Dear experts,
>
> I've found myself thinking about what ground an engineer needs to cover in
> order to convince the executives to approve and commit to an IPv6
> Deployment project.
>
> I think such a presentation (15 slides max in 45 minutes) should cover the
> following aspects:
>
> a) Set the strategic context: how your organisation derives value from IP
> networks and the Internet.
>
> b) Overview of the problem: IPv4 exhaustion
>
> c) Implications of IPv4 Exhaustion to your organization’s business model.
>
> d) Introduction of IPv6 as a solution to IPv4 exhaustion.
>
> e) Understanding the risks involved.
>
> f) How much will deploying IPv6 will cost.
>
> g) Call to action.
>
> I've detailed my thinking into each of these items at <How to ‘Sell’ IPv6
> to Executive Management – Guidance for
> Engineers<http://**techxcellence.net/2013/03/05/**v6-business-case-for-**
> engineers/<http://techxcellence.net/2013/03/05/v6-business-case-for-engineers/>
> >
> >
>
> My question and this is where I'd appreciate some input:
>
> a) To all you engineers out there who have convinced managers - what else
> did you have to address?
>
> b) To you who are managers, what else do you need your engineers to address
> in order for you to be convinced?
>
> Regards.
>
> As always, all opinions expressed are mine and do not necessarily represent
> the views of my employers, past or present.
>
>
> --
> Don Gould
> 31 Acheson Ave
> Mairehau
> Christchurch, New Zealand
> Ph: + 64 3 348 7235
> Mobile: + 64 21 114 0699
>
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