The IPv6 wave is starting to break on Asia's shores. IPv6 is the next generation Internet protocol (IP) that will replace the current IPv4 standard in the coming years. Compared to IPv4, IPv6 offers better network addressing, security and other features to improve support for future growth of worldwide networks. Asia controls around nine percent of all allocated IPv4 addresses, but has more than half of the world's population. As it did with mobile phones, Asia is likely to leapfrog and embrace this next generation Internet technology. China, South Korea and Japan have injected enormous resources to make sure they are prepared for the IPv6 switchover.

IPv6 is particularly popular among educational institutions in the region. China's first IPv6-based network, CERNET2 (China Education and Research Network 2), became operational in 2004 linking 25 universities in 20 cities at speeds up to 10Gbps. CERNET2 is expected to grow to encompass more universities throughout the country. This trend of deploying wide area networks to facilitate education and research is not peculiar to China, it is being seen throughout the region.

Educational institutions do not work alone. Today, public and private Asian universities and research institutes are working together more closely than ever before. The increased collaboration on inter-regional projects requires high performance networking capabilities. Successful organizations must be able to connect and work in partnership with their counterparts in their countries, throughout the region and across the globe cost-effectively and efficiently. Networking companies like Huawei-3Com are leading the migration of Asia's education sector to IPv6. What advantages can be gained and how can other learning organizations take advantage of them?

Why IPv6?
Not only does IPv6 increase the number of possible IP addresses exponentially, but it also enhances data security, supports QoS parameters for real-time audio and video conferencing and improves wireless communications. Currently, IP address space can be extended through NAT (Network Address Translation), but it has limitations. Hosts behind a NAT router do not have genuine end-to-end connectivity and cannot participate in some Internet protocols. For instance, services that require the initiation of TCP connections from an outside network, or stateless protocols, such as those using UDP, can be disrupted. Unless the NAT router makes a specific effort to support such protocols, incoming packets cannot reach their destination; many users regard this as a key disadvantage to NAT.

End-to-end connectivity is a major principle of the Internet. IPv6's unique automatic address configuration capability eliminates the NAT drawback while making roaming much easier and more seamless. With mobile IPv6, one can have fixed addresses between networks like WiFi, WiMAX, or the enterprise network, and at the same time keep the applications running when roaming between these networks.

Another key advantage of IPv6 is enhanced security. Gone will be the days of frequent online attacks that we now suffer through with IPv4 as the dominant protocol. Connections between two nodes over an IPv6-based network are encrypted and authentication and exchange of encryption keys will also take place when a connection is established. This will allow users to know whom they are connected with and to choose whether to allow such a connection.

What are the best migration practices?
In addition to better connectivity and tighter security, IPv6 offers a simple and cost-effective migration path. It will be supported by major applications and products such as Microsoft's next generation OS, Longhorn, making the migration to IPv6 easier to justify. In migrating from IPv4 to IPv6, there are several different ways, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

From the edge to the core
Migrating to IPv6 from the edge starts with a NAT/PT gateway placed at the boundary between the two protocols for the bilateral exchange of IPv4 and IPv6 packets. On the IPv6 side, a tunnel or MPLS VPN can be established. One primary requirement in such an arrangement is that connected PCs and L3 switches must also support IPv6. Such an approach allows universities and research facilities to migrate at their own pace and would not affect the core even when issues arise. However, this also requires establishing numerous VPNs, which complicates network management.

From the core to the edge
An IPv4/IPv6 dual stack router is deployed at the core with a NAT/PT gateway at the border. In the IPv4 area, a tunnel or MPLS VPN can be established, but this setting requires strong management capabilities from the border NAT/PT gateway. The benefit of this approach is fast implementation and support for both IPv4 and IPv6 at the border. The major drawback is the huge impact on the network when problems appear.

Complete upgrade
This approach minimizes the technical risk and allows for the most complete solution, yet this is only applicable when a brand new network is built and can be costly.

How to pick a solution provider?
When educational institutions consider migrating to IPv6, it is important to select a vendor that offers high quality equipment, interoperability, security and improved network capabilities that can support wireless and other future services. It is also important to opt for a solution provider that helps protect your previous investment. As IPv4 and IPv6 networks are expected to coexist for some time, educational institutions can migrate to IPv6 at their own pace rather than adopting a "rip and replace" approach where the network is overhauled practically overnight. Educational institutions must be cautious about vendors that persuade them to move to IPv6 in one go regardless of their actual needs.

Solution providers with deep experience in helping educational institutions build their networks will offer multiple options and make recommendations based on an evaluation of your network's requirements. Huawei-3Com's impressive track record in deploying successful education networks include the 10 Gigabit Ethernet campus-wide network for Shandong University, the IPv6 laboratory at Lanzhou University and various campus networks and infrastructures for other universities including most of the IPv4/IPv6 dual stack backbone router for China's CERNET 2. Huawei-3Com provides a range of IPv6 hardware-ready mid-to-high-end and high-end routers that support the protocol.

Huawei-3Com was recently named the "Top Selected Brand for Network Applications" at the third annual China Computer Education Annual Conference. This prestigious award is in recognition of Huawei-3Com's capabilities in the education industry as an end-to-end IP network solutions provider.

What are Huawei-3Com's offerings?
To accommodate the specific requirements of education networks for management, services and operations, Huawei-3Com has created a family of reliable, secure, highly manageable education information network solutions. Its education-specific solutions and technologies include MPLS VPN, constant service transmission with RPR technology, network scalability with XRN technology, a fifth-generation router technology, controlled multicasting, CAMS system, WLAN, intelligent network devices, and tele-education systems. All these solutions serve the different needs of education institutions considering migrating to IPv6.

Huawei-3Com is also known as one of the few solution providers that can provide network-wide MPLS technology. Huawei-3Com provides MPLS VPN-based network integration over educational WANs and can even provide bandwidth operations over MPLS. Building on its understanding and application experience with MPLS, Huawei-3Com was the first in China to present the data communication standard HOPE, which has been accepted by the ITU, as well as MPLS VPN management software to make MPLS service provisioning and management easier.

A university campus that contains branch locations and an educational MAN also requires MAN interconnection. Transmission technologies are often used in this case for highly secure transmission links, swift recovery from faults, and can help save fiber resources. Another cost-effective option, RPR technology has surpassed other transmission technologies and is becoming a best choice for education networks. As a member of the RPR Forum and from rigorous R&D, Huawei-3Com provides complete RPR solutions to empower constant service transmissions in universities.

Universities and research institutions' networks are rarely static. One of the main characteristics of education networks is that applications guide demand. Both applications and user requirements change from time to time. In such a dynamic environment, the service supporting capacity of network devices is very critical. To guarantee fast customization and support, Huawei-3Com presents fifth-generation router technology to protect users' existing investment in network devices.

After thoroughly evaluating solutions from multiple vendors, smart IT administrators will look for vendors that are highly regarded by their customers for professionalism and the quality of their solutions. Huawei-3Com has helped numerous educational institutions meet their growing bandwidth needs and lay the foundation for future network upgrades by offering faster, more secure and future-proof solutions. Huawei-3Com's interoperable network solutions provide more reliable, scalable, cost-effective and manageable networks tailored to the unique needs of the education sector.