The report identifies 18 key transition challenges, several of which have been identified as high priority: address allocation policies, site multi-homing, quality of service, security, interoperability between IPv4 and IPv6, network address translators (NATs), and impacts on network traffic and routing.

The recommendations of the IPv6 Transition Challenges report build upon a previous Task Force document entitled “ATIS Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6): Report & Recommendation, May 2006” and note that significant advancements within the industry to address several areas identified in the initial report already have taken place. Spurred by the United States federal government’s June 2008 deadline for IPv6-compliant agency infrastructure, the debate over the shrinking number of available IPv4 network addresses, and growing customer interest in new network services, the TOPS Council created the IPv6 Task Force in October 2005 to assess the key drivers behind the transition to IPv6 and the impacts a transition will or may have on existing IPv4 infrastructure.

The ATIS IPv6 Task Force includes representatives from AT&T, Alcatel-Lucent, Bell Canada, BT, Ericsson, Nortel, Qwest and Verizon. ATIS Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) Task Force Report on IPv6 Transition Challenges (July 2007) is available free of charge on the ATIS website www.atis.org.

About ATIS

ATIS is a leading standards development and technical planning organization committed to rapidly developing and promoting technical and operations standards for the communications and related information technologies industry worldwide using a pragmatic, flexible and open approach. Participants from more than 300 communications companies are active in ATIS’ 22 industry committees, Incubator Solutions Programs, and other activities. www.atis.org