People hate to change but IPv6 is coming !

I gave an IPv6 training at a network vendor. They design and sell security products for ISPs and Enterprises and I guess that IPv6 is just an opportunity to sell some more products and generate some new revenues for them.

Nevertheles one more time at this place I had some interesting discussions with some of their best Internet Experts. Some people with very good IP and ssecurity technical skills.  
This is a bit extreme and I never had such discussions in any other company so hostile to IPv6 before. But this is what they said:

A trainee just before the end of the training told me that IPv6 was just useless. Current IPv4 model with NAT was good enough to support everything for now and forever. He was also saying that 128 bit long address to provide a unique address for every device on the Internet was not needed and there was no application for peer-to-peer connectivity anyway ! He said that we have been living without IPv6 for years and that we could continue without it.

Another trainee was also saying that actually IPv6 was too complex. He was comparing IPv6 to ATM and was predicting the same future for IPv6. He said that IPv4 could be more than sufficient to support all the applications. That address depletion should find another solution than a 128 bit long address and that the solution is still to be invented! He was also predicting that a completely new protocol will come and replace IP!

In summary:
IPv6 is too complex and they are scared that it will not be safe because they don't know it very well...
There is no needs for 128 bits long unique addresses.
There is no needs for peer-to-peer or end-to-end connectivity even to allow new applications or to improve security or quality for real-time applications !
All the applications have proven they can live with IPv4 and NAT and we don't need more...
IPv6 is just a marketing operation... 


IPv6 is coming because this is a great protocol and there is no other choices to keep the Internet growing. 

IPv4 is more than 30+ years old. You know a lot of products or protocols today with such a long life ? And TCP is going to last longer.... Great design made by Great people... But the world and the requirements have changed and we just need IPv6 period!

 
There are plenty of good reasons why we need IPv6. But some people will tell you that these reasons are no good!


I think the two importants subjects to consider for anyone thinking about IPv6 are:
1) How they are going to do the transition to IPv6 ? Many options exist and it is critical to keep business going during the transition.
2) How they are going to keep their network secure with IPv6 ? IPv6 should not bring new security holes which is a bit of a challenge during the transition and need to be carefully planned.

There will be a very tough resistance with people who don't want IPv6!

IPv4/NAT is a big business which generates a lot of money and a lot of people still think that with NAT, double NAT, whatever NAT... We can keep on working with IPv4 forever.

I just found this interesting:
"service providers have a significant interest in maintaining the dynamic-IP system, many even cycling IP addresses on otherwise always-on connections like cable modems, so they can create an artificial price differential between home and business accounts."
From http://fishbowl.pastiche.org/2003/09/22/nat_and_security/

so true!...

A huge business and economic model exists with IPv4/NAT but it is not only a business problem...

I think the most important reason for this is not only economic
This is just a human reality. 

PEOPLE HATE THE CHANGEMENT !

MOST of the people when they have to will choose to die or to kill some people rather than changing or even accept the changement... Look at these guys with cancer who prefer to die rather than quit smoking or drinking. Look at this crazy guy in Norway who shot 80+ people with the fear that his country may change...















Fred BOVY
ccie #3013