World IPv6 Launch Day Gets Backup

On June 6, numerous Internet service providers (ISPs), home-networking-equipment manufacturers, and Web companies all participated in World IPv6 Launch Day, transitioning their products and services over to the new IPv6 Internet protocol. Playing a key supporting role in this changeover was the Broadband Forum, a non-profit industry organization that promotes improved broadband connectivity.

Last year, the Forum issued its BroadbandSuite 4.0 release (also known as the IPv6 Toolkit), a group of related specifications that enable the integration of the IPv6 addressing protocol into network and remote management platforms. Since BroadbandSuite 4.0's release, the group has focused on developing transition options for network operations, intended to aid their shift from the older IPv4 standard to IPv6. One document currently in development, "IPv6 Transition Mechanisms for Broadband Networks," will outline specific transition strategies. The text is expected to completed later this year, and will then be made publicly available.