Subject: [sunset4] IAB statement on IPv6

From: "Marc Blanchet" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 08 Nov 2016 06:18:46 +0530

Hello,
  FYI: https://www.iab.org/2016/11/07/iab-statement-on-ipv6/

The Internet Architecture Board (IAB), following discussions in the 
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), advises its partner Standards 
Development Organizations (SDOs) and organizations that the pool of 
unassigned IPv4 addresses has been exhausted, and as a result we are 
seeing an increase in both dual-stack (that is, both IPv4 and IPv6) and 
IPv6-only deployments, a trend that will only accelerate. Therefore, 
networking standards need to fully support IPv6. The IETF as well as 
other SDOs need to ensure that their standards do not assume IPv4.

The IAB expects that the IETF will stop requiring IPv4 compatibility in 
new or extended protocols. Future IETF protocol work will then optimize 
for and depend on IPv6.

Preparation for this transition requires ensuring that many different 
environments are capable of operating completely on IPv6 without being 
dependent on IPv4 [see RFC 6540].  We recommend that all networking 
standards assume the use of IPv6, and be written so they do not require 
IPv4. We recommend that existing standards be reviewed to ensure they 
will work with IPv6, and use IPv6 examples. Backward connectivity to 
IPv4, via dual-stack or a transition technology, will be needed for some 
time. The key issue for SDOs is to remove any obstacles in their 
standards which prevent or slow down the transition in different 
environments.

In addition, the IETF has found it useful to add IPv6 to its external 
resources (e.g., Web, mail) and to also run IPv6 on its conference 
network since this helps our participants and contributors and also 
sends the message that we are serious about IPv6. That approach might be 
applicable to other SDOs.

We encourage the industry to develop strategies for IPv6-only operation. 
We welcome reports of where gaps in standards remain, requiring further 
developments in IPv6 or other protocols. We are also ready to provide 
support or assistance in bridging those gaps.