ALICE Gears Up for Next-Generation Internet

The ALICE project took another step towards implementing the next-generation Internet Protocol version 6 on the RedCLARA network, with a day-long workshop and training session on IPv6 held in Veracruz, Mexico at the end of April 2005.

Prepared and delivered by Miguel Baptista, from the Portuguese NREN, FCCN, the workshop was designed to inform and train technical staff from the Latin American NRENs on the use and implementation of IPv6. Miguel began by discussing the myths surrounding IPv6, and the relevance of IPv6 today and in the future, noting, "Although there is still about 30% of IPv4 space left, we already know today the IPv4 Internet will lose the capability of expanding in the next years. Emergency is not cheap, and more time allows for a smoother transition."

The day provided an overview of IPv6 projects and activities around the world, working to raise awareness amongst the participants of the importance of IPv6 services in advanced networks. A representative from LACNIC (the Latin American and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry) provided a tutorial on assignments for IPv4 and IPv6 addressing space, designed primarily to support the newly-created NRENs in Latin America. RedCLARA received its IPv6 prefixes from LACNIC in April.

In addition, the technical meeting at which the workshop was held saw the formation of a number of working groups focusing on specific topics, including a group focusing on IPv6 (led by project partner UNAM/CUDI).

The ultimate goal is to promote the development of RedCLARA into a dual-stack IPv4 and IPv6 network, providing Latin American researchers with tomorrow's Internet today.