In late July the CEO of the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN), the numbering authority that hands out Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, announced that it may be only a few weeks from depleting their remaining IPv4 address blocks.  That doesn't mean it's time to panic if your infrastructure isn’t IPv6 ready, but it’s certainly time to plan for your transition, especially if you are going to be needing additional IP space.

If you haven’t yet, now is the time to figure out how to accommodate IPv6 traffic. There’s no deadline yet to have IPv6 as a standard for Internet content or applications. However, some enterprises, including governments, already require IPv6 support. And some day, the world will reach a tipping point that makes IPv6 the standard for everyone.

Service providers are already feeling the pinch as the demand for IPv4 addresses outpaces the remaining inventory and prices for additional addresses from private holders have increased steadily over the last few years. Operators need a strategy for how to deal with the shortage of IPv4 addresses and one that will allow you to transition to IPv6 while still supporting IPv4 customers and content.

ZCorum and A10 Networks presented an exclusive Technology webinar for NCTC members, Transitioning from IPv4 to IPv6: Conservation and Migration Strategies, covering the practical details that operators need to know about this sometimes confusing subject. Joined by Rene Paap from A10 Networks, the webinar presented strategies for operators to deal with the shortage of IPv4 addresses and methods of transitioning to IPv6 while still supporting IPv4 customers. Topics included how operators can make the most of their present IPv4 address space and the different methods for ensuring a smooth transition over to IPv6.