WebScanNotes

World IPv6 Day, a 24-hour, worldwide effort to test IPv6 readiness, has just ended (8 June 2011 00:00 GMT – 8 June 2011 23:59 GMT), and there are no reports of serious hiccups so far.

Results from Arbor Networks revealed that IPv6 traffic composition through its networks on World IPv6 Day resembled that of IPv4, as major websites such as Google and Facebook enabled IPv6 access on their main domains; usually, IPv6 traffic is made up of more specialised applications such as encrypted file transfers, peer to peer traffic, and experimental protocols.

IPv6 Traffic Mix, Credits: Arbor networks

Additionally, Arbor Networks observed a doubling of IPv6 traffic on that day; however, IPv6 traffic volume as a percentage of IPv4 volume is still less than 1 percentage – barely making any ripples. This is because for IPv6 communication to take place, both sides of a network connection must have IPv6 connectivity, and unfortunately, consumer IPv6 penetration is still negligibly low. Nonetheless, it’s not to say that this exercise is a failure, as the partipanting websites have gained significant insights on large scale IPv6 testing, e.g. Facebook, who have reported that they had over a million users accessing Facebook through IPv6.

Doubling of IPv6 traffic, Credits: Arbor Networks

World IPv6 Day, scheduled on 8 June this year, is a world-wide 24-hr trial of IPv6 readiness where participants will run IPv6 for their main domain for 24 hours. Some of the participants, such as Google and Facebook had already provided IPv6 access to their services prior to IPv6 Day. However, IPv6 access to these services are usually through a subdomain and not its main website – “ipv6.google.com” and “www.v6.facebook.com“, and as such are usually accessed by a niche minority.

DNS lookup of www.facebook.com on World IPv6 Day. Note the IPv6 address

Newsflash: Verisign has announced that it will participate in World IPv6 Day. Verisign had already been capable of servicing IPv6 DNS queries, but on IPv6 day, will enable IPv6 access to their main page at www.verisign.com as well.

World IPv6 Day, scheduled on 8 June this year, is a world-wide 24-hr trial of IPv6 readiness where participants will run IPv6 for their main domain for 24 hours. Other prominent participants include Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Cisco, Verizon, as well as Comcast and Time Warner.

According to CNet, Comcast and Time Warner have enlisted into World IPv6 Day.

World IPv6 Day, scheduled on 8 June this year, is a world-wide 24-hr trial of IPv6 readiness where participants will run IPv6 for their main domain for 24 hours. Other prominent participants include Google, Yahoo and Facebook.

Bing has announced that it’ll be joining the World IPv6 day trial held on 8 June 2011.

World IPv6 Day, scheduled on 8 June this year, is a world-wide 24-hr trial of IPv6 readiness where participants will run IPv6 for their main domain for 24 hours. Other prominent participants include Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Cisco and Verizon.

According to NetworkWorld, Cisco and Verizon have enlisted into World IPv6 Day.

World IPv6 Day, scheduled on 8 June this year, is a world-wide 24-hr trial of IPv6 readiness where participants will run IPv6 for their main domain for 24 hours. Other prominent participants include Google, Yahoo and Facebook.

Internet Society has designated 8 June 2011 as “World IPv6 Day“, and have roped in several of the largest Internet websites – Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Akamai, and Limelight Networks – to enable IPv6 on their main services for 24 hours. This is the first global-scale test of IPv6 readiness, and Internet Society hopes to lay the groundwork for and drive IPv6 adoption through this exercise.

Some of the participants, such as Google and Facebook had already provided IPv6 access to their services. However, IPv6 access to these services are usually through a subdomain and not its main website – “ipv6.google.com” and “www.v6.facebook.com“, and as such are usually accessed by a niche minority. The World IPv6 Day would provide a more realistic test of their IPv6 readiness.

IPv6 is the new Internet routing protocol that is designed to replace the IPv4. The IPv4 address pool has been declining to dangerously low levels and is expected to run out this year. When IPv4 addresses run out, only IPv6 addresses will be available to new Internet users and websites have to be ready to offer their services over IPv6 by then.