On Thu, 2005-07-07 at 10:39 -0400, Scott McGrath wrote:
1 - Get new (non-multihomed) address space from each of our upstreams
You mean from Abilene or get your own PA space? What is so odd about this, a number of other universities* already did this. Oh and for people in the ARIN region getting it is gratuit for the time being when you already have IPv4 space. * = see the list at http://www.sixxs.net/tools/grh/dfp/all/
2 - Replace network elements with IPv6 compatible network elements and S/W
On a per-link basis, start with tunnels where needed, go native later on or rather directly when possible. Most Cisco's can be upgraded to support IPv6, JunOS supports it too, though they now suddenly require some absurd fee especially for IPv6. For most layer2 setups getting IPv6 working is really a matter of upgrading the kernels or just enabling it.
3 - Convince all the researchers to dump all their instruments and buy new ones
Why? They can gradually upgrade when time and need arises. There is no flagday on which IPv4 disappears and IPv6 suddenly takes everything over. Also nobody is forcing you to, but it might be smart to do it while you have time and not when somebody demands it from you to do it yesterday ;)
4 - Retrain entire staff to support IPv6
You have to train people to drive a car, to program a new VCR etc. What is so odd about this?
No matter how hard I try I just am not going to be able to make any cogent argument which will allow the implementation of IPv6 since it appears to offer no benefits to the user community which in my case is extremely well informed on technologies which will benefit their research.
Maybe not at this time but it will later. Harvard is of course also one of the lucky fews having a /8 at their disposal for playing around.
The best I can hope for is IPv4 to IPv6 gateways.
Which exist, eg http://ipv6gate.sixxs.net ;) And you can also make them yourself easily of course. Greets, Jeroen