University of Hawaii announces Hawaii IPv6 Task Force

Will promote the next generation internet protocols in Hawaii

University of Hawaiʻi
Contact:
David Lassner, (808) 956-9501
VP for Info Tech and Chief Info Officer, Information Technology Services
Carolyn Tanaka, (808) 956-8109
Associate Vice President, External Affairs and University Relations
Posted: Nov 25, 2009

HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi – The University of Hawaiʻi (UH) has announced the creation of the Hawaiʻi IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) Task Force in partnership with the global IPv6 Forum. The Hawaiʻi IPv6 Task Force is dedicated to the local promotion and support of the next version of the rules that describe how computers and networks interconnect to provide internet services throughout the world.
 
Vint Cerf, honorary chair of the global IPv6 Forum congratulated UH for establishing the Hawaiʻi IPv6 Task Force. “IPv6 needs to be embraced to sustain internet growth and drive continuing global end-to-end innovation. The University of Hawaiʻi should be applauded for its initiative in supporting the advancement of enterprises and ISPs in their community so that Hawaiʻi can participate fully in the future of the global internet,” said Cerf.
 
The IPv6 Forum, which promotes and supports IPv6 globally, has organized a full day seminar on Monday, November 30, 2009 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village during the IEEE Globecom Conference. The IPv6 Forum at IEEE Globecom features a lineup of leading international speakers from government, industry and academia.
 
Today's internet primarily runs on IPv4, most of which was developed in the 1970s. The world's supply of IPv4 addresses for internet-connected devices is near exhaustion and the workarounds used often introduce problems in network services and connectivity. IPv6 overcomes this limitation and provides solutions to many other problems associated with the immense and largely unanticipated success of the internet, including internet security and end-to-end services.
 
While much of the world, especially Asia, has been actively deploying IPv6 for many years, the U.S. has lagged far behind. UH began to implement IPv6 on network connections in 2001 to participate in international telemedicine demonstrations with Japan. The university has currently implemented IPv6, in parallel with IPv4, on its statewide network and over its national and international connections.
 
UH Chief Internet Engineer Alan Whinery noted, “Today’s networking equipment makes it relatively easily to support IPv6 alongside your current network. Network engineers should be taking this opportunity to prepare for the inevitable future so they aren't surprised when IPv6 becomes necessary.”
 
Honolulu Community College (HCC) began to provide IPv6 training for the Department of Defense in Hawaiʻi in 2007 through the Pacific Center for Advanced Technology Training (PCATT). HCC Network Administrator and PCATT Instructor Bill Becker said, “HCC’s real-world participation in the global IPv6 network through UH has allowed us to share our experiences with other enterprises concerned about their participation in the future internet.”
 
The Hawaiʻi IPv6 Task Force will serve as a venue for internet engineers in Hawaiʻi in to share their challenges, solutions and successes in implementing IPv6 in Hawaiʻi. It will also support the interconnection of IPv6 internet service providers through the Hawaiʻi Internet Exchange (HIX), Hawaiʻi’s only neutral and settlement-free internet exchange.
 
For more information about the IEEE Globecom IPv6 Forum on November 30, visit
 
For more details about the Hawaiʻi IPv6 Task Force, visit http://ipv6hawaii.org or e-mail info@ipv6hawaii.org.
 
For more information about IPv6 training opportunities in Hawaiʻi, visit http://www.pcatt.org.
 
For more information about HIX, visit http://www.hawaii.edu/hix.