Juniper Networks Study Looks to IPv6 Future

Thirty percent of federal and state/local government executives will be influenced by the transition to IPv6 in their IT purchasing decisions, according to a new study released today by Juniper Networks Inc. The company found that decision-making equates to $39 billion in government IT spending where IPv6 will have an impact; by 2008, IPv6 influence will jump to 44 percent, an estimated $62 billion.

Juniper Networks worked with SynExi to compile the IPv6 Government Action Study: Progress and Promise of the U.S. IPv6 Transition. More than 1,000 people took part in the study.

“It is not surprising that IPv6 is playing such a significant role in IT purchasing decisions, as the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has required the transition from Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) to next generation IPv6 by June 2008,” said Peter Tseronis, director of Network Services for the U.S. Department of Education and co-chair for the Federal IPv6 Working Group. “IPv6 IT purchases in FY07 and FY08 will likely focus on training services, testing and engineering services, and production equipment.”

Other findings from the study include:

* The federal government should play an active role in the commercial adoption of IPv6 in the U.S., according to 85 percent of government respondents; 53 percent also believe that the federal government should provide guidance and some level of funding to support the U.S. private sector transition to IPv6.

* Sixty-seven percent of industry respondents said the government IPv6 transition will speed the inclusion of IPv6 capabilities in their organization’s products and services.

* In making IT purchasing decisions, 68 percent of government respondents are more likely to choose a vendor with IPv6 capabilities; 30 percent of respondents also are willing to pay more for IPv6 capabilities.

* Depletion of additional IPv4 addresses will have a negative impact on their government organization, according to 70 percent of government respondents.

“There has been a tremendous amount of attention surrounding IPv6 in opportunities for increased security, scalability and innovation,” said Lou Anne Brossman, director of U.S. Public Sector Marketing at Juniper Networks. “What the IPv6 Government Action Study has uncovered is significant data on many unanswered questions, including IPv6 spending levels in the immediate future, the civilian and state/local government catch up on IPv6 adoption, and the extent of government knowledge surrounding the consequences of IP address depletion.”

The results of the Juniper Networks study indicate the U.S. government is moving forward in the transition to IPv6 and the next-generation Internet, said Chuck Lynch, co-founder of SynExi and former lead DoD technologist for IPv6. But, he added, “it also clearly conveys the need for a centralized IPv6 Transition Office to coordinate the continued transition and for a national strategy to help transition the country to IPv6. The Internet has become a critical differentiator for the U.S. and we need to maintain leadership as we move into the future.”

Juniper Networks Inc. www.juniper.net  

SynExi LLC www.synexi.net

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