Last year, we published an article about the shift from IPv4 to IPv6 and what it means for enterprise network architecture. Even though it’s been a slow process (the worldwide deployment of IPv6 was only at 10% in January 2016), the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the always-accelerating spread of broadband internet around the globe has brought new urgency to the shift to IPv6. So, does that mean we’re any closer to seeing full-scale IPv6 adoption? And what would that mean for network architecture in the enterprise?

There’s probably not going to be a single, Hollywood-style tipping point.

As a culture, we have a tendency to expect things to change in a single, dramatic moment – look no further than our collective obsession with the apocalypse for evidence – but that’s rarely the case when massive changes do happen. Similarly, it’s unlikely that you’ll wake up one morning to find that IPv4 support has vanished completely and IPv6 is the only protocol through which you can connect to the internet. That being said, though, there’s a definite – albeit sluggish – momentum picking up in IPv6 adoption, with countries like the United States reaching nearly 30% deployment on all internet traffic at the time that this blog was written. Gearing your network architecture for IPv6 support is more about preparing for the inevitable more than anything else. When the shift finally does happen in earnest, it’s only going to make matters easier if you’re already ahead of the curve.

IPv6 momentum is likely to pick up properly with the next wave of IoT

Internet of Things technology made headlines just about every other day last year, but the hype seems to have died down in recent months – all perfectly normal behavior for a technology at this level of the Hype Cycle. That doesn’t mean that it’s gone away, however. If anything, we’re likely to see an even bigger influx of IoT devices in the coming months and years as the technology matures. Consequently, the rate of IPv6 deployment might increase substantially as more devices come online and need unique IP addresses.
We’ve summarized the most important points regarding IPv6 adoption in a Slide Share presentation which you can view here. For more information on how IRIS can help you gear your network architecture for full-scale IPv6 adoption, contact us today!