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At Least 25% of Host Computers Currently IPv6 Ready

By Joy Hou - on 21 Jun 2011, 11:57am

At Least 25% of Host Computers Currently IPv6 Ready

BRISBANE, Australia - As a contribution to World IPv6 Day (8 June 2011), the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre Research and Development Lab (APNIC Labs) conducted extensive IPv6 reachability tests, using Web-embedded techniques. This activity now continues as part of APNIC’s long-term commitment to measure and analyse IPv6 uptake.

The tests used client-side browser 'javascript' to test the IPv4, dual-stack, and IPv6 capabilities of millions of Internet hosts worldwide.

The tool has shown at least 25% of the world’s host computers are ready to run IPv6 native mode right now. They only lack an IPv6 route into the global Internet, because they are either using an older home router, or more commonly, their ISP does not provide native IPv6.

APNIC Director General, Paul Wilson, said the APNIC client-side measurement technique allowed APNIC Labs to pick up IPv6 capability, which other measures of normal browser behaviour and other IPv6 measurement methods can miss.

The measurement technique uses a number of tests that rely on the Domain Name System (DNS) in a conventional manner, and an unusual 'IPv6 Literal' which bypasses the DNS and invites the client to fetch IPv6 using the given address. When taking a measurement via the DNS, built-in mechanisms in a number of popular operating systems suppress host's IPv6 capability from being used if there is auto-tunnel-only access.

This 'dual stack brokenness' figure is decreasing as older host software systems are upgraded with regular vendor updates. APNIC will continue to review the impact of IPv6 dual-stack deployment.

This research represents one of the largest independent IPv6 measurements during the testing period. This 25% figure indicates the financial viability for service providers to invest in replacing home router equipment.

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