About GTPv6

The GÉANT Test Programme IPv6 (GTPv6) project has a brief to investigate issues of IPv6 deployment, and to lay the foundation for a production IPv6 service between the European National Research Networks (NRNs).

The objectives of the group are as defined in the current draft workplan:

• To gain and develop an understanding of the issues involved in deploying IPv6 networks, in terms of areas including physical infrastructure, address allocation, registries, routing and DNS operation.

• To gain experience in operational management of an IPv4/IPv6 backbone.

• To gain insight into the implications of the new IPv6 protocol, and how it will impact the backbone network, NRN backbones and University end sites.

• To deploy and operate a production(or as close as possible to) quality IPv6 backbone network that can interconnect to any GÉANT participant IPv6 network, and that can peer with/offer transit to other world-wide IPv6 networks.

• To encourage NRNs to participate in GTPv6 such that they in turn may offer IPv6 connectivity to their own Universities/sites.

• To collaborate with other European IPv6 projects to gain a better mutual understanding of IPv6 deployment issues.

The workplan is currently being ratified. Its content was agreed at the last TF-NGN meeting in Muenster (February 2001).

Each work item for study has been assigned a coordinator. The new network infrastructure to supercede QTPv6 is being negotiated.