Global IPv6 Summit in China 2004 Elite Panel 2: IPv6 Development and Future---Global IPv6 Leaders Dialogue

Chaired by:
Lei Zhenzhou	, Senior Expert of MII
Panelists:
Wu Hequan	, Vice President, Chinese Academy of Engineering
Vinton Cerf	, Chairman, ICANN
Latif Ladid	, President, IPv6 Forum
Li Guojie	, President,Institute of Computing Technology, CAS
Fred Baker	, Chairman, Internet Society
Xing Li	, Professor, Tsinghua University
Ma Jian	, Principal Scientist, Nokia Research Center China
Akihiko Takase	,Senior Director,IP Network Solution Operation, Hitachi, Ltd.
Patrick Cocquet	, 6Wind

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The panel discussed IPv6 promotion and IPv6 network deployment in China. Except from comments from panelists:

Hequan: NGN, NGI, IPv6 and 3G are all hot topics in China now. China has become No.2 country in terms of the number of Internet users. I feel that distance between China and foreign counterparts shortened. China is being given a good opportunity to participate in the world of IPv6.

Guojie: Internet is one of the main driving forces of Chinese economy. But Internet service fee can be 10% of average income, for example. Cheaper Internet services need to be realized. I want to see many more Chinese vendors supporting IPv6.

Cerf: There are several requirements for IPv6 transition to happen. First, all currently-used services must work on IPv6. Interconnection of IPv6 islands should be considered, probably using tunneling. All major IPv4 applications must work on IPv6. Users don’t have to know whether IPv6 is used or not. IPv4 and IPv6 need to work concurrently for co-existence. NAT boxes may not fully disappear. They may even play a new role of connecting IPv6 networks through IPv4 networks. Single-protocol nodes introduce complexity to the network. For deployment, use IPv6 edge devices as a force to go into the core.

Jian: Future apps need global reachability and always-on model. Applications for mobile phones may include VoIP, Push to talk, P2P, push services, multi-player gaming, etc. Operators need globally unique routable IP address. In Asia/Pacific region, CDMA could be a main driver of IPv6. Nokia will release the first dual-stack CDMA phone this year.

Baker: One of Internet Society focuses is education. IPv6 can extend the reach of Internet, and help people make use of it.

Li: IPv6 enables basic principle of Internet: end-to-end connectivity. We need to popularize and promote IPv6. We have to be firm believers of IPv6. When Chinese ministries got together to discuss CNGI last year, I said we needed pure IPv6 network with no tunneling for CERNET. Why bother waste our efforts on IPv4? With large number of students, Chinese academic network can be a good IPv6 testbed.

Ladid: There are countries with large population with small Internet penetration rate like China and India. They will transform Internet landscape from now. Voice, data, and broadcast have been carried on different networks, but they will be integrated to IPv6 networks in the future. IPv6 enables end-to-end secure communications, and always-on e-infrastructure. Globally, IPv6 is just crossing the chasm. Mobility is the key in further penetration.

Baker: (On IETF standardization of IPv6) Currently, we are perfecting IPv6 just like we have been doing with IPv4.

Cerf: (On the same topic) Keeping IPv6 simple without overloading it with features is important, because simplicity means stability, and stability helps applications.

Ladid: (On the same topic) I encourage Chinese people to participate in IETF working groups. All you need is an e-mail address. Give your feedback from your experience to working groups of your interest.

Cerf: (On the Internet 10 years later) If we do our job right, we will be offering good connectivity. And once you connect, it will unleash creativity of people in using it. Jet Propulsion Lab is trying to extend the reach of the Internet out of the earth. Look forward to two-planet Internet in 2009.

Cerf: (on future integration of Internet and telco) traditional telecom industry is just beginning to appreciate the tidal wave of Internet. This tidal wave changes all of telecom business models. If we are successful, all familiar media will be delivered by IP in the future.

Hequan: (on purpose of CNGI) The purpose of CNGI is to build test platform. It’s rare in China that so many government agencies got together. Foreign NGI projects tend to be conducted on academic networks. But CNGI got 5 major telecom players in China involved. It will also incorporate mobile aspect from the start. I hope China will give hope to the world of IPv6.

Takase: (on IPv6 in realizing carrier-grade networking) IPv6 is mostly the same as IPv4 in this sense, but IPv6 is enabling various levels of carrier-grade services, as seen in m2m-x by NTT Communications.

Cocquet: (On edge services) Plug and play is an important aspect in edge networking. But end users don’t have to know that they are using IPv6. We can start providing services to home today.

Cerf: (On application possibility) Current instant messaging services manage dedicated user ID, but we are not restrained to use such ID. IPv6 address is globally unique. Part of our tasks is how to use globally unique ID and presence services, especially for mobile users.

From left: Hequan, Cerf, and Li

From left: Jian and Zhenzhou

From left: Ladid, Baker and Guojie

From left: Takase and Cocquet

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