Axel Pawlik, managing director of the RIPE NCC, the not-for-profit organisation that supports the infrastructure of the Internet, explains the impact that country-wide broadband will have on this infrastructure in the UK.
The recently published Digital Britain report outlined the Government’s plan to equip every household in the UK with high-speed broadband by 2012. This will have a huge impact on our Internet infrastructure, because the more widespread the broadband penetration becomes, the more computers will be connected to the UK-wide network. In order for the Government’s ‘broadband for all by 2012’ vision to become a reality, we need a dramatic increase in the number of available IP addresses, the numeric IDs assigned to all devices connected to the Internet.
The Internet currently operates mostly on Internet Protocol version four (IPv4), a system of addresses that is used to identify devices connected to a computer network. These IP addresses are distributed by the five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) on a first come, first served basis. The five RIRs are AfriNIC for the Africa region, APNIC for the Asia Pacific region, ARIN for the United States, Canada, as well as many Caribbean and North Atlantic islands, LACNIC for Latin America and parts of the Caribbean, and the RIPE NCC, which manages IP addresses for Europe, the Middle East and parts of Central Asia.
Almost 90 per cent of IPv4 addresses have already been allocated globally, and the available pool of addresses is predicted to run out altogether by 2011. The technical community has been aware of this for many years, and has long recognised that a new generation of IP address protocol would be required to meet future demand for unique Internet addresses. It was with this in mind that IPv6 was developed in the mid-90s. The continued growth and development of the Internet relies on the rapid deployment of IPv6 by both public and private sectors.
Governments are key players in Internet growth, and the Internet industry is urging them to play their part in the deployment of IPv6 and in particular to lead by example in making content available over IPv6. Europe is already making good strides towards IPv6 adoption. In May 2008, the European Commission set a target of 2010 for enabling 25 per cent of users to connect to the Internet over IPv6, and to provide access to critical resources and services over IPv6. As the UK-wide broadband and other initiatives outlined in the Digital Britain report demonstrate, it’s clear that governmental appetite and intention exists to assist in the development of the Internet and in ensuring that as many people as possible have access to the range of services and entertainment, communications, education and information available via the Internet.
The immediate challenge lies in making content available via IPv6. It’s also important that the processes and mechanisms already in place and facilitated by the five RIRs are used to ensure that service providers and content providers build adequate experience and expertise to continue to grow and develop the Internet.
Governments are influential forces for Internet growth. Leading by example, by incorporating IPv6 in their own networks and projects, they can play an important part in promoting the deployment of IPv6. Where governments lead in creating an atmosphere of change and encouraging a landscape for safe and effective Internet development, the private sector will join them wholeheartedly – the challenge is one of cooperation.
The RIPE NCC urges the UK Government to take an active approach to driving adoption of IPv6 amongst the public sector, commercial organisations and the wider Internet community. IPv6 will be essential in turning the ‘broadband for all’ vision into a reality, and ensuring that the entire UK population will be able to benefit from access to the next-generation broadband network.
