NEW DELHI, INDIA: It’s time for IPv6! As IPv4 is said to be a passé by 2012, the IPv6 migration has, however, become critical for carriers. DoT has already issued a mandate to ISPs to migrate and be IPv6-ready by December 2011. The government departments, including PSUs, are expected for this network protocol upgrade by March 2012.

While the technology major, Hewlett Packard (HP) has not only made available IPv6-capable portfolio, but is leading the innovation in Asia Pacific region with a focus on India. IPv6 transformation is occurring worldwide, and HP has taken a holistic approach.

Also Read: Cisco lacks innovation says HP

As the IPv6 interest is exploding, HP continues to work with its customers to ensure the delivery of innovation-based solutions in the IPv6 domain. The technology major is actively involved in transition planning and execution with many government agencies as well as enterprise sector in Asia region, including India.

Speaking to CIOL, Yanick Pouffary, distinguished technologist and chief architect in the office of the CTO within Enterprise Services at HP said that it is innovation and not revolution. "We are introducing great innovation, and looking at entire ecosystem," she said.

The world has moved from IP-enabled to IP-dependent, and hence IPv6 has become one of the most and significant technology changes in the history of Internet. As the exhaustion of IPv4 addresses would halt Internet and IP growth, Pouffary said that's why 2011 is now predicted as the inflection year, with hockey stick growth expectations for IPv6 traffic.

Pouffary informs that they offer consulting services for end-to-end IPv6 migration, from the network assessment phase through implementation, testing and validation. IPv6 transition requires product strength as well as application, network and outsourcing services.

HP’s market position and strength highly flexible, and is poised to lead the IPv6 innovation, she believes. As there are already an estimated 2 billion Internet users worldwide, and the number of Internet-accessible devices continues to explode, this transition is however important for carriers.

The IPv6 interest is taking off at an incredible rate, in Asia and India specifically, the company said. Depletion of IPv4 addresses and the unprecedented growth in Internet connected devices as well as people's contribution to an even higher level of urgency toward IPv6, are driving factors, Pouffary added.