What does this mean for security professionals? For now, the key areas to consider when deploying IPv6 in a security network environment are
● What combination of protocols will be used at the outset and
● What devices will be connected to the network.
In other words, how the transition to IPv6 will take place and the kind of protocol “blend” that will be used will determine the network components/ devices that will be able to live on the network. While IPv6 e xpands the number of IP capable devices that can connect to the network, analog devices will still work. In this scenario, only the encoder needs to be IPv6 compatible, which is often a better option for insulating expensive video source equipment from future protocol or network changes. As long as the encoder is compliant, any analog video camera can work on an IPv6 network.
Getting Ready for IPv6
It goes without saying that it's important to learn as much about your evolving network as possible, and this holds true with IPv6. Based on recent estimates, only 2 to 5 percent of possible IPv4 addresses remain available, which means that the day to make the switch to IPv6 will be here before you know it.
In fact, major Web organizations including Google, Yahoo and Facebook will participate in a global IPv6 test day on June 8, to facilitate the transition to the new protocol.
In the meantime, conduct your due diligence, investigate the many IPv6 resources online to learn how IPv6 improves network functionality and properly test your security equipment. Making network changes like this can seem intimidating at first. But once you fully understand the benefits that IPv6 can bring to your security network, taking the plunge will be well worth the effort.