Khaki observed that Microsoft's Windows XP operating system was released in October 2001 with a developer preview of IPv6. As for Microsoft's next-generation operating system, he said the Longhorn OS will be fully IPv6 compatible. He added that Longhorn with IPv6 capability is being tested internally at Microsoft.
"These internal deployments help us gain operational experience in deploying and simultaneously running IPv4 and IPv6 technologies on our corporate network," said Khaki. "It also allows us to extensively test our products and services prior to release to the public."
Khaki told the assembled members of Congress that the software colossus has been striving to develop security technologies that will operate in hybrid IPv4 and IPv6 environments. "In Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, even when IPv6 is enabled on the network, many applications and services will only respond via IPv4," he said. "Under this situation, existing IPv4-based security mechanisms continue to protect the network traffic over IPv4."
Another speaker, Karen Evans representing the Office of Management and Budget pointed out that most operating systems currently in use already support IPv6 while many installed routers and switches have the upgrade built-in.
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