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Congress To Study Slow Pace Of Migration To IPv6

Whither IPv6? Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6), an Internet upgrade, promises a virtually limitless number of Web addresses and tighter security. Other countries have embraced it. But why not the U.S? Congress aims to find out.

To get to the bottom of the matter, government and private sector specialists are testifying at Congressional hearings in Washington Wednesday.

The subject of the hearings says it all: "Is the Federal Government Doing Enough? Will Other Nations Surpass the U.S?" Congressman Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.), chairman of the Committee on Government Reform, is presiding.

Although speakers from the industry, including Microsoft, are scheduled to speak, Robert White, a spokesman for the committee, said the emphasis will be on determining what can be done to assist governmental agencies in moving from IPv4 to the new version. A recent GAO report provides a roadmap to the upgrade, he added.

The GAO report, issued last month, noted that the Department of Defense is already well on its way to upgrading, but that remaining federal agencies are lagging behind. "DoD," the GAO report stated, "has made progress in developing a business case, policies, timelines, and processes for transitioning to IPv6."

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