Deployment And Use Of Internet Protocol Version 6

Unknown to many of us, the previous administration in its last few days issued Executive Order No. 893 dated June 18, 2010 promoting the deployment and use of Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6). This blog had a previous article entitled Expanding The Internet Thru IPv6 which discussed the importance of deploying and using IPv6 in place of IPv4 which will soon get exhausted. Although not yet publicized, the importance of EO 893 on the future of Internet usage in our country cannot be under-emphasized. Each one of us will be affected in one way or another with the use of IPv6 if we want to be abreast with the advances on the use of the Internet and the technology that goes with it.

In order to ensure the deployment and use of IPv6 within the next two (2) years, the executive order creates an Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on IPv6 which will be composed of the Chairman of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) as its Head and Senior Level Officials from Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and private sector representatives as members.

The functions of Inter-Agency Task Force on IPv6 will be as follows:

  1. Formulate an IPv6 roadmap;
  2. Initiate and manage IPv6 data collection;
  3. Develop baseline and metrics for measuring IPv6 usage and benefits in the country;
  4. Provide periodic reports to the President through the Chairman of CICT regarding the activities of the task force.
  5. Promote human capacity-building including training and awareness on IPv6;
  6. Develop a database on IPv6 compliance.
  7. Recommend additional policies as may be deemed necessary; and
  8. Perform other functions as may be assigned by the Office of the President.

The issuance of the EO 893 is one big step in the right direction but if we consider the current state of ICT governance in the country, we cannot help but be not so optimistic with the prospect of prioritizing the deployment and use of IPv6. Let us hope that our current leaders will soon get enlightened on the importance of ICT to the country’s economy. Only then can we  expect better ICT governance for the good of all of us.

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