In a new video released today, Google has reaffirmed its commitment to IPv6 and shared some tips on how to make migration to the new protocol as painless as possible.

Speaking in a video interview with not for profit internet infrastructure organisation Ripe NCC, Google network engineer Lorenzo Colitti explained that IPv6 will enable the web giant to provide a better user experience for its customers.

"It's another way of reaching Google services," he added. "If we can serve our users better over IPv6 than we can over IPv4 then we will do it. For the moment we're catering to early adopters and trying to gain operational experience, and trying to help other people gain operational experience by doing Google over IPv6."

Google launched its IPv6 service in March, having gone from 'zero' to being able to provide users with a good connection in around a year and a half, he said.

"A lot of progress can be made because it's not a huge undertaking [although] it's something requiring a lot of pieces in a lot of different places in the infrastructure to come together," he added. "But it can be done with not too many resources in a reasonably short time."

Colitti explained that the best way for organisations to proceed with IPv6 projects is to try to "tap into the enthusiasm that no doubt exists" in their company, in order to gather volunteers who would be excited about such work "and they'll surprise you".

Nice idea Google, although perhaps it's a little unfair to think that other network operators attempting to implement IPv6 can leverage a troop of competent, passionate network engineers as the web behemoth no doubt has access to.

27 Jul 2009