Blue Coat discusses the switch to IPv6

Qing Li has been working in the IT industry for 20 years, but for the past six he has been at Blue Coat working on the problems and opportunities of IPv6.

Now chief scientist for the company, Li was recognised this year with the IPv6 Forum's IPv6 Application Solution Pioneer Award for his work in the field. V3.co.uk sat down with him to discuss the industry and the perils and opportunities opened up by the new system.

Blue Coat's theoretical approach to dealing with a dual IPv4 and IPv6 environment is different to other companies. What's your focus?
Our strategy is based on the focus of the market. There are many players focused on infrastructure transitions, but I think enterprises will be the fastest sector to adopt IPv6.

We target government and enterprises, both large and small, but the core focus is on helping enterprises to get access to more advanced services. That makes them more willing to adopt new technologies.

There's considerable concern at the moment that the industry as a whole is not moving to IPv6 fast enough, and the number of IPv4 addresses is running out. How concerned should people be?
People just have to be prepared for a mixed environment. The exhaustion of IPv4 addresses doesn't mean companies don't have other strategies to deal with the issue. But even if companies don't have a problem with IPv4 exhaustion they should still consider how best to handle IPv6.

Companies will need an IPv6 methodology to improve operational efficiency and help manage infrastructure costs. For example, a lot of videoconferencing systems are now coming on-stream with different compatibilities.

If you're using them to keep in touch with customers or branch offices, sometimes they may not work if you have to keep building special service points.

There are lots of reasons to adopt IPv6 compliance before you are pushed to the ends of the IP universe, and we want enterprise to focus on how to make IPv4 use acceptable while gaining the maximum benefits of IPv6 and doing it in a secure manner.