IPv6 has been a hot topic in the networking industry for over a year now and as the changeover progresses; it is still a priority for companies.
Two major concerns are:
Licensing – some devices will need an IOS license upgrade to gain access to IPv6 features, which can raise the cost of a device considerably
Performance – some hardware-based forwarding platforms do not support IPv6 in hardware, leading to very poor IPv6 performance
Network equipment manufacturers have seen this as an opportunity to push businesses towards immediate and costly upgrades, even if they are not really necessary.
It is important that companies resist this pressure as the majority of network gear has had IPv6 capability for years. For example many existing L3 network switches from Cisco support IPv6 in hardware and don’t require additional IOS licensing. However, other equipment will not provide hardware forwarding of IPv6 data and would result in poor IPv6 performance. Below is a list of devices that both support IPv6 in hardware and which do not require additional IOS licensing for this support.
Device compatibility with IPv6
When we discuss IPv6 support in switches, we are discussing L3 switches. Switching functionality is performed via MAC address, and as such, any switch model will be able to switch IPv6 packets in hardware. Routing functionality is where IPv6 support comes into play.
Cisco Catalyst 3560 and Catalyst 3750 switches
All Catalyst 3560/3750 switches have hardware support for IPv6 forwarding, and starting in IOS version 12.2(50) SE, all IOS versions for these switches now support IPv6, including IPBASE.
Cisco Catalyst 4500 switches
In the Cat4500 line, IPv6 forwarding in hardware is found on the WS-X45-Sup6-E and WS-X45-SUP6L-E supervisors, and like Cisco’s other current L3 switching platforms, IPv6 features are found in IPBASE.
Beware, though, as older supervisors do not provide hardware forwarding of IPv6 data, resulting in very poor IPv6 performance.
Cisco Catalyst 4900 switches
The Catalyst 4900M and Catalyst 4948E switches are the IPv6-capable platforms in the 4900 series. Both of these switches support IPv6 in all IOS images, so there is no need for an additional IOS license, either. Like the Cat4500, though, the older WS-C4948 and WS-C4948-10GE switches do not provide IPv6 forwarding in hardware.
Cisco Catalyst 6500 switches
Starting in IOS version 12.2(33)SXI, Cisco added IPv6 features to all IOS versions, including IPBASE and IP Services. The Catalyst 6500, with its large amount of hardware forwarding resources, is very well-suited for demanding IPv4 and IPv6 environments, especially when deployed with a Sup720-3BXL or VS-S720-10G-3CXL. However, the still popular Sup2 does not support IPv6 in hardware, making it completely unsuitable for an IPv6 deployment.
Force10 Networks
With the exception of the S2410 (since it is L2 only), all of Force10’s switching products support IPv6 forwarding in hardware.
1900/2900/3900 Series routers
The ISR G2 routers now support IPv6 in IPBASE. Being small routers, there is no hardware compatibility to worry about; IPv6 support is determined only by features provided in the IOS versions. Note that the still-current but older 1800/2800/3800 routers require the purchase of an IOS license (SP Services to be specific) for IPv6 support.
Cisco 7200 Series routers
When using an NPE-400, NPE-G1, or NPE-G2, the 7200 series will support IPv6 in IPBASE, starting in 12.4T IOS versions. Like the small routers, the 7200 is not a hardware forwarding platform, so IOS version is the only concern here. Note that older NPEs, like the NPE-225 and NPE-300, are not supported by these newer IOS releases.
Cisco 7600 Series routers
For very high (10Gbps+) IPv6 performance, the CISCO7600 series, especially when coupled with an RSP720 part (such as the RSP720-3CXL-10GE), provides particularly strong performance.
Network assessments
It is also highly advisable for companies to conduct a thorough network assessment by an independent third party to determine which equipment doesn’t need upgrading, which should be upgraded and which should be disposed of. The assessment would include an analysis of long-range planning that best reflects your organisation’s business needs, budget parameters, network capabilities and equipment support strategies. A network audit from a reputable third-party, one with no vendor bias, can help create a blueprint that pinpoints your challenges and addresses current operations while providing recommendations for future moves. This audit can determine over what time period the upgrade needs to happen, whether it’s in three months, six months or a year and remove time pressures.
Disposing of old equipment
If businesses need to upgrade to IPv6 and some of the equipment can’t be upgraded it is worth remembering that there are still companies out there which might not need IPv6 and might only need IPv4, but which still need to maintain existing equipment. By selling the technology they no longer need to an independent reseller, businesses can not only make some money, but also enable another company to replace older parts that companies like Cisco no longer provide.
Network Hardware Resale (NHR) is a leading provider of networking solutions that specialize in reducing IT costs. Based in Santa Barbara, Calif., the company is an independent reseller of pre-owned Cisco, Foundry and Juniper networking equipment as well as an authorized reseller of resilient, scalable equipment from Force10 Networks. NHR also offers cost-effective network management, asset management, alternative maintenance and technical support services. Founded in 1986, NHR provides global sales and technical support from its Santa Barbara, Dallas metro, New York City metro, Amsterdam, London and Singapore locations. Organizations worldwide purchase quality networking equipment from NHR, including Global 1000 companies, small and mid-sized enterprises, government entities, educational institutions, healthcare organizations and telecommunications service providers. For more information, visit www.networkhardware.com.
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