DISA foresees no hiccups in switch to new Internet protocol

The Defense Information Systems Agency expects a smooth transition to the new Internet protocol on networks it operates for the Defense Department in large part because three years ago the agency equipped network switches and routers to handle the coming Internet protocol version 6 (IPv6).

Bruce Bennett, program executive officer for communications at DISA, said Defense is not apt to be hindered by the crunch that commercial firms might face this year when the final 4 billion addresses of the older Internet protocol version 4 (IPv4) are distributed because, he added, the agency has prudently managed those addresses. DISA took advantage of a process called network address translation, which uses just one IPv4 address to serve hundreds of end users, much like a local router serves up to 256 addresses behind one Internet-facing address. The agency also has an aggressive policy to reuse addresses after a piece of equipment is retired, or taken out of service. Thanks to these practices, Bennett said, he expects the Pentagon to run networks that use both IPv4 and IPv6 for the next decade.