Launch National Action Plan on IPv6

After 2 years of implementing Phase 1 of National Action Plan on IPv6, basic results have met required goals and ready to move on to Phase 2, Starting Phase. This information was given in National Action Plan on IPv6"s Phase 1 Review Conference held by Ministry of Information and Communications on April, 16th, 2013, in Hanoi. Mr. Le Nam Thang - Deputy Minister of Information and Communications, Head of Viet Nam National IPv6 Task Force attended and gave orientations to the Conference.

Illustration photo (Source: Internet)

According to the National IPv6 Promotion Working Party, the most important result achieved in Phase 1 (2011-2012) is the propaganda of basic knowledge about IPv6 for the information technology and communication community. All Internet businesses, large organizations and businesses owning information technology infrastructure have conducted training programs on IPv6. From vague awareness, Internet organizations and business have made significant changes in awareness in deploying IPv6. In some organizations, this perception has been transformed into concrete actions aiming at achieving the general objective of making the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 in Vietnam quickly and safely. In Vietnam, IPv6 has been recognized as an inevitable fact. Basically, Internet businesses already have technical staff to participate in training programs as nuclear human resource for IPv6 deployment in their units. IPv6 contents have also been added, integrated into curriculums of training organizations specialized in information technology and communication.

Policies promoting IPv6 are included in official legal documents (drafted Internet Decree), regulations on standards and technologies being developed. The national IPv6 piloting network is in stable operation. National DNS infrastructure network, VNIX national traffic hub are completely supportive and responsive to IPv6. Vietnam also has international IPv6 connections.

Leading Internet companies have conducted surveys to assess the status of the network. The level of IPv6 support on current infrastructure networks and devices of leading internet companies is very positive. There are already 09 businesses basically complete objectives of Phase 1. Specialized data communication networks of agencies of the Party and State have been connected and tested ready for IPv6 transition. The assessment as well as preparation of knowledge, infrastructure and human resources for the transformation are also completed.

At the conference, representatives from several agencies and enterprises such as Authority of Information Technology Application (Ministry of Information and Communications), Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group, Viettel Group, D-Link Company, Vietnam Research and Training Network (VinaREN) presented speeches to clarify progress and results of IPv6 deployment in their units, as well as proposed recommendations to effectively implement objectives of Phase 2.

In his steering speech, Deputy Minister Le Nam Thang said, besides achieved results, Phase 1 still existed problems need to be learned for better implementation of Phase 2. These are, the propaganda and training to raise awareness about IPv6 only focuses on  telecommunications and internet companies; the construction of mechanisms and policies to promote the development of IPv6 has been slow; the pilot experience is still very limited,... In the next phase, it is necessary to confirm that the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 is an inevitable trend in Vietnam, in accordance with the international trend. This is a long process need a synchronized preparation and participation: content - connection - customer, therefore, in the future, it is needed to continue to focus on propaganda and training to raise awareness of IPv6 by expanding the scope of trained objects; after the Government issues the Internet Management Decree, work with related ministries about tax priorities for businesses; continue to finalize the Internet Connection Regulation; build regulations in internet resource management, IPv6 plan, IPv6 standards, particularly specifications for terminals; encourage websites, portals, large social networks transit to IPv6; expand the research, development and training on IPv6 for universities, colleges, etc.