Guiding IPv6 quality communications
The wide deployment of the Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) has been based on its ability to provide unique global computer addressing. This means communication between two computers is achieved through unique identification of one another. Apparently, the continuous consumption of the number of available addresses today may lead to a saturation point in a few years, with an exhaustion of available IPv4 addresses. Migration to IPv6 would be an effective solution as a much larger address space that allows greater flexibility in assigning addresses is offered. However, the provision of premium IPv6 services rests on the available infrastructure and is related to further commercialisation of the IPv6 standards. Urged by this, the 6QM project focused on the Quality of Service (QoS) of IPv6. This traffic engineering term encompasses priorities for different users or data flows, or guarantees a certain level of performance for a data flow in accordance with requirements. Such requirements may come from the application program or the Internet service provider policy. Aiming at an effective and reliable measurement framework of the QoS in IPv6 networks, the 6QM project developed a measurement device and a server, and generated a set of final guidelines. Having addressed many aspects of the IPv6 QoS measurement, key areas for future research have been identified. Such areas referring to system improvement include inter-domain measurement, mobility and control of heterogeneous systems. Additionally, further research challenges concern the usage of the QoS monitoring to support various application fields including autonomic communication or multi-homing in terms of access selection. Nevertheless, integration of core measurement components into an existing system, such as a control and configuration system is feasible. This may therefore offer key advantages in the next generation Internet. For further information, click at: http://www.6qm.org/(opens in new window)