August 30, 2007

Lockheed Martin begins to deploy IPv6

The U.S. government has mandated that all contractors upgrade their networks to IPv6 by 2008, and Lockheed-Martin is providing an example of how to do so

U.S. government contractor Lockheed Martin has begun to move part of its network to IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) as a way of showing customers how to make the transition, the company said.

The White House's Office of Management and Budget in 2005 mandated that all government agencies upgrade their network backbones to IPv6 by 2008, and Lockheed Martin's project is meant as an example, said Frank Cuccias, director of the company's IPv6 Center of Excellence.

"We're doing this to show customers that it can be done and how to do it the right way," Cuccias said late Wednesday. "We're continually looking to bleeding-edge technologies to see if they can be leveraged for our customers."

Lockheed Martin's transition to IPv6 started earlier this year, Cuccias said. The first phase of the transition will convert 10 nodes on the company's Global Vision Network (GVNet), between California and the U.K. The first phase, which will convert a small piece of GVNet, should be finished by late this year, a Lockheed Martin spokesman said.

The U.S. Department of Defense has led the push toward IPv6, and Lockheed Martin's conversion can help with the DOD's focus on net-centric warfare, Lockheed Martin said. "We see the enterprise as more than routers, switches, servers, etcetera," Cuccias said. "We see satellites, aircraft, missiles, and sensors as part of the enterprise."

Several customers have approached Lockheed Martin about testing their applications and network designs on its IPv6 network, he said.

Lockheed Martin is a long-time defense contractor that also focuses on electronic and information systems. The company, based in Bethesda, Maryland, reported sales of $39.6 billion in 2006.

Close

On Twitter now

Networking

Powered by Twitter

On Twitter now

additional resources
White Paper - How to Improve Delivery of Advanced Web Applications

White Paper

Virtual Workforce: The Key to Expanding The Business While Cutting Costs

Get the independent advice and expertise you need to support a virtual workforce.

Go inside:
The three-step approach to making a virtual workforce a reality.
The four flavors of client virtualization technologies.
The three key initiatives that solve IT challenges.
Download now »
White Paper: Successfully Secure Your Wireless LAN With Wi-Fi firewalls.

White Paper

Addressing Linux Threats Leveraging Fewer Resources

The increase in Linux popularity has increased the frequency and sophistication of malware attacks. Read this 2 page white paper now to learn how you can protect your Linux environment with real-time protection that is certified by all major Linux vendors.

Download now »
White Paper - The 2009 Handbook of Application Delivery

White Paper

The 2009 Handbook of Application Delivery

Ensuring acceptable application delivery will become even more difficult over the next few years. As a result, IT organizations need to ensure that the approach that they take to resolving the current application delivery challenges can scale to support the emerging challenges. This handbook elaborates on the key tasks associated with planning, optimization, management and control and provides decision criteria to help IT organizations choose appropriate solutions.

Download now »
White Paper - Is Your Backup System Outdated?

White Paper

Mid-range Storage Considerations

A common misconception is that mid-range storage requirements are dramatically different than that of a larger enterprise. Mid-range storage users may require less capacity, but they have similar functionality and management requirements. This ESG paper examines mid-range storage needs and reviews a new solution that adjusts size while retaining value, performance and functionality.

Download now »

Sign up to receive Networking Resource Alerts

Subscribe to the Today's Headlines: First Look Newsletter

Find out what will be news for the day, with our first-thing-in-the-morning briefing.

©1994-2010 Infoworld, Inc.