The Advanced Science and Technology Institute in collaboration with Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan conducts the Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) Training for Beginners at Cagayan de Oro City from October 12-13, 2011.

The event was opened by Father Bobby Yap, SJ, President of Xavier University, followed by a short ASTI update by Mr. Bayani Benjamin Lara, team lead of the Philippine Research Education and Government Network (PREGINET). This two-day training will serve as a multi-sectoral campaign on the use and deployment of the “next generation” internet protocol in order to replace the depleting number and limited address space of IP version 4 addresses. It also aims to spread technical knowledge through the IPv6 hands-on activities to support the abovementioned campaign as convened by Executive Order 893.

The said endeavour according to Engr. Gerardo Doroja , Xavier University's Dean for the College of Computer Studies, is entered into by the university as part of its social outreach program, as it is geared towards partnering with such institutions to promote technology awareness in the community. “Primary target participants of the training are IT Administrators in Northern Mindanao both from Government & Private Institutions,” added by Dean Doroja. 

 

Continuing  its advocacy and activities to promote Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) deployment in the Philippines, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) - Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI) co-organized the World IPv6 Day Celebration on June 08, 2011 at the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), and held IPv6 technical trainings from June 9-10, 2011 at the ASTI Training Room.

The 2011 World IPv6 Day aims to promote IPv6 adoption in the Philippines, celebrating in sync with internet communities all over the world, whilst the IPv6 Training aims to equip Philippine organizations with right technical know-how on IPv6 migration and deployment. 

For the past few decades, the Internet has used Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4). IPv4 uses IP addresses to uniquely identify these electronic devices or hosts, may it be a computer or any other machine. Despite its tremendous success, IPv4 is showing signs of strain, especially, in its limited address space and its fast depletion. To address these concerns, the IPv6 was created.

The newer version IPv6 serves the same function with that of the IPv4 but it does not carry the same limitations. Among the features of the IPv6, are larger addresses, in a way that these become unlimited for everyone, flexible header format, improved options, support for resource allocations and provision for protocol extension. IPv6 preserves everything that is good about today's internet, and adds more features such as stateless auto-configuration, seamless mobility, automated network management, mandated security and new optional service levels. 

The DOST-ASTI, through PREGINET, is a pioneer in using IPv6 all throughout the country. PREGINET got its IPv6 assignment from the Asian Internet Interconnection Initiatives in 2000 and received from the Asia Pacific Network Information Center, the first IPv6 address block in the Philippines in 2003. Since then, the DOST-ASTI conducted research and development projects to develop IPv6 knowledge, solutions and services, and has provided technical advise and assistance to many public and private sector organizations. 

With its full commitment in the awareness campaign of the importance of the IPv6 migration, DOST-ASTI helped in drafting the Executive Order (EO) 893, along with CICT, National Computer Center (NCC), Telecommunications Office and National Telecommunications Commission.  On June 29, 2010, the Malacañang Palace issued  EO 893, entitled Promoting the Deployment and Use of Internet Protocol version 6, to encourage the use of IPv6 since exhaustion of IPv4 threatens to deter applications and services in internet-based infrastructure. Government services that may be affected by the exhaustion of IP addresses include health care, national security, public safety, education and environment.

The EO 893 enjoins all government online services to be IPv6-compliant two years after said executive order takes effect and to have an IPv6 migration plan in their Information System Strategic Plans. Moreover, government agencies will be forbidden to procure IPv4-only equipment, software and services after 2013. The DOST-ASTI, on the other hand, is tasked to assist the government agencies to achieve smooth interoperability testings of IPv4 and IPv6 infrastructure and systems.