Infoblox introduces 6Map, a free tool for getting started with IPv6

The existing IPv4 standard allows for only 4.3 billion Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, which are used to individually identify Internet-connected devices such as computers, servers, smart phones, and tablets using numeric codes such as 192.168.10.1. This obviously isn’t enough on a planet with an estimated population of 7.2 billion. The pool of readily available IPv4 addresses has already been exhausted in much of Europe and Asia, and available IPv4 addresses in North America are expected to run out sometime this summer.

The solution is IPv6, the successor to IPv4. There are an almost infinite number of IPv6 addresses, and the smallest allocation for individual businesses is 281 trillion times greater than the total number of IPv4 addresses. While this vast ocean of addresses solves the problem of availability, IPv6 addresses are difficult for humans to understand or compare—making manual management almost impossible. IPv6 also creates new challenges and opportunities for network architects and administrators, calling for a very different approach to planning and deployment than the long-established procedures for IPv4.

Infoblox 6Map is an online tool that uses a question-and-answer format to create a printable map showing how IPv6 addresses might be assigned throughout an enterprise network.

The guiding principles behind Infoblox 6Map reflect the shift from famine to feast in moving from IPv4 to IPv6:

Plan for the number of subnets, not the number of host addresses. With IPv6, there is no need for conservation to ensure sufficient host addresses. The smallest unit for IPv6 planning, therefore, is a subnet.
Assign subnets in a way that leaves many in reserve for future use. Leave at least one-fourth of subnet address blocks unassigned and in reserve for future use.
Define as many subnets as needed. With IPv6, there is no need to limit the number of subnets. Instead, define subnets for every dimension of your network— geography (headquarters, regional offices, local sites, etc.), function (data centre, remote site, lab, etc.) and hierarchy (user groups, VLANs, security needs, etc.).

“Coming up with an IPv6 address framework is one of the most important initial tasks for any organisation starting down the path to IPv6 adoption, and we hope Infoblox 6Map is a helpful first step,” said Tom Coffeen, chief IPv6 evangelist at Infoblox. “IPv6 provides a foundation that opens up networks to future opportunities such as cloud architecture and the Internet of Things, and Infoblox is committed to providing enterprise-grade solutions for easily and automatically managing IPv6 deployments.”