Commerce’s NTIA Applauds EDUCAUSE’s Move to IPv6 in .EDU Top Level Domain

Press Release: Commerce’s NTIA Applauds EDUCAUSE’s Move to IPv6 in .EDU Top Level Domain

For Immediate Release: December 2, 2008
Contact: Bart Forbes, (202) 482-7002 or press@ntia.doc.gov

WASHINGTON -- The Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today applauded EDUCAUSE’s actions to introduce Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) in the .EDU top-level domain. EDUCAUSE is responsible for the management of .EDU through a cooperative agreement with the Department of Commerce.

“This action taken by EDUCAUSE for the .EDU domain will significantly advance the imperative of IPv6 adoption and deployment,” said Meredith Baker, acting NTIA Administrator. “The sooner the evolution to IPv6 occurs, the more confidence we can have that further diffusion of the Internet, at home and throughout the world, is sustainable.”

EDUCAUSE Vice President Mark Luker said, “EDUCAUSE is very pleased to offer native IPv6 Domain Name System capabilities for the .EDU domain. All agree that the transition to IPv6 is an important step on the path to the Internet of the future.”

Internet Protocol (IP) defines how computers and other devices communicate over a network, enabling data and other traffic to traverse the Internet and to arrive at the desired destination. IP not only provides a standardized “envelope” for the information that is sent; it also contains “headers” that provide addressing, routing, and message-handling information that enables a message to be directed to its final destination over the various media that compose the Internet. IP version 4 (IPv4), the currently prevalent version, supports just over four billion unique IP addresses, which are not enough to last indefinitely. There is a growing shortage of IPv4 addresses, which are needed by all new machines added to the Internet. IPv6 is a replacement for IPv4, offering more IP addresses and enhanced security features.

NTIA is responsible for the development of the domestic and international telecommunications policy of the Executive Branch.

EDUCAUSE is a non-profit membership association created to support those who lead, manage, and use information technology to benefit higher education.

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