Georgia Gets Ready for IPv6 With Help From Cisco

TBILISI, Georgia – December 16, 2009 – Cisco and the Georgian Research and Educational Networking Association (GRENA) today announced the opening of the first laboratory for training and research in Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) in the Caucasus region. Cisco donated the lab's networking and communications equipment.

Located in the Georgian capital Tbilisi and operated by GRENA, the lab is an integral part of an international network of IPv6 training and research facilities. It is connected to the IPv6 lab operated by RENATER, the French national research network in Paris, as well as to similar centers in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Sofia, Bulgaria.

Key Facts / Highlights:

The objective of the lab is to provide an open environment for validating solutions, network setups and applications built on the next-generation Internet Protocol, known as IPv6. Internet experts, including academics, government administrators and telecom specialists, can be trained both on-site and through virtual access on innovative information and communications technology solutions relating to the adoption of IPv6.
In terms of technology and equipment, the lab is an exact replica of the one in Paris. The labs are interconnected through GEANT, the pan-European data network dedicated to the research and education communities. The resources can be used redundantly: If someone needs to conduct a test and one of the labs is busy at the time, the researcher can be directed to another lab.
The laboratory will be managed by the Georgian Research and Educational Networking Association. It will also help GRENA's participation in the 6DEPLOY project funded by the European Union's Seventh Framework Program, which involves 13 institutions from all over the world and whose aim is disseminating knowledge about IPv6 and supporting its deployment.
As an early pioneer in IPv6 technology, Cisco has been a driving force in developing IPv6 through various standards bodies, including the Internet Engineering Task Force, and has been shipping a wide variety of end-to-end IPv6 product and solutions. In October, Cisco announced significant enhancements to its Internet Protocol Next-Generation Network (IP NGN) architecture, including the new Cisco® carrier-grade IPv6 solution, which complements Cisco's IPv6 portfolio, the widest and most extensive in the market.
Cisco has a long-standing commitment to Georgia. The Cisco Networking Academy® has been present in the country since 2004. Currently, there are eight academies and more than 300 students participating in the program. In 2002, Cisco's chairman emeritus, John Morgridge, made a personal donation for an IP network to connect government offices in Georgia. This network is now connecting more than 600 governmental institutions.

Backgrounder on IPv6

Due to the spectacular growth in the adoption of the Internet and Internet-based technologies worldwide, public IP address space is becoming increasingly scarce. The current Internet Protocol version (IPv4) has a limited number of addresses remaining, which will last only until 2012 at the latest. The convergence of technologies and the increasing number of devices on the Internet also require new address space.
As the world prepares for the adoption of the next-generation Internet Protocol, education on IPv6 becomes crucial. The IPv6 lab in Georgia offers the opportunity to develop a solid knowledge base on the new protocol, which will help ensure the continuity of operation of institutions and companies.

Supporting Quotes:

Nodar Surguladze, deputy minister, Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia

"For countries like Georgia, IPv6 adoption represents an opportunity to manage the gap and be ready for the future of the Internet. We are especially proud of the fact that GRENA and our Georgian specialists can be part of the international IPv6 community, thanks to this donation from Cisco."

Kaan Terzioglu, vice president, Cisco Emerging Markets East

"As a company that has its roots in education, Cisco is very pleased to support the research community. Cisco's intention is to act as a catalyst to accelerate technology innovation. As our countries are building out their communications infrastructure, we see a unique opportunity for local academics and entrepreneurs to develop new technologies and applications around future standards such as IPv6."