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RNP distributes blocks of Ipv6 address to institutions in Brazil

Brazilian institutions wishing to promote experiments with Ipv6 protocol may solicit IP block address from the National Research Network in order to participate in BR 6Bone, the virtual Brazilian backbone developed for Ipv6 deployment. RNP has officially partaken of the 6Bone since 1998 and, by means of Br 6Bone, a project of its Configuration and Testing Laboratory (LCT), manages the distribution of block addresses allocated to Brazil by the Next Generation Transition (ngtrans) task force of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

Participation is granted to both public and private institutions, though closed to private individuals. Institutions interested in formally adhering to Br 6Bone, will have to fulfill requirements set forth in the Internet Draft 6Bone Routing Practice. Furthermore, they must be willing to make research and test data relevant to the project readily available as well as publicize their findings. The first step in the procedures relevant to adhesion to Br 6Bone start with participation in the Ipv6/RNP discussion list and follow with the installation of a local Ipv6/Ipv4 network (which can be accomplished according to LCT recommendations). These are the initial stages before sending in Ipv6 address request forms to LCT.

RNP Points of Presence in Minas Gerais and in Rio Grande do Sul and CEFET-BA are already linked to Br 6Bone. They are participating in activities LCT has been developing, such as connectivity testing of Ipv6 to 6Bone through Ipv6/Ipv4 tunnels with shifts in routing through the BGP4+ protocol; of interoperability between platforms; of safety with IPSec; of Ipv4 to Ipv6 transition tools, etc.

The block address allocated to RNP is denominated "pseudo Top Level Aggregation Address (pTLA)." This set enables redistribution of smaller blocks of Ipv6 addresses. The Next Level Aggregation (NLA3) is used to designate great providers that furnish transit service to other networks. The NLA4 will be allocated not only to providers based on criteria of nationwide scope (ex. RNP, Embratel, etc.), as well as to those based on criteria of geographic region (on a continental or national level). There are yet the Site Level Aggregation blocks (SLA) that avail institutions installing local Ipv6 networks, i.e., they are the final addresses of each institution. These blocks will be distributed to point-to-point links (academic or private institutions) as well as to large-scale providers. The LCT article 'Ipv6 at RNP and in Brazil' contains detailed explanations for 6Bone and Br6Bone addressing.

[RNP, 09.27.1999]