Networking is changing and growing at unprecedented speed. Real-time voice-over-IP (VoIP), video and data intensive applications like backup, storage, rich media websites, cloud computing, datacenter virtualization, software-as-a-service applications and mobility are all conspiring to necessitate MPLS-based VPN service that takes advantage of the IPv6 network protocol—which expands the number of discrete Internet addresses to the trillions eliminating the address exhaust of the existing IPv4 addressing system.
According to a white paper by Alcatel-Lucent (News 
- Alert), Business IPVN Solution, “MPLS-based VPN services are already well understood by service providers worldwide…Now, MPLS IP VPN services are entering a new phase, one that requires a next generation architecture for the delivery of Enterprise 2.0 services.”
Growth predictions for MPLS IP VPN services show the trend. MPLS IP VPN is projected to grow from $21.5 billion in 2011 to $31.0 billion by 2016 according to a recent Ovum (News - Alert) study. As the white paper explains, “Unscalable, rigid and uneconomical legacy VPNs and fixed leased lines are no longer tenable…To meet their new business communication goals, enterprises need service providers who are committed to upgrading their infrastructures, or ones that can already meet their next-generation IP service and application requirements.”
This presents an opportunity to service providers who can provide IPv4 continuity while assisting with IPv6 migration.
One solution that service providers can leverage is the Alcatel-Lucent Business IP VPN offering. It includes:
- The next-generation multiservice edge platform, Alcatel-Lucent’s 7750 Service Router (SR), that supports terabit business services.
- A next-generation service provider and customer management with fully integrated Alcatel-Lucent 5620 Service Aware (News - Alert) Manager (SAM) for service providers, along with a unified enterprise service portal.
“The new service capabilities and extended management support of Alcatel-Lucent Business IP VPN help service providers offset declining legacy revenues and increase profitability,” noted the paper.
In particular, this includes current and future IP service delivery:
- Multi-access, multiservice (IP VPN, VPLS, VLL), terabit capacity, high availability and performance
- Application assurance
- Dual stack IPv4 and IPv6 VPN
- Multicast VPN
- Fixed-mobile convergence (FMC)
“Supporting dual-stack IPv4 and IPv6 VPN services on the Alcatel-Lucent SR platform with almost full parity allows service providers to deliver an efficient and meaningful mix of dual-stack unicast, multicast and broadcast services,” noted the paper. “Service providers can deliver consistent dual-stack VPN or Internet access services in address-constrained IPv4 or IPv6-mandated service environments, with integrated dual-stack service management.”
There are currently more than 90 service providers worldwide offering business-focused MPLS-based IP VPN (IPv4 and IPv6), VPLS and VLL services to their customers using the all-IP Alcatel-Lucent IP VPN. The reality is that while many enterprises and others believe they have time to find a graceful way to migrate from IPv4 to IPV6 service providers need to be acting now and probably with some urgency. The combination of government mandates globally, the growth of “the Internet of Things” which is demanding more IP addresses, competitive pressures and the opportunity to provide differentiated value while getting ahead of a potential problem, speaks to why so many service providers have already acted and why those who have not should.
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Edited by
Peter Bernstein
