Participants of the German IPv6 Council Kickoff Meeting, left to right: L. Ladid, A. Felsenberg, W. Zorn, P. Demharter, M. v. Löwis, B. Kauth, H. Sack, G. Döring, C. Bürger, C. Schultze-Wolters, Ch. Meinel, H. Grothe

German IPv6 council launched his activities with his first meeting on December 6, 2007. Prof. Dr. Ch. Meinel, director of Hasso Plattner Institute opened the session in his role as chairman of the German chapter of the international IPv6 council. All participants of the meeting appreciated the initiative and willingness of HPI to take over auspices of the council as an autonomous and even-handed institution. Latif Ladid, president of the international IPv6 forum prized the council's hitherto existing progress and hauntingly pointed out the impact and necessity of the application of IPv6. Peter Demharter of IBM's DOI project introduced the Germany online infrastructure (DOI) project which will be outrider for a far-ranging use of the new network protocol. The projects aims the long-term management of the communication of public authorities between different German federal states (Bundesländer) using the dual-stack solution which is compatible with IPv4 and IPv6.

Gert Döring of SpaceNet AG introduced RIPE NCC's new policy for assigning IPv6 addresses. While there are already fights on IPv4 addresses -- there are forecasts that after 2011 no IPv4 addresses will be available -- RIRs have been assigned IPv6 / 12 address ranges which will be sufficient to serve up to one million internet service providers (ISP). Each ISP receives usually /32 address ranges (big ISPs like Deutsche Telekom received /19 ranges) which will serve about 65000 customers, end-users will receive /48 - /64 addresses. A general problem which blocks the break through for a wide use of IPv6 is that the problem of IPv4/IPv6 has not yet reached the level of decision makers.

All participants agreed that the technology will only succeed with the mass market of end users. Media coverage of this topic is low and often lacks to express the urgent problem; that's why the German IPv6 council will focus on public relations for the fast introduction of IPv6. Participants concluded to "live IPv6" - now. The slogan which ensured parliamentary support for IPv6 will be used: "IPv6 connects computers - but IPv6 connects people".

To meet the aims of the projects multiple initiatives have been discussed and enacted, a IPv6 for Germany roadmap will be developed which can be supported with the material of international IPv6 organizations to adapt their methods for the individual needs of the use in Germany.

In order to show advantages and chances of the new internet technology to the public, showcases will be implemented at HPI with the support of the council's members. Also, on May 7 and 8, 2008 the German IPv6 summit will take place at HPI. Besides of international talk and networking a special "IPv6 tutorial day" will provide an insight into the new technology. A special public relation campaign will support this initiative - like this IPv6 ready website of the German IPv6 council.

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