This publication seeks to assist Federal agencies in formulating plans for the acquisition of IPv6 technologies. To achieve this, we define a standards profile for IPv6 in the USG that is intended to be applicable to all future uses of IPv6 in non-classified, non-national security federal IT systems. The standards profile is meant to: (a) define a simple taxonomy of common network devices; (b) define their minimal mandatory IPv6 capabilities and identify significant options so as to assist agencies in the development of more specific acquisition and deployment plans; and, (c) provide the basis to further define the technical meaning of specific policies. A profile in this context is a compendium of protocol specifications, with normativity statements (MUST, SHOULD, MAY, etc) highlighted or strengthened. Most specifications identified are published by the IETF, though USG, DoD, IEEE, ISO/IEC and other organizations publications are not precluded. Common use of the word specification in this profile implies no particular publisher.
The profile is meant to be a landmark to guide the acquisition of significant new IPv6 capabilities for operational Federal IT systems. No attempt has been made to grandfather existing early implementations, or cover potential non-production level uses of the technology in test-beds, pilots, etc. In summary, the profile is meant as a strategic planning guide for future acquisitions. Other uses of this profile, without agency specific refinement, are not recommended. In particular, this acquisition profile should not be thought of as a deployment or transition guide or as suggesting operational requirements for USG networks. Guidance and policies covering these other, post acquisition, issues are outside the scope of this profile.
The scope of the device taxonomy and the selection of mandatory capabilities and identified options are purposefully conservative in some ways; defining systems and capabilities that are thought to be of common utility to the USG as a whole. In other ways, this profile “raises the bar” for some areas of IPv6 technology that are thought vital to protect the current and future security of Federal IT systems and to protect the economic investment of early adopters.
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