IPv4 to IPv6 Evolution Strategies of Pakistan Internet Exchange

Pakistan Internet Exchange (PIE) is the largest Internet Exchange Point (IXP) in Pakistan operated and maintained by Pakistan Telecom. PIE serves almost all categories of IP users like ISPs, Educational Institutions, DNOPS, VOIP Operators, Cable Operators and Institutions with multiple services like Internet Access, DSL, MPLS-VPNs, VoIP, IPTV and VoD. PIE has 3 main nodes and 42 remote nodes with total uplink traffic of around 8Gbps. It is well anticipated that by deployment of new 4G services in future,  current IPv4 addresses will not be sufficient. Furthermore, as per directives of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the regulator of Telecom sector in Pakistan, all network operators in Pakistan have to deploy IPv6 services by year 2011. We have suggested phase wise plan for evolution of PIE Network from IPv4 to IPv6. To the best of our knowledge, plan for evolution of PIE from IPv4 to IPv6 has never been proposed before.