Sify leads Internet Protocol Version 6 deployment in India

Sify announced the commercial deployment of Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6), the next generation IP protocol designed to replace the current IPv4.

The Internet as we know it today, developed on the IPv4 protocol over the last twenty years, is beginning to have limitations. The need for additional IP addresses is now growing exponentially as these are required for all devices that can access the Internet. This includes the rapidly growing base of mobile Internet users as well as other devices such as PDAs to access the Internet. As well as Internet access increasingly made available on commercial aircraft, trains etc. Just as people have a unique phone number for their use, IPv6 ensures unique IP addresses, each a numerical string of a hundred numerals, that is unique to every device.

Commenting on Sify's deployment of IPv6, Mr.Rustom Irani, Chief Technology Officer, Sify Limited, said "Sify has been at the forefront of IPv6 deployment in India to ensure our customers will be able to move to the new protocol as and when they are ready. This will enable our customers to allocate unique IP addresses for all their devices with the trillions of IP addresses available under IPv6 instead of sharing IP addresses using techniques such as Network Translation. The IPv6 protocol also ensures greater functionality, including inbuilt security features making communications more secure, as well as 'plug and play' convenience, doing away with the need to configure every device to access the Internet".

"Sify's deployment of IPv6 ensures that current IPv4 infrastructure can be shared for Wide Area Network (WAN) routers, Local Area Network (LAN) infrastructure and will be compatible with the latest version of Operating Systems like Windows and Linux with dual stack enabled hosts for both versions to operate concurrently and smoothly. This enables Internet access over IPv6, peering with other IPv6 ISPs worldwide and access to the global IPv6 Internet. This is because Sify's IPv6 initiative leverages its Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) enabled infrastructure to provide seamless access between the two domains", added Mr Irani.

While there are 4.2 billion unique addresses available on IPv4, the IPv6 protocol will enable 4 billion times 4 billion times 4 billion of the current number of addresses available. This is the equivalent of 430 quintillion addresses per square inch of the earth's surface! So IPv6 enormously increases the number of IP addresses possible, while also ensuring many improvements to IPv4 in areas such as routing and network auto-configuration. IPv6 is expected to gradually replace IPv4, with the two coexisting for a number of years during a transition period.

NASSCOM e SECURITY SEMINAR ON 25TH FEBRUARY AT CHENNAI

NASSCOM in association with Sify conducted a seminar on 25th February 2005 on e Security titled 'e Security and the Global Legal Environment'. The seminar focused on critical information security elements such as IS Security Governance, Ethical Hacking and International Regulations impacting ITES. Taking the industry perspective, one case study each from IT and pharma were also presented emphasizing the compliance requirements and best practices.

Information Security related papers were presented by Management /Consulting professionals from KPMG, Sify, Ernst & Young, Cognizant Technology Solutions and Deloitte Haskins & Sells sharing their expertise and experience keeping in view the IT & ITES scenarios.

The seminar had an enthusiastic response with an attendance of over 60+ delegates comprising of CIOs, CTOs, Information Security Officers, IT Managers, Enterprise Security Architects, IT Auditors and the media. Mr. P R. Murali Manohar, who heads the IT Audit practice of Sify Assure presented a paper titled 'Information Security Governance........The Business Need'. He started the presentation high-lighting the fundamental challenges and issues faced by the CIOs, CTOs and the Chief Information Security Officers and the pressing need for an Information Security Governance program and detailing the essential ingredients of an Information Security model.

Mr. Manohar also touched upon the IS Security best practices in terms of control objectives recommended by COBIT framework. Further, he shared some of the Information Security Audit walkthroughs and the typical control weaknesses /gaps which are normally present.

He closed the session with a recommended approach and the critical success factors for implementation of an Information Security Governance program.