Tomorrow is the anniversary of the D Day invasion and it is also World IPv6 Day – marking the transition to Internet Protocol version 6.

The momentum generated by World IPv6 Day has gotten several Internet service providers (ISPs), many network managers, and multiple businesses in a “tizzy,” relates TechZone360’s Juliana Kenny. 

Given this week’s connection to IPv6, Nominum, a provider of DNS-based applications and solutions for service providers, announced the results of a recent survey which showed that out of the 67 major ISPs questioned, 97 percent already implemented or plan to implement IPv6.

The survey included 67 top ISPs throughout North America, Japan, Europe and Latin America. They have a combined total of 110 million households.

Some 23 percent of those questioned already implemented IPv6. Another 35 percent say they plan to implement it during this year. Some 39 percent say they plan to implement IPv6 during 2013 or at a later date. The survey also showed that each of the Japanese ISPs questioned already deployed IPv6.

On the other hand, some 25 percent of North American ISPs in the survey already deployed IPv6. The total in North America deploying IPv6 will be 100 percent by the end of this year. In contrast, about 48 percent of European ISPs in the survey expect to deploy IPv6 by the end of this year. Also, some 20 percent of Latin American ISPs expect to deploy IPv6 by the end of December.

In a related matter, the Regional Internet Registry for Europe (RIPE NCC) expects to run out of IPv4 addresses during 2012 – so the pressure is on European ISPs to act soon.

“IPv6 represents the biggest change in IP Networking since the start of the Internet. Most people know it is a necessity to keep the Internet moving and growing, but don’t realize how it can be used to improve our favorite applications. It also presents a huge opportunity for operators, content providers and enterprises to harness powerful business benefits associated with the new Internet,” Craig Sprosts, head of fixed broadband solutions for Nominum, said in a recent company press release. “Things like increased customer loyalty, higher network efficiency and reduced costs are all powerful reasons to make the IPv6 transition. IPV6 presents a viable solution for continued Internet growth, sustainable provider success, and positive user experience.” 

Also, some 80 percent of ISPs which took part in the survey said they will employ a native dual-stack transition technology rather than carrier-grade NAT or similar technology as they move to new technology, the company said. The move to IPv6 is not especially cheap. Gartner has predicted that “the cost of completely transforming a typical enterprise’s IT environment from IPv4 to IPv6 (is) … approximately six percent of the enterprise’s entire annual IT budget,” according to TechZone360. Overall, the ISPs said meeting an increase in subscribers was cited as the top business reason to move to IPv6, according to the survey.