Ingres Technology Blog

IPv6 is the “next generation” protocol designed by the IETF to replace the current version Internet Protocol, IP Version 4 (”IPv4″).   While IPv6 is “next generation”, for many Ingres customers, it needs to be addressed today.  One of our customers recently sent us some questions that many others may have as well.  So I decided to post my answers here as well.  If you have any additional questions or comments, please feel free to post a comment here or to send me an e-mail at Christine.Normile@ingres.com

1. Will Ingres Database support IPv6? (Y/N) If so, what product version is required? Ingres 2006 Release 2 and higher support IPv6.  IPv6 is not supported with earlier versions of the Ingres database such as version 2.6  
2. Does Ingres Database run under an OS which supports IPv6 (if applicable)? Ingres 2006 Release 2 and higher is available for a wide array of hardware and operating system platforms.  Many of these have already been IPv6 enabled.  The table below lists the platforms Ingres 2006 runs on.

3. Does Ingres Database support services or features that collect, handle, process, store, display (e.g., screen pages, printouts) any IPv4 address today (from customer, from network, from anywhere)?

·       Does Ingres Database store or forward any IP address information? Ingres stores IP information only for the duration of a session to facilitate communication between our processes and the IP address.  IP information is neither stored or forwarded by Ingres for any purpose other than support of the communications protocol.

·       Does Ingres Database have any hard-coded IPv4 addresses (e.g., for system calls)? No.

4. Is IPv6 required for Ingres Database’s network communications protocol? i.e., does the computer machine(s) hosting Ingres Database require IPv6 to communicate with customers/services/CPE machines (that will use only IPv6 addresses), or may the host machines continue to exclusively use their IPv4 addresses? (You may assume the IT network and computer machines will continue to support IPv4 within the company for a long time.)   Ingres 2006 Release 2 and higher handle mixed IPv6/IPv4 networks transparently.  Host machines can continue to exclusively use their IPv4 addresses to allow for a staged implementation of IPv6.
5. Is Ingres Database used to manage or collect data from network elements that carry IP-based traffic? Ingres 2006 can be used to manage and collect data from network elements that carry IP-based traffic.  It is, however, a general purpose relational database management system and any such use of Ingres Database would be as a result of the application using Ingres 2006.
6. Is Ingres Database impacted due to changes in devices that will only run IPv6 (e.g., CPE, Mobility devices)?  No, Ingres 2006 Release 2 and higher can support IPv6 only devices, IPv4 only devices, devices that support either IPv4 or IPv6 or any combination thereof.

For more information on IPv6 and Ingres 2006, check out Bruce Lunford’s VIP Webinar in the VIP Webinar Archive (http://www.ingres.com/customers/vip-archive.php) under Connecting with Ingres.

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