GBS IPv6 Pilot Milestone Objective 2: Secure Integration of IPv6 Across Operational DoD Networks

The Assistant Secretary of Defense Networks and Information Integration (OASD-NII) issued a memorandum in June of 2003 establishing policy for all DoD Components and Services to transition to IPv6 by FY 2008. The DoD IPv6 Transition Office was established in February of 2004 to help define a strategy for adoption of IPv6 through phases called Milestone Objectives. Milestone Objective 1 (MO1) created guidance for programs to gain understanding of IPv6 restricted to isolated domains within their own operational networks. Milestone Objective 2 (MO2) created guidance for programs to allow IPv6 to inter-operate between multiple trusted DoD networks. Milestone Objective 3 (MO3) allows full parity for IPv6 alongside IPv4 in operational DoD networks. The Global Broadcast Service (GBS) broadcasts classified and unclassified IP multicast streaming video and file delivery services to warfighters in garrison, in transit, and in theater. IPv6 is recognized as an evolution to the existing standards-based IP architecture which can enhance GBS services. IPv6 multicasting will allow GBS to more easily administer and route streams to end users across a multicast-enabled DISN core. New capabilities from combinations of advanced IPv6 features such as multicast and Mobile IPv6 can be established. Research focus has been on impacts and improvements to current GBS services and the use of IPv4/IPv6 transition mechanisms. For MO1 GBS will demonstrate content transmission and reception from within an operational satellite uplink facility. The success of this testing will ensure the GBS architecture can support IPv6 with no impact to GBS services.