What is the status of IPv6 deployment within Time Warner Cable's network? What more needs to be done? As part of a panel discussion at the Internet ON (ION) Conference in Toronto on November 14, 2011, John Sweeting, Director of Network Engineering at Time Warner Cable, presented information about what Time Warner has done with IPv6, how it got there and what is left to do. He also looks at several areas where the industry in general needs to focus. A video recording of the session will be available for viewing. Details will be posted at http://www.isoc.org/do/blog/ when the video is available. More information about the global series of ION conferences can be found at http://www.isoc.org/ion/

1. Status of IPv6
John Sweeting
Time Warner Cable
November 14, 2011

2. Outline
• About Time Warner Cable
• Current Status
• How we got here
• Left to do
• Future Networking Thoughts

3. Time Warner Cable
• Second largest MSO (Multi Systems
Operator) in the United States
• Providing high definition television,
Enhanced TV features, high-speed
data and Digital Phone services to
over 14 million customers
• Major service areas are New York City,
Los Angeles, Texas, Upstate New York,
Ohio, the Carolinas and Hawaii

4. Current Status
• National Backbone
o Dual Stack
o Supports IPv6 Services
o IPv6 Peering enabled with several Peers
• Regional Backbones
o Dual Stack
o Supports IPv6 Services
o Connects to National Backbone

5. Current Status
• Access Networks
o IPv6 enabled
o Commercial Dedicated IPv6 Internet Access
o Residential cable modems in trial
• Data Centers
o IPv6 Network connectivity
o Supports some IPv6 Services
o Connects to Regional backbone

6. Current Status
• Systems
o 40 plus unique systems
o Over 90% IPv6 enabled
o Minor bugs and some interoperability issues
• Services
o Commercial DIA launched September 2011
o Residential trials gearing up
• http://www.timewarnercable.com/Corporate/support/
IPv6_volunteerform.html
o Peering

7. How We Got Here
• Lots of hard work
o Vendor Management was tough
o Internal planning and coordination meetings (lots
of them)
• Internal IPv6 Program
o Launched in late 2008
o Lee Howard heads up the program
o Over 20 Project Managers involved
o Lots of internal education required

8. How We Got Here
• Network Upgrade
o Coordinated effort of Architecture, Engineering, Quality
Assurance and Operations
o Four phase roll out
• National Backbone to Regional Networks
• Data Centers
• Regional Networks to Metros
• Access networks – CMTS’s
• Systems Upgrade
o 3 year process
o OSS/BSS systems
o DHCP, TFTP, DNS, several internal systems
o Again lots of hard work and coordination

9. Left to Do
• Major Issues
o Home Networking
• Routers, Game Systems, Home Gateways
• Cable Modems and E-MTA’s
• Computer systems
o Vendor Management
• Mainly CPE Vendors
• Edge and Access Vendors
o Replacement of incompatible hardware

10. Future Networking
• Home Networking
o Increase in the number of isolated networks in
the home (think more 802.11 SSIDs)
o Home security and automation
o Multi-router including support for arbitrary
topology
o Multi-connected (e.g. separate wireless and wire
line provider)
o Smart Energy Applications and Appliances

11. Future Networking
• IPv6 Deployment in the home will bring
about the following:
o Massive public address space (capable of
supporting every device with a unique IP)
o Multiple routed segments – move away from flat
VLAN-type model to multiple routed interfaces
presumably separated by firewall functionality
o Exponential increase in complexity will have to
be balanced with auto-configuration of the
home network

12. Thank You
!