[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 135 (Thursday, July 15, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 42422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-16019]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology, National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration


IPv6 Public Meeting

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of 
Commerce

ACTION: Notice of Public Meeting

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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and 
the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), 
U.S. Department of Commerce, will host a half-day public meeting on 
Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), entitled ``IPv6 Public Meeting.'' 
The meeting will provide an opportunity for interested parties to 
discuss IPv6 deployment issues, including the appropriate government 
role, if any, in IPv6 deployment.

DATES: The IPv6 Public Meeting will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 
on Wednesday, July 28, 2004.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room 4830, Washington, D.C. 
(Entrance to the Department of Commerce is on 14th Street between 
Constitution and Pennsylvania Avenues, N.W.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alfred Lee, Office of Policy Analysis 
and Development, NTIA, at (202) 482-1880, or via electronic mail: 
[email protected]. Please direct media inquiries to the Office of 
Public Affairs, NTIA, at (202) 482-7002.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Internet Protocol (IP) is a technical 
standard that enables computers and other devices to communicate with 
each other over networks, many of which interconnect to form the 
Internet. By providing a common format for the transmission of 
information across the Internet, IP facilitates communication among a 
variety of disparate networks and devices. This ability to communicate 
with a single, widely accepted format has been a key to the rapid 
growth and success of the Internet.
    The current generation of IP, version 4 (IPv4), has been in use for 
more than twenty years, and has supported the Internet's phenomenal 
growth over the last decade. A variety of stakeholders, through the 
guiding efforts of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), have 
developed a new version of IP, known as IPv6. IPv6 has several 
advantages over IPv4, including the availability of many more Internet 
addresses and additional user features and applications. IPv6 has also 
been designed to provide other features and capabilities, such as 
improved support for hierarchical addressing, a simplified header 
format, improved support for options and extensions, additional auto-
configuration and reconfiguration features, and native security 
features.
    In light of the potential benefits of IPv6, especially the security 
implications, the President's National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace 
directed the Secretary of Commerce to: ``[F]orm a task force to examine 
the issues related to IPv6, including the appropriate role of 
government, international interoperability, security in transition, and 
costs and benefits. The task force will solicit input from potentially 
impacted industry segments.''\1\
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    \1\ The National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace, A/R 2-3, at 30 
(Feb. 2003), http://www.whitehouse.gov/pcipb/cyberspace_strategy.pdf.
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    In response, the Department of Commerce formed a task force to 
study IPv6 and to prepare a report of its findings and recommendations. 
The IPv6 Task Force is co-chaired by the Administrator of NTIA and the 
Acting Director of NIST and consists of staff from these two agencies.
    The IPv6 Task Force is in the process of compiling information from 
a variety of sources, including a request for comments issued in 
January of this year and survey research.\2\ This public meeting is an 
important part of that process. The public meeting will have two 
panels. The first panel will address the costs and benefits of IPv6, 
security in transition, interoperability and other deployment issues. 
The second panel will address the appropriate role of government, if 
any, in deploying IPv6. Panelists will include scientists, technical 
experts, policy analysts, business leaders, and government officials.
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    \2\ See NIST, NTIA, Request for Comments on Deployment of 
Internet Protocol, Version 6, 69 Fed. Reg. 2890 (2004). Comments 
received in response are available on NTIA's web site at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/ntiageneral/ipv6/commentsindex.html.
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    NTIA will post an IPv6 Task Force discussion draft entitled, 
``Technical and Economic Assessment of Internet Protocol Version 6 
(IPv6),'' on NTIA's Web site at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/ntiageneral/ipv6/index.html prior to the IPv6 Public Meeting to 
facilitate discussion of IPv6 issues by interested parties. To obtain a 
printed copy of the discussion draft (1) write to NTIA, Room 4725, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 
20230; (2) send an email to [email protected]; (3) telephone (202) 482-
1880; or (4) fax a request to (202) 482-6173.

Public Participation

    The public meeting will be open to the public and press on a first-
come, first-served basis. Space is limited. Due to security 
requirements and to facilitate entry to the Department of Commerce 
building, attendees must present photo identification and/or a U.S. 
Government building pass, if applicable, and should arrive at least 
one-half hour ahead of the panel sessions. The public meeting is 
physically accessible to people with disabilities. Any member of the 
public wishing to attend and requiring special services, such as sign 
language interpretation or other ancillary aids, should contact Alfred 
Lee at (202) 482-1880 or [email protected] at least three (3) days 
prior to the meeting.

    Dated: July 9, 2004.
Milton Brown
Acting Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-16019 Filed 7-14-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-S