ITU/APNIC Internet and IPv6 Infrastructure Security Program, May 2017, Nonthanburi, Thailand

By Leo Hwa Chiang - IEEE APO Office, Singapore

On behalf of IEEE ComSoc, the Director of IEEE Asia Business Development, Leo Hwa Chiang, jointly organized a oneweek “Internet and IPv6 Infrastructure Security Program” with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC), and the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (Thailand). This training program was held at the TOT Academy, Nonthanburi, Thailand on the 8–12 May 2017.

With the explosive growth of smart IT devices and the increasing popularity of cloud computing and the Internet of Things (IoT), IPv6 is becoming a critical innovation for future Internet communications. In view of this growing demand, this program is essential to the policy makers, regulators, telecom operators and enterprise network administrators to build their skills and knowledge regarding the deployment and management of IPv6 network infrastructure, especially as it relates to security.

This program was well attended by 40 participants from 18 countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand and Vietnam. This intensive training program was conducted by Philip Smith, Fakrul Alam and Ashish Narayan, with topics covering IPv6 security issues, deployment challenges, policy considerations, operator experience, and transition technology. Through a series of case studies, working group exercises and hands on lab work, upon completion of this training program, participants had acquired the skills to manage IPv6 Internet infrastructure security threats, and had learned methods for network monitoring and configurations. This program was very informative as it gave the participants an in-depth understanding of Internet infrastructure security, particularly focusing on the similarities and differences between IPv4 and IPv6.