3GPP and 'not touching a running system' [RE: 3gpp-analysis-05: miscellaneous non-critical issues]

[Pekka Savola <pekkas@netcore.fi>]

On Thu, 2 Oct 2003 Andreas.Schmid1@swisscom.com wrote:
[...]
> > According to my current understanding, the above does not 
> > require big investments and in many cases software upgrades 
> > are sufficient.
> 
> It's not about investments. It's about touching the running system.
> People do not trust IPv6 at the moment. Tunneling is a way to show them
> what could be done in a very inexpensive and easy way.

Would it be easier to convince the ops folks that IPv6 is non-intrusive if 
you _added_ (not upgraded_) one IPv6-capable GGSN, (and other components 
as needed), which would not serve regular IPv4 users?

Partially parallel infrastructure ("dedicated low-end IPv6 router running 
tunnels") is how many have done it during the first phases in ISP space.  
Would this be a possibility for 3GPP as well?

> > Furthermore, introducing (some) IPv6 support in the network 
> > does not cause problems with the current IPv4 network, i.e. 
> > IPv6 can be run simultaneously without disrupting IPv4 
> > traffic! This is not a 3GPP-specific thing; this is one of 
> > the good sides of the dual stack deployment. There is no need 
> > to immediately move from native IPv4 to native IPv6 support 
> > in the cellular networks.
> 
> Of course, still you have to touch the running system. Operating people
> don't like that.
> 
> One of the hidden problem might be that IPv6 testing had been done
> mainly in the R&D site. These guys know what it is all about and have
> enough trust to implement it. The operations guys have to go through
> this step first. 

Right... this is not an uncommon problem, and comes up in every space, not
just 3GPP.  

The problem seems to be (speaking wearing both R&D and ops hats) that R&D
polishes the technology too long in it's own circles, and doesn't involve
ops folks early enough.  The ops guys need to get involved with the stuff
1-2 years (at least) before you start talking about putting it in the
backbone...

-- 
Pekka Savola                 "You each name yourselves king, yet the
Netcore Oy                    kingdom bleeds."
Systems. Networks. Security. -- George R.R. Martin: A Clash of Kings