[[ the most important changes:

- remove item 3 on application development and v4 dependencies
(already done)
- remove standardization of mechanisms from item 6
- remove responsibility of existing basic v6 transition mechanisms
- add new milestones and documents

existing issues still:
 - "operational/security issue" is still a blurry concept
 - should _someone_ be responsible for the protocols? [this is not
   commonplace at IETF, though]
 - the scenarios docs are still there, but they do not trigger any 
   protocol work
]]

Description of Working Group:

The global deployment of IPv6 is underway, creating an IPv4/IPv6
Internet consisting of IPv4-only, IPv6-only and IPv4/IPv6 networks and
nodes.  This deployment must be properly handled to avoid the division
of the Internet into separate IPv4 and IPv6 networks while ensuring
global addressing and connectivity for all IPv4 and IPv6 nodes.

The IPv6 Operations Working Group (v6ops) develops guidelines for the
operation of a shared IPv4/IPv6 Internet and provides guidance for
network operators on how to deploy IPv6 into existing IPv4-only
networks, as well as into new network installations.

The v6ops working group will:

1. Solicit input from network operators and users to identify 
  operational or security issues with the IPv4/IPv6 Internet, and 
  determine solutions or workarounds to those issues.  This includes
  identifying standards work that is needed in other IETF WGs or
  areas and working with those groups/areas to begin appropriate
  work.  These issues will be documented in Informational or BCP
  RFCs, or in Internet-Drafts.

  For example, important pieces of the Internet infrastructure
  such as DNS, SMTP and SIP have specific operational issues when
  they operate in a shared IPv4/IPv6 network. The v6ops WG will
  cooperate with the relevant areas and WGs to document those
  issues, and find protocol or operational solutions to those
  problems.

2. Provide feedback to the IPv6 WG regarding portions of the IPv6
  specifications that cause, or are likely to cause, operational
  or security concerns, and work with the IPv6 WG to resolve
  those concerns.  This feedback will be published in
  Internet-Drafts or RFCs.

3. Publish Informational RFCs that help application developers
  (within and outside the IETF) understand how to develop IP
  version-independent applications.  Work with the Applications
  area, and other areas, to ensure that these documents answer
  the real-world concerns of application developers.  This
  includes helping to identify IPv4 dependencies in existing
  IETF application protocols and working with other areas and/or
  groups within the IETF to resolve them.

4. Publish Informational or BCP RFCs that identify potential security
  risks in the operation of shared IPv4/IPv6 networks, and document
  operational practices to eliminate or mitigate those risks.  This
  work will be done in cooperation with the Security area and other
  relevant areas or working groups.

5. Publish Informational or BCP RFCs that identify and analyze solutions
  for deploying IPv6 within common network environments, such as
  ISP Networks (including Core, HFC/Cable, DSL & Dial-up networks),
  Enterprise Networks, Unmanaged Networks (Home/Small Office), and
  Cellular Networks.

  These documents should serve as useful guides to network
  operators and users on how to deploy IPv6 within their existing
  IPv4 networks, as well as in new network installations.

6. Identify open operational or security issues with the deployment
  scenarios documented in (5) and fully document those open
  issues in Internet-Drafts or Informational RFCs.  Work to find
  workarounds or solutions to basic, IP-level operational
  or security issues that can be solved using widely-applicable
  transition mechanisms, such as dual-stack, tunneling or
  translation.

  If the satisfactory resolution of an operational or security
  issue requires the standardization of a new, widely-applicable
  transition mechanism that does not properly fit into any other
  IETF WG or area, the v6ops WG will standardize a transition
  mechanism to meet that need.

7. Assume responsibility for advancing the basic IPv6 transition
  mechanism RFCs along the standards track, if their applicability
  to common deployment scenarios is demonstrated in (5) above:

  Transition Mechanisms (RFC 2893)

  SIIT (RFC 2765)

  NAT-PT (RFC 2766)

  6to4 (RFC 3056 & 3068)

  This includes updating these mechanisms, as needed, to resolve
  problems.  In some cases, these mechanisms may be deprecated
  (i.e. moved to Historic), if they are not found to be applicable
  to the deployment solutions described in (5) or if serious flaws
  are encountered that lead us to recommend against their use.

IPv6 operational and deployment issues with specific protocols or
technologies (such as Applications, Transport Protocols, Routing
Protocols, DNS or Sub-IP Protocols) are the primary responsibility of
the groups or areas responsible for those protocols or technologies.
However, the v6ops group will provide input to those areas/groups, as
needed, and cooperate with those areas/groups in developing and
reviewing solutions to IPv6 operational and deployment problems.

Specifying any protocols or transition mechanisms is out of scope of the WG.

Goals and Milestones:
Aug

 Nov 04	  	Submit Assisted
		Adopt IPv6-in-IPv4 Tunneling Requirements to IESG for Info
Sep 04	  	Publish Enterprise Deployment Solutions using IPsec as a WG I-D item
		Adopt document describing issues with NAT-PT as WG item
		Adopt IPv6 Security Overview as WG item
		Adopt IPv6 deployment using VLANs as WG item

 Dec 04
                Adopt ISP IPv6 Deployment Scenarios in Broadband Access Networks as WG item
		Adopt IPv6 Network Architecture Protection as WG item

 Jan 05
                Submit IPv6-in-IPv4 Tunneling using IPsec to IESG for Info 
		Submit IPv6 deployment using VLANs as WG item

 Feb 05
                Submit IPv6 Security Overview to IESG for Info
Feb 05 
		Submit document describing issues with NAT-PT to IESG for Info
 		Submit Enterprise Deployment Solutions Analysiss to IESG for BCP Info

 Apr 05		Submit IPv6 Network Architecture Protection to IESG for Info	

 May 05		Submit ISP IPv6 Deployment Scenarios in Broadband Access Networks to IESG for Info