A10 Networks Announces ACOS 2.6.4 to Enable IPv6 Transition

SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A10 Networks™, the technology leader in Application Networking and IPv6 Migration, today announced Advanced Core Operating System (ACOS) version 2.6.4 for its AX Series platforms. ACOS 2.6.4 offers new features and enhancements for IPv6 migration and IPv4 preservation solutions for carriers and service providers. While organizations address IPv4 address exhaustion and migrations to IPv6, the two protocols will exist in tandem; however being natively incompatible the protocols require sophisticated solutions that enable connectivity and communication. The AX Series platforms include an innovative 64-bit shared-memory and multi-process, multi-core, multi-CPU architecture that delivers the industry's highest performance, scalability, efficiency and flexibility for IPv4/IPv6 solutions.

"A10 is committed to providing the most scalable and comprehensive IPv6 migration technologies that are viable for our customers," said Lee Chen, Founder and CEO for A10 Networks. "By adding NAT64/DNS64 natively into ACOS and into our existing suite of IPv6 migration solutions, we can further help promote the adoption of IPv6, helping IPv6 hosts to communicate with IPv4 servers."

New in ACOS 2.6.4, all 64-bit AX Series hardware appliances now support NAT64/DNS64, in addition to existing Large-scale NAT (LSN)/Carrier Grade NAT (CGN), Dual-stack Lite (DS-Lite) and standard IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack solutions, at no additional cost. NAT64/DNS64 can be deployed as a single AX Series platform solution with existing IPv4 DNS servers, or the NAT64 component can be used with third party advanced DNS servers that support DNS64 for additional DNS functionality, such as solutions from A10 partner Infoblox.

"DNS64 and NAT64 are key technologies to allow the successful deployment of IPv6," said Cricket Liu, General Manager of Infoblox's IPv6 Center of Excellence. "We have certified the AX Series NAT64 implementation with our solutions and have been using it for internal training for many months, showcasing our advanced DNS64 functionality in proven deployable solutions."

Each AX Series solution for IPv6 migration and IPv4 preservation helps carriers and service providers solve a particular network problem, and customers may deploy more than one method, leveraging the same AX appliance to address multiple issues.  With live, production deployments at some of the largest mobile and Internet access providers worldwide, A10 offers the most mature and comprehensive set of high-performance IPv6 ready features at the most cost effective price.

IPv6 Migration

• NAT64/DNS64: New in ACOS 2.6.4, NAT64 and DNS64 are complementary mechanisms that enable IPv6 only clients to access previously unavailable IPv4 only servers and content, making IPv6 more viable as a production protocol.
  • DNS64 – Allows the resolution of addresses from IPv4-only networks for IPv6-only clients by creating synthesized IPv6 AAAA records for hosts where no AAAA record is available.
  • NAT64 – Enables IPv6-only hosts to contact IPv4-only resources.  The AX Series NAT64 solution is also interoperable with 3rd party DNS64 options from partners such as Infoblox.
• Dual-stack Lite (DS-Lite): Enables IPv4 connectivity over an IPv6 core network. The AX device acts as an end-point for IPv4 client traffic tunneled through an IPv6 network.

IPv4 Preservation

• Large-scale NAT (LSN)/Carrier Grade NAT (CGN): With multiple AX production deployments in place at large service providers, LSN has become a standard to enable service providers to maximize scarce IPv4 resources. Key benefits include:
  • Multiple clients can use a single IPv4 address, solving IPv4 exhaustion
  • Standardized IPv4 NAT behavior, providing consistent application behavior
  • Efficiency, over regular NAT, through the use of hairpinning, full-cone NAT, and fairness through admin-allocated port quotas

All AX Series hardware appliance features are available without extra licensing fees for performance or features, including all IPv6 migration and IPv4 preservation technologies.

Availability

ACOS 2.6.4 is available today.  

Additional Resources

A10 Networks and Infoblox Solution Brief for NAT64/DNS64: http://www.a10networks.com/resources/files/A10-SB-Infoblox-NAT64-DNS64.pdf

Service Provider IPv6 Transition Resources: http://www.a10networks.com/products/axseries-IPv6_migration.php

Video: The End of IPv4 and Migration Paths to IPv6: http://www.a10networks.com/resources/videos-IPv6_Migration.php

IPv6 White Paper: http://www.a10networks.com/forms/register.WP-IPv4_IPv6.php

A10 Networks Corporate IPv6 Deployment Case Study: http://www.a10networks.com/resources/casestudies-A10_Networks.php

Server Load Balancing with Protocol Translation (SLB-PT) Deployment eLearning Video: http://www.a10networks.com/elearning/index.php

About A10 Networks

A10 Networks was founded in Q4 2004 with a mission to provide innovative networking and security solutions. A10 Networks makes high-performance products that help organizations accelerate, optimize and secure their applications. A10 Networks is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices in the United States, United Kingdom, France, The Netherlands, Germany, Brazil, Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. For more information, visit http://www.a10networks.com

ACOS, aFleX, aXAPI, aVCS, Virtual Chassis, SoftAX, SmartFlow and aFlow are registered trademarks of A10 Networks. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE A10 Networks