A10 Networks Helps Ease Impending Internet Address Shortage

Application networking company A10 Networks joined World IPv6 Launch Day anchors Facebook, Google, Yahoo, Akamai Technologies and Limelight Networks in implementing the next generation of IP addresses: Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6). A10 released the AX 3530, a compact 1 rack unit (1RU) 64-bit model powered by A10’s scalable Advanced Core OS (ACOS).  The AX 3530 intends to “deliver significant performance, flexibility, efficiency and cost advantages for service providers addressing IPv4 exhaustion and IPv6 migration.”

The AX Series ADC by A10 Networks powered millions of unique IPs last week without a hitch.

The AX Series ADC by A10 Networks powered millions of unique IPs at the World IPv6 Launch Day last week without a hitch. (Image: A10 Networks)

The current 32-bit IPv4 system is about to run out of addresses, so the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) developed the 128-bit IPv6 to expand the allocation for Internet traffic. A10’s AX Series Application Delivery Controller (ADC) successfully powered millions of unique users for the inaugural event last week and didn’t even break a sweat.

IPv6 is similar to IPv4 in terms of being an internet-layer protocol for packet-switched internetworking, providing end-to-end datagram transmission across multiple IP networks. But IPv6 simplifies address assignment, network renumbering, router announcements and integrates network security (IPsec). IPv6 also standardises the host identifier portion of the host address to 64 bits, automatically forming the host identifier from the link-layer media addressing information (MAC address).

The AX 3530 delivers an 256 million concurrent connections, 115 Gbps throughput, and 3 million new session setups per second in a 1RU form factor. It runs on Intel Xeon eight-core (Sandy Bridge) processors, 12 x 10 Gb fiber (SFP+) ports, four 1 Gb copper ports, two 1 Gb fiber ports (SFP), 64 GB of error correction code (ECC) memory, solid-state drive (SSD), redundant power supplies (RPS) and hot swappable smart fans.

In Network World’s Clear Choice Test, A10’s AX Series received the highest score for installation, feature set and manageability, and was recognized as the only vendor to include NAT64/DNS64, DS-Lite and 6rd, in addition to LSN/CGN.

A10 Networks — founded in 2004, aims to provide innovative networking and security solutions. The company makes products that help organizations accelerate, optimize and secure their applications. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, A10 holds offices in the United States, United Kingdom, France, The Netherlands, Germany, Brazil, Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.