The Internet is in the midst of a transition to a new method of addressing computers and servers.

The global NRO (Number Resource Organisation) and the APNIC (Asia Pacific Network Information Centre) have announced that a critical milestone has been reached, with more than 90 percent of IPv4 Internet addresses having now been allocated. Full exhaustion of the IPv4 space is now anticipated to occur during 2011.

The number of people and devices connecting to the Internet globally continues to grow, and the pool of available IPv4 addresses is insufficient to meet the growth demand. IPv6 was created many years ago to resolve this issue, but uptake of the new protocol has been slow.

Director General of APNIC Paul Wilson says key decision makers need to realise that without IPv6 deployment their businesses will be affected by IPv4 address depletion.

"We have now come to that critical stage, where if they don't act now, there will be consequences. APNIC has provided and continues to provide evidence of this depletion."

The New Zealand IPv6 Taskforce was formed to support adoption of IPv6 in New Zealand and is offering assistance to industry sectors to minimize risk and cost of IPv6 adoption, in the face of this IPv4 exhaustion.

The Taskforce is made up of industry and Government representatives and is led by independent consultant Dr Murray Milner.

Milner says all sectors of New Zealand industry need to be aware of the issue and develop their IPv6 adoption plans.

"Every industry sector will face different challenges, and need to consider appropriate timelines. Plans need to be developed now as this will result in the least risk and lowest cost approach to adoption.

"The IPv6 Taskforce can assist in helping plan this process, to make it as painless as possible," says Milner.

"I encourage industry groups and concerned technology leaders to contact the Taskforce for more information and for assistance in kick-starting their own planning and implementation processes."