The China Next Generation Internet (CNGI) () project is an ongoing plan for the accelerated rollout and application of the

IPv6 Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is the most recent version of the Internet Protocol (IP), the communications protocol that provides an identification and location system for computers on networks and routes traffic across the Internet. I ...

protocol nationwide. An author from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) summarized IPv6 protocol as "not yet the whole of the next-generation Internet" but merely the beginning and a platform for the next generation of the Internet. China has aimed for widespread deployment in

cloud computing Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage ( cloud storage) and computing power, without direct active management by the user. Large clouds often have functions distributed over m ...

, 5G,

Internet of Things The Internet of things (IoT) describes physical objects (or groups of such objects) with sensors, processing ability, software and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet or other com ...

(IoT) and the testing of autonomous self driving vehicles. All of which requires a lot of IP addresses and why the IPv6 rollout is highly valued as it provides near limitless IP addresses and can accommodate the country's rapid growth in new-age technologies. According to Viktorija Ratomske, an expert at IPXO, the advantage of having a 'single stack' IPv6 network for China is that "IPv6 exceeds

IPv4 Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) is the fourth version of the Internet Protocol (IP). It is one of the core protocols of standards-based internetworking methods in the Internet and other packet-switched networks. IPv4 was the first version d ...

in complexity and efficiency, allowing smoother overall network connectivity and simpler network management. It also enables much greater connection speeds, as IPv6 traffic doesn’t need to pass through carrier NAT systems". In addition, unlike IPv4, the new protocol has an integrated

IPsec In computing, Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) is a secure network protocol suite that authenticates and encrypts packets of data to provide secure encrypted communication between two computers over an Internet Protocol network. It is used in ...

feature which is deemed much safer, can run end-to-end encryption and prevents third parties from gathering data, resulting in a more secured network nationwide. In July 2021, China's office of the Central Committee for Cybersecurity and Information announced a plan to increase the nation's IPv6 traffic share to 50 percent by the end of 2023 and to as much as 70 percent traffic share and reach 800 million IPv6 addresses by the end of 2025, and finally phasing out IPv4 and replacing it completely with IPv6 technology by around 2030.

Key CNGI goals

According to a brochure entitled "CNGI-CERNET2/61X", the CNGI effort's key tasks were as follows: * Construction of China's next generation

Internet backbone The Internet backbone may be defined by the principal data routes between large, strategically interconnected computer networks and core routers of the Internet. These data routes are hosted by commercial, government, academic and other high-c ...

s * Development of key network technology and major applications for the next generation Internet * Promotion of industrialization and application development of next generation Internet equipment and software * Participation in international organizations, and playing an important role in standards setting IPv6 was selected as key technology. The United States has almost one third of the theoretical maximum

addresses (about 4.3 billion 55^4 - 19M), while China has more high-speed Internet users than

IP addresses An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label such as that is connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.. Updated by . An IP address serves two main functions: network interface iden ...

and the largest Internet user base of any country.

Current status

As of October 2009, the CNGI effort comprises six nationwide backbone networks and 39 GigaPOPs (Gigapop is short for gigabit point-of-presence, an access point to Internet2), which extends the next generation footprint to over 20 major cities and over 300 academic, industrial, and government research campuses within China. Five backbones are commercial (operated by

China Telecom China Telecom Corp., Ltd. is a Chinese telecommunications company. It is one of the red chip listed companies of state-owned China Telecommunications Corporation. Its H shares have been traded on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong since 15 Nove ...

China Unicom China United Network Communications Group Co., Ltd. () or China Unicom () (CUniq in short) is a Chinese state-owned telecommunications operator. Started as a wireless paging and GSM mobile operator, it currently provides a range of services ...

China Netcom China Netcom, full name China Netcom Group Corporation (Hong Kong) Limited (former stock codes: HKEX:0906, NYSE:CN), abbreviated CNC, was a telecommunication service provider in People's Republic of China. It was formed in August 1999 by the Chine ...

CSTNET CSTNET or China Science and Technology Network () offers Internet services to the Chinese education, research, scientific and technical communities, relevant government departments and hi-tech enterprises, providing services such as network access, ...

China Mobile China Mobile is the trade name of both China Mobile Limited () and its ultimate controlling shareholder, China Mobile Communications Group Co., Ltd. (, formerly known as China Mobile Communications Corporation, "CMCC"), a Chinese state-ownedSt ...

, and China Railcom), with an additional academic research network operated by

CERNET The China Education and Research Network (CERNET; ) is the first nationwide education and research computer network in China. The CERNET project is funded by the Chinese government and directly managed by the Chinese Ministry of Education. It is ...

, which is known as CNGI-CERNET2. CNGI also encompasses two exchange points (IX) in

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

(named CNGI-6IX) and

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowin ...

for interconnecting these backbones and for international links to

APAN Apan is a city and one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, in central-eastern Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 346.9 km². Overview As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 39,247. It was an important site in the ...

(Asia Pacific Advanced Network), GEANT, and

Internet2 Internet2 is a not-for-profit United States computer networking consortium led by members from the research and education communities, industry, and government. The Internet2 consortium administrative headquarters are located in Ann Arbor, M ...

. China showcased CNGI and the IPv6 network infrastructure at the

2008 Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Nati ...

for the website www.beijing2008.cn. The launching of the domain ipv6.beijing2008.cn was witnessed by officials from

Tsinghua University Tsinghua University (; abbr. THU) is a national public research university in Beijing, China. The university is funded by the Ministry of Education. The university is a member of the C9 League, Double First Class University Plan, Projec ...

, the

, the Technology Department of the

Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, or BOCOG, also known as the Beijing Organizing Committee, was an informal name for the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. It was also the organizin ...

and Sohu.com.Beijing2008.cn.
Beijing 2008
." ''Beijing2008.cn leaps to next generation Net.'' Retrieved on 2008-11-09.

References

Citations

Sources

* "CNGI-CERNET2/6IX", undated brochure, consulted in October 2009.

External links