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The Technical University of Kosice has teamed up with Cisco (News - Alert) and has opened the first laboratory for training and research in Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) in Slovakia.

The current IP address space is unable to satisfy the potential huge increase in the number of users. Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) is designed to meet the emerging requirements of Internet by again making IP addressing rules transparent to applications.

The lab aims to offer an open environment for validating solutions, network setups and applications built on the next-generation Internet Protocol, known as IPv6. Through virtual access in innovative information and communications technology solutions relating to the adoption of IPv6, Internet experts, including academics, government administrators and telecom specialists, can be trained on-site.

“As a company that has intensely supported education in Slovakia for over 12 years now, we are very proud to have contributed to the establishment of this unique lab,” stated Marcel Rebros, general manager, Cisco Slovakia. “The new IPv6 centre is creating an innovative environment for the research and academic sectors and is helping to enable knowledge transfer from the academic to the business world.”

Through GEANT, the pan-European data network dedicated to the research and education communities, the labs are interconnected. If someone needs to conduct a test and one of the labs is busy at the time, the researcher can be directed to another lab, the resources can be used redundantly. Cisco has been a driving force in developing IPv6 through various standards bodies, including the Internet Engineering Task Force, and has been shipping a wide variety of end-to-end IPv6 product and solutions as an early pioneer in IPv6 technology.

Recently, the company released its Unified Communications (News - Alert) Manager Business Edition 3000, a solution for small businesses to meet their needs for networking and voice communications. The solution includes various comprehensive features that make it affordable and productive for companies with up to 300 users and 10 sites. Unlike any other solution, Cisco Unified Communications Manager Business Edition 3000 uses Internet for phone calls, faxes, and voicemail, making it relatively cheaper and simpler.