IPv4
Free public IPv4 address space is running out. By 2013, what remained of the two out of 16 networks and several smaller networks assigned to UBC by ARIN and BCNET over the years were 3 Class C networks and various segmented networks equivalent to 3-4 class C networks. Conservation and recovery efforts have begun well before this time and while gains were made, they could not match the projected growth anticipated on campus.
Currently, there are still a number of initiatives that request to use public IPv4 space. However, we can only very carefully allocate a small amount of free public IPv4 space and, at the same time, reclaim any public IPv4 space that is not actively used. Additionally, private IPv4 space is used wherever possible with careful planning, because private IPv4 space is also a very limited resource.
IPv6
Migrating hosts to IPv6 is dependent on the underlying infrastructure providing support for IPv6. Nowadays, devices typically come with IPv6 support out of the box and have dual-stack support for IPv4 and IPv6 communications.
As a pilot, IPv6 routing was enabled on campus in 2010 to support the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering's Debian IPv6 Project and it was a successful effort. UBC also participated in World IPv6 Day the following year. UBC IT does plan to migrate to IPv6. Migration plans will be shared with the community as it becomes available and will require significant planning, coordination and configuration changes.
Meanwhile, while various parts of UBC's infrastructure are dual-stack capable, IPv6 has not been fully enabled throughout the campus. Clients attempting to use IPv6 should discuss their plans with NMC first.