Devoteam addresses the future of the Internet in Saudi Arabia at the IPv6 Conference

The Kingdom's Commission for Information Technology and Communications and National Telco Operators to Discuss How Best to Increase Internet Capacity, Safety and Service Levels; IPv4 Internet Addresses Set to Run Out By 2011

Riyadh, 08 February: Devoteam, the leading technology consultancy in Europe and the Middle East, shared its insights into the future of the internet both globally as well as regionally at the first workshop and conference organized by the Saudi Commission for Information Technology and Communications.

Focusing on IPv6, the next-generation standard for the internet, experts from Devoteam shared their experiences in Europe with governments and data providers with an audience that included executives from Saudi Telecom, Mobily, Zain, ITC, and Atheeb. As lead consultant for the Saudi IPv6 Focus Group, Devoteam also updated the Kingdom's internet service providers with news and information about the status of the national project to upgrade Saudi internet standards from IPv4, the main standard used by the internet today, to IPv6.

"We've been cooperating closely with The Commission for Information Technology and Communications to ensure that the Kingdom's citizens and businesses have a safe and secure internet," explained Osama Ghoul, Managing Partner, Devoteam Middle East. "The internet has become key to all of our lives, and by laying the ground work today we can prepare the Saudi Arabia for an online future."

Devoteam's Ghoul addressed the conference on technical developments for both IPv4 and IPv6. "Most of the net still uses IPv4, which is nearly twenty years old. We're now seeing issues in this standard, namely that there's a growing shortage of IPv4 addresses. IPv6 fixes a number of problems in IPv4, such as the limited number of available IPv4 addresses, as well as adding improvements in terms of security. It's vital that both national bodies as well as data providers are ready for the transition, otherwise the net's growth will grind to a halt," added Ghoul.

Whilst estimates vary as to how long the internet will continue expanding based on IPv4 technology, most government bodies and data providers agree that internet addresses will be exhausted by 2010 or 2011 at the latest. "The internet is at the centre of our business and personal lives, and what we're talking about today will affect us tomorrow unless action is taken. The work currently being undertaken by the Saudi IPv6 Focus Group is of immense importance. Without it, we could run out of internet addresses sooner than we think," concluded Ghoul.

The workshop was held on Sunday 8th of February 2009, in Sheraton Hotel, Riyadh.

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About Devoteam ME:
Devoteam Middle East is the regional arm of IT consulting group Devoteam. Combining consulting and technical solutions offers enables Devoteam to provide its customers with independent advice and effective solutions to align the technical infrastructure of their information system to their industrial objectives. In 2007 Devoteam achieved a turnover of EUR400 million and an operating margin of 8.3%. Currently, the Group has 4,500 employees in nearly twenty countries located in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Devoteam Middle East counts more than 100 employees who are present in Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

For more information: www.devoteamme.com