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Analytical Review on the Stakeholders Perceptions about IPv6 Readiness and their Implications to the Omani Higher Education Institutions

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This paper describes the first stage of an internal grant provided by the Sultan Qaboos University to conduct a research project exploring the actual readiness of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to adopt a national migration plan to IPv6. Document analysis was used to derive necessary data on steps taken by the Omani concerned authorities to pave the way for the migration process. It was found that the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA) established IPv6 project 10 years ago. It has issued a circular on 'The National Migration Plan for Government Sector' informing all administrative units of the Sultanate about the preparation of the national plan to prepare detailed transition plans to migrate to IPv6 by the end of year 2020. Data on these agencies' (specifically higher education institutions) response is scarce and unclear. From the literature review, it was found that there is no research dedicated for the Omani HEIs IPv6 readiness. Therefore, next stage of the research project will investigate the actual readiness of HEIs as perceived by their stakeholders including ICT personnel, technical administrators, and senior administrators to implement the next generation of Internet protocol in these institutions.
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... The factors isolated from the literature to improve the readiness of the Omani HEIs for IPv6 migration can be summarized in providing the stakeholders with sufficient time for planning, financial resources, assuring the applications compatibility, and securing the network environment. Al Musawi, et al. (2018) recommended that there is a need to investigate the extent to which the status provides for IPv6 readiness in terms of: awareness, current environment, planning, deployment and infrastructure, policy frameworks, training, research, human resources, and courses provision as perceived by Omani HEIs faculty, administrators, and ICT personnel. ...
... The researchers designed the following two study instruments in light of the literature reviewed and the results of the preliminary questionnaire used and published earlier (Al Musawi, et al., 2018): ...
... This study was conducted as the final part of a research project through which Al Musawi et al. (2018) recommended to investigate experts' views to determine the Omani higher education institutions readiness and deployment of IPv6 in terms of: awareness, current environment, planning, policy frameworks, research, human resources, and courses provision. In general, the results of this study revealed that IPv6 was not sufficiently attended to by the Omani HEIs and it is partially planned for, implemented, and/or deployed. ...
Article
Full-text available
This study is conducted to investigate experts’ views to determine the Omani higher education institutions readiness and deployment of IPv6. In particular, the study aims to assess the institutional awareness, current environment, policy, planning, and resources. Descriptive method was followed and two study instruments were designed and implemented, namely questionnaire and semi structured interviews. Both instruments were validated and implemented on a sample of (12) experts for the questionnaire and (5) for the interviews. The results revealed that IPv6 was not sufficiently attended to by the Omani HEIs and it is partially planned for, implemented, and/or deployed. Efforts should be made to help establishing strategies, research and teaching content. Based on the findings of the research, conclusions and recommendations are suggested.
... The factors isolated from the literature to improve the readiness of the Omani HEIs for IPv6 migration can be summarized in providing the stakeholders with sufficient time for planning, financial resources, assuring the applications compatibility, and securing the network environment. Al Musawi, et al. (2018) recommended that there is a need to investigate the extent to which the status provides for IPv6 readiness in terms of: awareness, current environment, planning, deployment and infrastructure, policy frameworks, training, research, human resources, and courses provision as perceived by Omani HEIs faculty, administrators, and ICT personnel. ...
... The researchers designed the following two study instruments in light of the literature reviewed and the results of the preliminary questionnaire used and published earlier (Al Musawi, et al., 2018): ...
... This study was conducted as the final part of a research project through which Al Musawi et al. (2018) recommended to investigate experts' views to determine the Omani higher education institutions readiness and deployment of IPv6 in terms of: awareness, current environment, planning, policy frameworks, research, human resources, and courses provision. In general, the results of this study revealed that IPv6 was not sufficiently attended to by the Omani HEIs and it is partially planned for, implemented, and/or deployed. ...
Article
Full-text available
This study is conducted to investigate experts' views to determine the Omani higher education institutions readiness and deployment of IPv6. In particular, the study aims to assess the institutional awareness, current environment, policy, planning, and resources. Descriptive method was followed and two study instruments were designed and implemented, namely questionnaire and semi structured interviews. Both instruments were validated and implemented on a sample of (12) experts for the questionnaire and (5) for the interviews. The results revealed that IPv6 was not sufficiently attended to by the Omani HEIs and it is partially planned for, implemented, and/or deployed. Efforts should be made to help establishing strategies, research and teaching content. Based on the findings of the research, conclusions and recommendations are suggested.
Research Proposal
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Transitioning to IPv6
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Almes, G., Anderson, C., Mundrane, M., & Polichar, V. (2013). Transitioning to IPv6. In ECAR (Ed.), ECAR reports: EDUCAUSE.
IPv6 in higher education in Norway
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Boe, G. (2012). IPv6 in higher education in Norway, The last IPv6 workshop Helsinki 2012-10-04, UNINETT.
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