The M6Bone is a test network: the aim of this project is to offer an IPv6 multicast service to interested sites. This service is based on RENATER-3 (IPv6 enable network), and benefits from the logistic support of the Aristote association which is involved in the broadcasting of the ultra-modern technologies and of the G6 , French group of IPv6 testers. The first goal is to develop an advanced service on IPv6, in order to participate in the promotion of the protocol. It makes it possible to use multicast videoconference tools on the network in order to participate in broadcasted events.

Some events are periodically transmitted in the M6Bone: the Aristote conferences , the RENATER talks , and some multi-sites lectures (DIM project). Some other conferences were also transmitted: the IPv6 Seminar of Nouakchott (Mauritania), the two IPv6 conferences organised by RENATER in October 2002 and June 2003. This network was also used for doing videoconferences between partners of 6NET project

Moreover, the M6Bone allows people who are connected to learn a lot about IPv6 multicast. IPv6 Multicast is still an advanced function, and it is interesting that people could learn about it on a test network before using it on a production network.

M6Bone is also a very good place for testing lots of equipements, implementations or configurations. M6bone is connecting lots of sites from all over the world, and it should be interesting for people who want to test some features about multicast, to test it with other connected sites. Moreover, as multicast is most of the time still in development in lots of implementations, it is really interesting for manufacturers to have our feedback about their implementations or about their equipement. That’s why we are trying to use a maximum of different equipements in order to test each of them.

For these reasons, we are welcoming every new sites interested in participating in this project.

See you soon on the M6Bone ;-)