In 2005, the US government mandated all of its agencies to meet the next-generation Internet protocol requirements for any computing and networking equipment they acquire.

The Linux Foundation formed a Linux IPv6 workgroup, headed by Venkata Jagana, chief architect of networking within IBM's Linux Technology Center, to address this major undertaking and enable Linux-based machines to be next-generation Internet ready out of the box. Other active workgroup participants included HP, Nokia-Siemens, Novell and Red Hat.

"In early 2000, IBM recognised the need for Linux to be both IPv6 compliant and interoperable and started making development contributions by working with the Linux community and distros," said Kathy Bennett of IBM's Linux Technology Center. "Today, that effort, along with Linux Foundation's IPv6 WG efforts, have benefited the Linux industry in achieving the Department of Defense IPv6 certification at a level which is leading in the industry."

"The IPv6 mandate and ensuing requirements are such major undertakings that it makes it difficult for any one company to deal with it all on its own," said Jim Zemlin, executive director at The Linux Foundation. "This is exactly the kind of work and collaboration that the Linux Foundation can facilitate, and which results in real technology advancements for the Linux operating system."