Intro to IPv6

Anthony Borgert's Summer Project CNT 2453-01

This tutorial is aimed at developing a basic understanding of IPv6 for the new user. The reason IPv6 was created was because of an explosive increase in the number of devices requiring an IP address to communicate on a network and the depleting resources of IPv4 address space. Current estimates suggest that by 2011, all of the left over addresses will be used up; meaning anyone not already connected to the Internet risks being left behind. Born out of necessity IPv6 is a solution to this problem, made up of a suite of protocols and standards that where developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). Not only does IPv6 increase address space but it also solves problems discovered with IPv4 that became evident over the years. Deploying IPv6 on a global scale is vital to the Internet industry.

Some features that are available only in IPv6 are:

• Stateless address autoconfiguration - lets hosts configure themselves automatically.

• Multicast - allows single packets to be sent to multiple destinations.

• Mandatory network layer security - integrated Internet Protocol Security (IPsec).

• Simpler router processing -

• Mobility -

• Extendable Header Mechanism -

• Jumbo Payload Option header -