Contents:

Introducing IPv6 Why IPv6? Shortcomings of IPv4 Need of the Hour Transformations Motivation Migration from IPv4 to IPv6 IPv6 Initiatives around the World

Introducing IPv6
What is IP?
Vehicle of the Internet- the Internet Protocol. Assigns an address to a device so that it can communicate with other similar internet devices. IP Address- encoding Network Number and Host Number- a unique combination. A Network Layer Protocol, it provides internetworking. IPv4- the present version of the Internet Protocol, is in use since 1982.

IPv6
IPv4 started showing up problems. It was not designed to handle the kind of traffic it experienced. IP had no choice but to evolve and become more flexible. IETF started work on a new version of IP in 1990. Final Specification drafted in December 1998. IPv6 meets the goals set for it by IETF fairly well. Although not compatible with IPv4, it works smoothly with other auxiliary internet protocols.

Timeline of IPv6
Year Milestone

1990 1993

IETF started its effort to select a successor to IPv4. Constitution of the IETF IPng Area.

1994
1996 1998 2008 2009 2011 2011 2012 2013

SIPP chosen as the IPng, which was renamed IPv6.

Alpha quality IPv6 support in Linux Kernel v2.1.8. The final specification of IETF IPv6 drafted out. Beijing Olympics- the first major world event using IPv6 network infrastructure. National IPv6 Deployment Roadmap charted out. 85% of the Top-level domains support IPv6. World IPv6 Day, a global 24 hour test drive on June 8. World IPv6 Launch Day on June 6. Percentage of users reaching Google over IPv6 surpassed 2% for the first time.

IPv6
Some Features
IP Address: 16 bytes long Header: simplified, contains only seven fields Options: better support for options Jumbograms: supports jumbo-payload option Security: IPSec implemented in IPv6 Quality of Service: Better than before

IPv6 Address

The Main IPv6 Header

Why IPv6?
Shortcomings of IPv4
Designed by DARPA, as a test of its networking capabilities. The 4.3 billion address space is on verge of exhaustion. Classful Addressing The implementation of CIDR and NAT has brought along other problems. Security Near-obsolete Header

Why IPv6?
IPv6- Need of the Hour
Longer Addresses- 16 byte addresses- inexhaustible Not everyone is connected yet Simplifies Address Assignment Security features Simplified Processing by Routers Mobility without renumbering Better options in Header Globally unique addresses New-age applications

Why IPv6?
Transformations
Evolution of LTE as technology of future Encryption and Authentication in Network Layer itself IP Telephony, Interactive Gaming and other Audio/Video Applications Built-in Multicasting Support An all-new range of Machine to Machine Applications IP Host Mobility

Motivations for IPv6 Deployment

Stateless Address Auto configuration Large Subnet Size Multicasting Improved Security Simplified Router Processing IP Host Mobility can usher in new services like: Enterprise on the move Globally reachable Home Networks Internet-enabled Transport Jumbograms- a boon for Supercomputing

Drivers and Catalysts for Change

Migration from IPv4 to IPv6

Dual IP Stack Implementation

Tunnelling

Tunnelling
Automatic Tunnelling 6to4 Teredo ISATAP Configured and Automated Tunnelling (6in4)

Proxying and Translation for IPv6-only Hosts

IPv6 Initiatives Around the World

World IPv6 Day
The Internet Society promoted June 8, 2011, as "World IPv6 Day". The event was described as a "test drive" for full IPv6 rollouts.

World IPv6 Launch Day

The Internet Society declared June 6, 2012 to be the date for "World IPv6 Launch", with participating major websites enabling IPv6 permanently, participating ISPs offering IPv6 connectivity, and participating router manufacturers offering devices enabled for IPv6 by default. Wikimedia has been using IPv6 since this date.

China
The China Next Generation Internet project is a fiveyear plan initiated by the Chinese government with the purpose of gaining a significant position in the development of the Internet through the early adoption of IPv6. China showcased CNGI's IPv6 infrastructure during the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. The deployment of IPv6 was widespread in all related applications. The events were streamed live over the Internet Networked cars were able to monitor traffic conditions readily.