Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6)

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It’s been few weeks since my last article. So today I'll be talking about IPv6. The next generation of the internet protocol is IPv6.



What is IPv6?

Internet Protocol version 6 was developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force(IETF), which was starting in 1993 in response to a series of perceived problems, primarily with the exhaustion of the current, IP version 4(IPv4) address space. Simply IPv6 is the replacement internet protocol for Ipv4. With the 32 bit address format, IPv4 can handle a maximum of 4.3 billion unique IP addresses. With its 128-bit address format, IPv6 can support 3.4 x 1038 unique IP addresses.
There are different types of IPv6 addresses: Unicast, Anycast and Multicast.
  • Unicast addresses are the well known addresses. A packet sent to a unicast address arrives exactly at the interface belonging to the address.
  • Anycast addresses are syntactically indistinguishable from unicast addresses but they address a group of interfaces. The packet destined for an anycast address will arrive at the nearest (in router metric) interface. Anycast addresses may only be used by routers.
  • Multicast addresses identify a group of interfaces. A packet destined for a multicast address will arrive at all interfaces belonging to the multicast group.



IPv6 Header vs IPv4 Header

ipv4header.jpg


image courtesy: Google

When considering the both headers IPv6 is more streamlined and efficient than the IPv4. There are few additional fields on the IPv6 header
The IPv6 header contains the following fields:
  • Version
  • Traffic Class
  • Flow Label
  • Payload Length
  • Next Header
  • Hop Limit
  • Source Address
  • Destination Address


Will my IPv4 devices still work / connect to the Internet when IPv6 is there?
Yes definitely. Both of them are not compatible directly. Since IPv6 is developed using the process called dual stack, it allows the IPv6 and IPv4 to run simultaneously alongside each other. :)
advantages.png
image courtesy: Google


Advantages of IPv6
Mainly IPv6 has following advantages.


  • Simplified header format for efficient packet handling
  • Support for widely deployed routing protocols.
  • Larger payload for increased throughput and transport efficiency
  • Hierarchical network architecture for routing efficiency
  • Auto configuration and plug-and-play support
  • Increased number of multicast addresses




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