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What is IPv6?
IPv6 is short for " Protocol Version 6". IPv6 is the "next generation" protocol designed by the IETF to replace the current version Protocol, IP Version 4 ("IPv4").
Most of today's uses IPv4, which is now nearly twenty years old. IPv4 has been remarkably resilient in spite of its age, but it is beginning to have problems. Most importantly, there is a growing shortage of IPv4 addresses, which are needed by all new machines added to the .
IPv6 fixes a number of problems in IPv4, such as the limited number of available IPv4 addresses. It also adds many improvements to IPv4 in areas such as routing work auto configuration. IPv6 is expected to gradually replace IPv4, with the two coexisting for a number of years during a transition period.
Some introductory information about the protocol can be found in our IPv6 FAQ. For those interested in the technical details, we have a list of IPv6 related specifications.
Protocol Version 6 is abbreviated to IPv6 (where the "6" refers to it being assigned version number 6). The previous version of the Protocol is version 4 (referred to as IPv4).
IPv6 is a new version of IP which is designed to be an evolutionary step from IPv4. It is a natural increment to IPv4. It can be installed as a normal software upgrade in devices and is interoperable with the current IPv4. Its deployment strategy is designed to not have any flag days or other dependencies. IPv6 is designed to run well on high works (. Gigabit , OC-12, ATM, etc.) and at the same time still be efficient for low works (. wireless). In addition, it provides a platform for new functionality that will be required in the near future.
IPv6 includes a transition mechanism which is designed to allow users to adopt and deploy IPv6 in a highly diffuse fashion and to provide direct interoperability between IPv4 and IPv6 hosts. The transition to a new version of the Protocol must be incremental, with few or no critical interdependencies, if it