Internet protocol header compression, robust header compression, and their applicability in the global information grid

IPv6 extends capabilities of legacy IPv4 networks. The advantages of IPv6, however, come at the cost of increased operational overhead. As government networks providing services to the global information grid (GIG) migrate toward an IPv6-based infrastructure, the implications of an expanded packet header must be analyzed. This article describes two IPv6 applicable header compression schemes developed by the IETF, and how networks across the GIG infrastructure can adopt them in an effort to reduce IPv6 expanded overhead requirements.