The next generation of the Internet: aspects of the Internet protocol version 6

This article presents an overview of several key improvements offered by the Internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) over current Internet protocol version 4 (IPv4). The topics covered include IPv6 addressing and routing concepts, changes to the minimum IPv6 packet size, flows, and traffic classes, the neighbor discovery and node auto-configuration mechanisms, and an overview of mobile IPv6 and the network security architecture. Transition mechanisms, such as dual stacks and the 6bone, are also discussed. The 6bone is a virtual network that is used to help test and facilitate the development of IPv6. Key concepts associated with the 6bone, such as setup requirements, IPv6 DNS support, and tunnel mechanics, are also presented.