Mini-Module
Summary
The IPv6 module is designed for
- Students and enthusiasts eager to learn about the advancements in internet protocols and
- Anyone involved in planning or managing network infrastructure, seeking to broaden their understanding of IPv6. Throughout this module, students will develop
- Gain a comprehensive understanding of the IPv6 protocol and its architectural enhancements over IPv4 and
- Understand the benefits and challenges associated with IPv6 deployment and transition mechanisms.
Recommended prior knowledge:
- Basic understanding of network concepts and terminologies
Introduction
Internet developers anticipated the need for a large number of IP addresses and aimed to create a lasting network protocol. In the 1970s, they developed IPv4, which offered about 4 billion IP addresses with its 32-bit address space. However, due to classified addressing and the Internet's rapid growth, the address space quickly became insufficient. In the late 1980s, concerns arose about running out of IP addresses. In response, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) developed IPv6 in 1995. IPv6 expanded the address space to 128 bits, providing a virtually unlimited number of addresses (340 undecillion).
Since 2017, IPv6 adoption has accelerated, particularly among ISPs, mobile networks, and the IoT. Many companies are migrating to IPv6 due to its readiness and cost-effectiveness; it is gradually replacing IPv4. In this module, we will review IPv6.
This section briefly introduces the topic. The next section will cover IPv6 Basics.