Implementing IPv6

Introducing IPv6
Why Do We Need a Larger Address Space?

• Internet population
– Approximately 973 million users in November 2005
– Emerging population and geopolitical and address space
• Mobile users
– PDA, pen-tablet, notepad, and so on
– Approximately 20 million in 2004
• Mobile phones
– Already 1 billion mobile phones delivered by the industry
• Transportation
– 1 billion automobiles forecast for 2008
– Internet access in planes – Example: Lufthansa
• Consumer devices
– Sony mandated that all its products be IPv6-enabled by 2005
– Billions of home and industrial appliances
IPv6 Advanced Features

Larger address space Simpler header

• Global reachability and • Routing efficiency
flexibility • Performance and forwarding
• Aggregation rate scalability
• Multihoming • No broadcasts
• Autoconfiguration • No checksums
• Plug-and-play • Extension headers
• End to end without NAT  • Flow labels
• Renumbering
IPv6 Advanced Features (Cont.)

Mobility and security Transition richness

• Mobile IP RFC-compliant • Dual stack
• IPsec mandatory • 6to4 tunnels
(or native) for IPv6 • Translation
Larger Address Space

IPv4
• 32 bits or 4 bytes long
– ~
= 4,200,000,000 possible addressable nodes
IPv6
• 128 bits or 16 bytes: four times the bits of IPv4
– ~
= 3.4 * 1038 possible addressable nodes
– ~
= 340,282,366,920,938,463,374,607,432,768,211,456
– ~
= 5 * 1028 addresses per person
 Larger Address Space Enables
Address Aggregation

• Aggregation of prefixes announced in the global routing table

• Efficient and scalable routing
• Improved bandwidth and functionality for user traffic
Summary

• IPv6 is a powerful enhancement to IPv4. Features that offer

functional improvement include a larger address space,
simplified header, and mobility and security.
• IPv6 increases the number of address bits by a factor of four,
from 32 to 128.
Implementing IPv6

Defining IPv6 Addressing

Simple and Efficient Header

A simpler and more efficient header means:

• 64-bit aligned fields and fewer fields
• Hardware-based, efficient processing
• Improved routing efficiency and performance
• Faster forwarding rate with better scalability
IPv4 and IPv6 Header Comparison
IPv6 Extension Headers

Simpler and more efficient header means:

• IPv6 has extension headers.
• It handles the options more efficiently.
• It enables faster forwarding rate and end nodes processing.
IPv6 Address Representation

Format:
• x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x, where x is a 16-bit hexadecimal field
– Case-insensitive for hexadecimal A, B, C, D, E, and F
• Leading zeros in a field are optional:
– 2031:0:130F:0:0:9C0:876A:130B
• Successive fields of 0 can be represented as ::, but only once per address.
Examples:
– 2031:0000:130F:0000:0000:09C0:876A:130B
– 2031:0:130f::9c0:876a:130b
– 2031::130f::9c0:876a:130b—incorrect
– FF01:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 FF01::1
– 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1 ::1
– 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0 ::
IPv6 Address Types

IPv6 uses:
• Unicast
– Address is for a single interface.
– IPv6 has several types (for example, global and IPv4 mapped).
• Multicast
– One-to-many
– Enables more efficient use of the network
– Uses a larger address range
• Anycast
– One-to-nearest (allocated from unicast address space).
– Multiple devices share the same address.
– All anycast nodes should provide uniform service.
– Source devices send packets to anycast address.
– Routers decide on closest device to reach that destination.
– Suitable for load balancing and content delivery services.
IPv6 Global Unicast (and Anycast)
Addresses

IPv6 has same address format for global unicast and for anycast.
• Uses a global routing prefix—a structure that enables aggregation upward,
eventually to the ISP.
• A single interface may be assigned multiple addresses of any type (unicast,
anycast, multicast).
• Every IPv6-enabled interface must contain at least one loopback (::1/128) and one
link-local address.
• Optionally, every interface can have multiple unique local and global addresses.
• Anycast address is a global unicast address assigned to a set of interfaces
(typically on different nodes).
• IPv6 anycast is used for a network multihomed to several ISPs that have multiple
connections to each other.
IPv6 Unicast Addressing

• IPv6 addressing rules are covered by multiple RFCs.

– Architecture defined by RFC 4291.
• Unicast: One to one
– Global
– Link local (FE80::/10)
• A single interface may be assigned multiple IPv6 addresses
of any type: unicast, anycast, or multicast.
Summary

• The IPv6 header has 40 octets and is simpler and more

efficient than the IPv4 header.
• IPv6 addresses use 16-bit hexadecimal number fields
separated by colons (:) to represent the 128-bit addressing
format.
• The three types of IPv6 addresses are unicast, multicast, and
anycast.
Implementing IPv6

Implementing Dynamic IPv6 Addresses

Aggregatable Global Unicast Addresses

• Cisco uses the extended universal identifier (EUI)-64 format

to do stateless autoconfiguration.
• This format expands the 48-bit MAC address to 64 bits by
inserting “FFFE” into the middle 16 bits.
• To make sure that the chosen address is from a unique
Ethernet MAC address, the universal/local (U/L bit) is set to 1
for global scope (0 for local scope).
Link-Local Address

• Link-local addresses have a scope limited to the link and are dynamically
created on all IPv6 interfaces by using a specific link-local prefix FE80::/10
and a 64-bit interface identifier.
• Link-local addresses are used for automatic address configuration, neighbor
discovery, and router discovery. Link-local addresses are also used by many
routing protocols.
• Link-local addresses can serve as a way to connect devices on the same
local network without needing global addresses.
• When communicating with a link-local address, you must specify the
outgoing interface because every interface is connected to FE80::/10.
EUI-64 to IPv6 Interface Identifier

A modified EUI-64 address is formed by inserting “FFFE” and

“complementing” a bit identifying the uniqueness of the MAC
address.
EUI-64 to IPv6 Interface Identifier (Cont.)

• A modified EUI-64 address is formed by inserting “FFFE” and

“complementing” a bit identifying the uniqueness of the MAC
address.
EUI-64 to IPv6 Interface Identifier (Cont.)

• A modified EUI-64 address is formed by inserting “FFFE” and

“complementing” a bit identifying the uniqueness of the MAC
address.
Multicasting
Examples of Permanent Multicast
Addresses
Anycast

• An IPv6 anycast address is a global unicast address that is

assigned to more than one interface.
Stateless Autoconfiguration
A Standard Stateless Autoconfiguration

• Stage 1: The PC sends a router solicitation to request a

prefix for stateless autoconfiguration.
A Standard Stateless Autoconfiguration
(Cont.)

• Stage 2: The router replies with a router advertisement.

IPv6 Mobility
Summary

• The MAC address may form a portion of the IPv6 system ID.
• IPv6 multicast addresses are defined by the prefix FF00::/8.
Multicast is frequently used in IPv6 and replaces broadcast.
• IPv6 provides an efficient means to implement mobile IP,
which has not been possible with IPv4.
Implementing IPv6

Using IPv6 with OSPF and Other Routing Protocols

IPv6 Routing Protocols

• IPv6 routing types

– Static
– RIPng (RFC 2080)
– OSPFv3 (RFC 2740)
– IS-IS for IPv6
– MP-BGP4 (RFC 2545/2858)
– EIGRP for IPv6
• The ipv6 unicast-routing command is required to enable IPv6 before any
routing protocol configured.
RIPng

Same as IPv4
• Distance vector, radius of 15 hops, split horizon, and poison
reverse
• Based on RIPv2
Updated features for IPv6
• IPv6 prefix, next-hop IPv6 address
• Uses the multicast group FF02::9, the all-rip-routers multicast
group, as the destination address for RIP updates
• Uses IPv6 for transport
• Named RIPng
OSPF Version 3 (OSPFv3) (RFC 2740)

Similar to IPv4
• Same mechanisms, but a major rewrite of the internals of the
protocol
Updated features for IPv6
• Every IPv4-specific semantic removed
• Carry IPv6 addresses
• Link-local addresses used as source
• IPv6 transport
• OSPF for IPv6 currently an IETF proposed standard
Integrated Intermediate
System-to-Intermediate System (IS-IS)

• Same as for IPv4

• Extensions for IPv6:
– Two new Type, Length, Value (TLV) attributes:
• IPv6 reachability (with 128-bit prefix)
• IPv6 interface address (with 128 bits)
– New protocol identifier
– Not yet an IETF standard
Multiprotocol Border Gateway Protocol
(MP-BGP) (RFC 2858)

Multiprotocol extensions for BGP4:

• Enables protocols other than IPv4
• New identifier for the address family
IPv6 specific extensions:
• Scoped addresses: NEXT_HOP contains a global IPv6 address
and potentially a link-local address
(only when there is a link-local reachability with the peer).
• NEXT_HOP and Network Layer Reachability Information (NLRI)
are expressed as IPv6 addresses and prefix in the
multiprotocol attributes.
OSPFv3—Hierarchical Structure

• Topology of an area is invisible

from outside of the area:
– LSA flooding is bounded by
area.
– SPF calculation is performed
separately for each area.
• Backbones must be
contiguous.
• All areas must have
a connection to
the backbone:
– Otherwise a virtual
link must be used to
connect to the
backbone.
OSPFv3—Similarities with OSPFv2

• OSPFv3 is OSPF for IPv6 (RFC 2740)

– Based on OSPFv2, with enhancements
– Distributes IPv6 prefixes
– Runs directly over IPv6
• OSPFv3 and OSPFv2 can be run concurrently, because each address family has
a separate SPF (ships in the night).
• OSPFv3 uses the same basic packet types as OSPFv2:
– Hello
– Database description (DBD)
– Link state request (LSR)
– Link state update (LSU)
– Link state acknowledgment (ACK)
OSPFv3—Similarities with OSPFv2

• Neighbor discovery and adjacency formation mechanism are

identical.
• RFC-compliant NBMA and point-to-multipoint topology
modes are supported. Also supports other modes from
Cisco, such as point-to-point and broadcast, including the
interface.
• LSA flooding and aging mechanisms are identical.
Enhanced Routing Protocol Support
Differences from OSPFv2
• OSPF packet type
– OSPFv3 has the same five packet types, but some fields have
been changed.

• All OSPFv3 packets have a 16-byte header vs. the 24-byte header in
OSPFv2.
OSPFv3 Differences from OSPFv2

OSPFv3 protocol processing is per link, not per subnet

• IPv6 connects interfaces to links.
• Multiple IPv6 subnets can be assigned to a single link.
• Two nodes can talk directly over a single link, even though
they do not share a common subnet.
• The terms “network” and “subnet” are being replaced with
“link.”
• An OSPF interface now connects to a link instead of to a
subnet.
OSPFv3 Differences from OSPFv2 (Cont.)

Multiple OSPFv3 protocol instances can now run

over a single link
• This structure allows separate autonomous systems, each
running OSPF, to use a common link. A single link could
belong to multiple areas.
• Instance ID is a new field that is used to allow multiple
OSPFv3 protocol instances per link.
• In order to have two instances talk to each other, they need
to have the same instance ID. By default, it is 0, and for any
additional instance it is increased.
OSPFv3 Differences from OSPFv2 (Cont.)

Multicast addresses:
• FF02::5—Represents all SPF routers on the link-local scope; equivalent to 224.0.0.5 in
OSPFv2
• FF02::6—Represents all DR routers on the link-local scope; equivalent to 224.0.0.6 in
OSPFv2
Removal of address semantics
• IPv6 addresses are no longer present in OSPF packet header (part of payload information).
• Router LSA and network LSA do not carry IPv6 addresses.
• Router ID, area ID, and link-state ID remain at 32 bits.
• DR and BDR are now identified by their router ID and not by their IP address.
Security
• OSPFv3 uses IPv6 AH and ESP extension headers instead of variety of the mechanisms
defined in OSPFv2.
LSA Overview

LSA Function
LSA Type
Code
Router LSA 1 0x2001
Network LSA 2 0x2002
Interarea prefix LSA 3 0x2003
Interarea router LSA 4 0x2004
AS external LSA 5 0x2005
Group membership LSA 6 0x2006
Type 7 LSA 7 0x2007
Link-LSA 8 0x2008
Intra-area prefix LSA 9 0x2009
Larger Address Space Enables
Address Aggregation

• Aggregation of prefixes announced in the global routing table

• Efficient and scalable routing
• Improved bandwidth and functionality for user traffic
Configuring OSPFv3 in Cisco IOS Software

• Similar to OSPFv2
– Prefixes existing interface and EXEC mode commands
with “ipv6”
• Interfaces configured directly
– Replaces network command
• “Native” IPv6 router mode
– Not a submode of router ospf command
Enabling OSPFv3 Globally

ipv6 unicast-routing
!
ipv6 router ospf 1
router-id 2.2.2.2
Enabling OSPFv3 on an Interface

interface Ethernet0/0
ipv6 address 3FFE:FFFF:1::1/64
ipv6 ospf 1 area 0
ipv6 ospf priority 20
ipv6 ospf cost 20
Cisco IOS OSPFv3-Specific Attributes

• Configuring area range:

– area area-id range prefix/prefix length [advertise | not-
advertise] [cost cost]
• Showing new LSAs:
– show ipv6 ospf [process-id] database link
– show ipv6 ospf [process-id] database prefix
OSPFv3 Configuration Example
Router1#
interface S1/1
ipv6 address
2001:410:FFFF:1::1/64
ipv6 ospf 100 area 0

interface S2/0
ipv6 address
3FFE:B00:FFFF:1::2/64
ipv6 ospf 100 area 1

ipv6 router ospf 100

router-id 10.1.1.3

Router2#
interface S3/0
ipv6 address
3FFE:B00:FFFF:1::1/64
ipv6 ospf 100 area 1

ipv6 router ospf 100

router-id 10.1.1.4
Verifying Cisco IOS OSPFv3

Router2#show ipv6 ospf int s 3/0

S3/0 is up, line protocol is up
Link Local Address 3FFE:B00:FFFF:1::1, Interface ID 7
Area 1, Process ID 100, Instance ID 0, Router ID 10.1.1.4
Network Type POINT_TO_POINT, Cost: 1
Transmit Delay is 1 sec, State POINT_TO_POINT,
Timer intervals configured, Hello 10, Dead 40, Wait 40, Retransmit
5
Hello due in 00:00:02
Index 1/1/1, flood queue length 0
Next 0x0(0)/0x0(0)/0x0(0)
Last flood scan length is 3, maximum is 3
Last flood scan time is 0 msec, maximum is 0 msec
Neighbor Count is 1, Adjacent neighbor count is 1
Adjacent with neighbor 10.1.1.3
Suppress hello for 0 neighbor(s)
show ipv6 ospf

R7#show ipv6 ospf

Routing Process “ospfv3 1” with ID 75.0.7.1
It is an area border and autonomous system boundary router
Redistributing External Routes from, connected
SPF schedule delay 5 secs, Hold time between two SPFs 10 secs
Minimum LSA interval 5 secs. Minimum LSA arrival 1 secs
LSA group pacing timer 240 secs
Interface floor pacing timer 33 msecs
Retransmission pacing timer 33 msecs
Number of external LSA 3. Checksum Sum 0x12B75
show ipv6 ospf (Cont.)
Number of areas in this router is 2. 1 normal 0 stub 1 nssa
Area BACKBONE(0)
Number of interfaces in this area is 1
SPF algorithm executed 23 times
Number of LSA 14. Checksum Sum 0x760AA
Number of DCbitless LSA 0
Number of Indication LSA 0
Number of DoNotAge LSA 0
Flood list length 0
Area 2
Number of interfaces in this area is 1
It is a NSSA area
Perform type-7/type-5 LSA translation
SPF algorithm executed 17 times
Number of LSA 25. Checksum Sum 0xE3BF0
Number of DCbitless LSA 0
Number of Indication LSA 0
Number of DoNotAge LSA 0
Flood list length 0
 show ipv6 ospf neighbor detail

Router2#show ipv6 ospf neighbor detail

Neighbor 10.1.1.3
In the area 0 via interface S2/0
Neighbor: interface-id 14, link-local address 3FFE:B00:FFFF:1::2
Neighbor priority is 1, State is FULL, 6 state changes
Options is 0x63AD1B0D
Dead timer due in 00:00:33
Neighbor is up for 00:48:56
Index 1/1/1, retransmission queue length 0, number of retransmission 1
First 0x0(0)/0x0(0)/0x0(0) Next 0x0(0)/0x0(0)/0x0(0)
Last retransmission scan length is 1, maximum is 1
Last retransmission scan time is 0 msec, maximum is 0 msec
show ipv6 ospf database
Router Link States (Area 1)
ADV Router Age Seq# Fragment ID Link count Bits
26.50.0.1 1812 0x80000048 0 1 None
26.50.0.2 1901 0x80000006 0 1 B

Net Link States (Area 1)

ADV Router Age Seq# Link ID Rtr count
26.50.0.1 57 0x8000003B 3 4

Inter-Area Prefix Link States (Area 1)

ADV Router Age Seq# Prefix
26.50.0.2 139 0x80000003 3FFE:FFFF:26::/64
26.50.0.2 719 0x80000001 3FFE:FFF:26::/64

Inter-Area Router Link States (Area 1)

ADV Router Age Seq# Link ID Dest RtrID
26.50.0.2 772 0x80000001 1207959556 72.0.0.4
26.50.0.4 5 0x80000003 1258292993 75.0.7.1
show ipv6 ospf database (Cont.)
Link (Type-8) Link States (Area 1)
ADV Router Age Seq# Link ID Interface
26.50.0.1 1412 0x80000031 3 Fa0/0
26.50.0.2 238 0x80000003 3 Fa0/0

Intra-Area Prefix Link States (Area 1)

ADV Router Age Seq# Link ID Ref-Istype Ref-LSID
26.50.0.1 1691 0x8000002E 0 0x2001 0
26.50.0.1 702 0x80000031 1003 0x2002 3
26.50.0.2 1797 0x80000002 0 0x2001 0

Type-5 AS External Link States

ADV Router Age Seq# Prefix
72.0.0.4 287 0x80000028 3FFE:FFFF:A::/64
72.0.0.4 38 0x80000027 3FFE:FFFF:78::/64
75.0.7.1 162 0x80000007 3FFE:FFFF:8::/64
show ipv6 ospf database
database-summary
R3#show ipv6 ospf database database-summary
Area 0 database summary
LSA Type Count Delete Maxage
Router 3 0 0
Network 0 0 0
Link 3 0 0
Prefix 3 0 0
Inter-area Prefix 6 0 0
Inter-area Router 0 0 0
Type-7 External 0 0 0
Subtotal 15 0 0

Process 1 database summary

LSA Type Count Delete Maxage
Router 7 0 0
Network 1 0 0
Link 7 0 0
Prefix 8 0 0
Inter-area Prefix 14 0 0
Inter-area Router 2 0 0
Type-7 External 0 0 0
Type-5 Ext 3 0 0
Total 42 0 0
Summary

• RIP, EIGRP, IS-IS, BGP, and OSPF all have new versions to
support IPv6.
• OSPFv3 is OSPF for IPv6.
• Most of the algorithms of OSPFv2 are the same in OSPFv3.
Some changes have been made in OSPFv3, particularly to
handle the increased address size in IPv6 the fact that OSPF
runs directly over IP and all of the OSPF for IPv4 optional
capabilities, including on-demand circuit support and NSSA
areas. The multicast extensions to OSPF (MOSPF) are also
supported in OSPF for IPv6.
Summary (Cont.)

• There are two new LSAs in IPv6: LSA type 8 and LSA type 9.
The router LSA and the network LSA do not carry IPv6
addresses.
• Configuring OSPFv3 requires a good background
understanding of IPv6.
• There are Cisco IOS software configuration commands for
OSPFv3 to support all of the new and old capabilities of
OSPFv3.
• Numerous OSPFv3 IOS show commands support the
verification of OSPFv3 configurations.
Implementing IPv6

Using IPv6 with IPv4

IPv4-to-IPv6 Transition

Transition richness means:

– No fixed day to convert; no need to convert all at once.
– Different transition mechanisms are available:
• Smooth integration of IPv4 and IPv6.
• Use of dual stack or 6to4 tunnels.
– Different compatibility mechanisms:
• IPv4 and IPv6 nodes can communicate.
Cisco IOS Software Is IPV6-Ready:
Cisco IOS Dual Stack

• If both IPv4 and IPv6 are configured on an interface, this

interface is dual-stacked.
Dual Stack

• Dual stack is an integration method where a node has

implementation and connectivity to both an IPv4 and IPv6
network.
Cisco IOS Software Is IPv6-Ready:
Overlay Tunnels

• Tunneling encapsulates the IPv6 packet in the IPv4 packet.

Tunneling

Tunneling is an integration method where an IPv6 packet is

encapsulated within another protocol, such as IPv4. This
method of encapsulation is IPv4 protocol 41:
• This method includes a 20-byte IPv4 header with no options and an
IPv6 header and payload.
• This method is considered dual stacking.
“Isolated” Dual-Stack Host

Encapsulation can be done by edge routers between

hosts or between a host and a router.
Cisco IOS Software Is IPv6-Ready:
Configured Tunnel

Configured tunnels require:

• Dual-stack endpoints
• IPv4 and IPv6 addresses configured at each end
Example: Cisco IOS Tunnel Configuration
Cisco IOS Software Is IPv6-Ready:
6to4 Tunneling

6to4
• Is an automatic tunnel method
• Gives a prefix to the attached IPv6 network
Translation—NAT-PT

• NAT-Protocol Translation (NAT-PT) is a translation mechanism that

sits between an IPv6 network and an IPv4 network.
• The job of the translator is to translate IPv6 packets into IPv4
packets and vice versa.
Summary

• The two most common techniques to make the transition

from IPv4 to IPv6 are dual stack and IPv6-to-IPv4 (6-to-4)
tunnels.
• Tunneling IPv6 traffic over an IPv4 network requires one
edge router to encapsulate the IPv6 packet inside an IPv4
packet and another router to decapsulate it. Transition
methods from IPv4 to IPv6 include dual-stack operation,
protocol translation, and 6to4 tunnels.
Module Summary

• IPv6 has numerous features and functions that make it a

superior alternative to IPv4.
• IPv6 provides a larger address space in a hexadecimal
format.
• The IPv6 addresses can be obtained by IPv6 hosts
dynamically utilizing autoconfiguration.
• IPv6 will require new versions of RIP, EIGRP, IS-IS, BGP,
and OSPF.
• IPv4-to-IPv6 transition methodologies will include dual stack
and tunneling, with 6to4 tunneling being prevalent.