IPv6

IPv6 is the sixth version of the Internet Protocol, assigning 128-bit addresses and defining how packets are addressed and routed across interconnected networks.

IPv6 address: A 128-bit identifier assigned to an interface for identifying and reaching it across IPv6 networks. Its 128-bit structure supplies IPv6’s much larger address space.
IP address: A numerical identifier used to identify an interface and route packets across an IP network. IPv6 addresses are a larger, differently structured form of IP address.
IPv4: The fourth version of the Internet Protocol, using 32-bit addresses to identify interfaces and route packets. IPv4’s limited address space is the central problem IPv6 was designed to address.
IPv6 address allocation: The assignment of IPv6 address blocks to organizations, networks, and interfaces. Allocation practices distribute IPv6 space through providers and regional registries.
Internet Engineering Task Force: An open standards organization that develops the technical protocols used by the Internet. The IETF develops and maintains the specifications that define IPv6.
IPv6 packet: A network-layer data unit with a fixed header and payload, carried by link-layer frames. Its fixed header makes IPv6 packet processing simpler than IPv4’s variable header.
IP routing: The process of selecting paths for IP packets through interconnected networks. IPv6 routers forward packets using destination prefixes and routing tables.
Network address translation: A technique that rewrites IP addresses in packet headers as traffic crosses a network device. NAT extended IPv4 address use, but IPv6 was designed to reduce the need for it.
IPv6 deployment: The introduction and operation of IPv6 on networks, devices, and Internet services. Deployment turns IPv6’s protocol capabilities into reachable services and routes.
RFC 8200: The Internet standard specification for IPv6, published by the IETF in 2017. It is the current core specification for IPv6 packet forwarding and addressing.

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