Release 5.1.6.R02 User Guide Supplement June 2005 page 2-1
2 IPv6 Commands
This chapter details Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) commands for the switch (including RIPng
commands). IPv6 (documented in RFC 2460) is designed as a successor to IPv 4. The changes from IPv4
to IPv6 fall primarily into the following categories:
Expanded Routing and Addressing Capabilities - IPv6 increases the IP address size from 32 bits to 128
bits, to support more levels of addressing hierarchy and a much greater number of addressable nodes, and
simpler auto-configuration of addresses. The scalability of multicast routing is improved by adding a
"scope" field to multicast addresses.
Header Format Simplification - Some IPv4 header fields were dropped or made optional, to reduce the
common-case processing cost of packet handling and to keep the bandwidth cost of the IPv6 header as low
as possible despite the increased size of the addresses. Even though the IPv6 addresses are four times
longer than the IPv4 addresses, the IPv6 header is only twice the size of the IPv4 header.
Anycast Addressing - A new type of address called a "anycast address" is defined, to identify sets of
nodes where a packet sent to an anycast address is delivered to one of the nodes. The use of anycast
addresses in the IPv6 source route allows nodes to control the path which their traffic flows.
Improved Support for Options - Changes in the way IP header options are encoded allows for more effi-
cient forwarding, less stringent limits on the length of options, and greater flexibility for introducing new
options in the future.
Authentication and Privacy Capabilities - IPv6 includes the definition of extensions which provide
support for authentication, data integrity, and confidentiality. This is included as a basic element of IPv6
and will be included in all implementations.
IPv6 is supported on 6600/7700/7800/8800 series switches running software Release 5.1.6 and up.
MIB information for the IPv6 and RIPng commands is as follows:
Filename: Ipv6.mib
Module: Ipv6-MIB, Ipv6-TCP-MIB, Ipv6-UDP-MIB
Filename: AlcatelIND1Ipv6.mib
Module: alcatelIND1IPv6MIB
Filename: AlcatelIND1Ripng.mib
Module: alcatelIND1RipngMIB