16 - IPv6 Autoconfiguration

Abstract

Network scalability requires the use of automatic mechanisms rather than manual procedures for configuring and updating the configuration of IP nodes. The IPv6 specifications provide an inherently easier approach for doing autoconfiguration than IPv4. IPv6 make autoconfiguration easier. The three sets of autoconfiguration tools: stateful autoconfiguration, stateless autoconfiguration, and router and network numbering are discussed. The dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) grew out of the boot protocol (BOOTP), which allowed nodes (usually diskless nodes) to boot themselves from a network server. The use of locally scoped network addresses means that networks can be shifted from one connectivity provider to another with new global IPv6 Internet addresses relatively easily. Internal routing can be achieved using the site-local addresses, while external routing can be accomplished by reconfiguring gateway routers. The chapter discusses the difference between stateful and stateless autoconfiguration, the way DHCPv6 works, the way IPv6 stateless autoconfiguration works, and the way router and network renumbering can be done in IPv6 networks.