Address Autoconfiguration in IPv6 Networks: Challenges and Countermeasures

Abstract

The demand for internet and its applications has eventually led to the depletion of the dominant IPv4 addresses. This has resulted in the inevitable need for the next generation Internet Protocol IPv6, which contains an enormous pool of IP addresses. Address Autoconfiguration, a remarkable feature of IPv6 enables a node connected in the network to automatically configure an IP address for its interface and instantly participate in network communications. The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) has classified autoconfiguration into Stateless and Stateful mechanisms. Several IPv6 protocols have been employed to achieve autoconfiguration of networks. However, in addition to the excellent competence of this feature, autoconfiguration certainly suffers in terms of security and optimization. This paper attempts to enlighten the need and merits of Address Autoconfiguration and finally highlights the challenges, open issues and countermeasures involved in achieving this in real time environment.