Investigating Space Overhead by IPSec on IPv4 and IPv6 Communication Protocols

Abstract

IPsec, an internet layer three-security protocol suite is often characterised with introducing an additional space and processing overhead when implemented on a network for secured communication using either IPv4 or IPv6. The use of IPsec on IPv4 is an alternative that offers solutions and addresses the security vulnerabilities in network layer of the OSI and TCP/IP protocol stack. In IPv6, IPsec is one among many other features added to the earlier internet protocol to enhance efficiency and security. Analysis in this research aim at observing the effect of additional space overhead incurred by internet protocols version 4 and 6 (IPv4, IPv6) as a result of selected IPsec configuration in relation to payload size in transport and tunnel mode of IPsec. It was observed that the cost of IPsec added overhead is relatively small when smaller packet sizes are involved for both protocols comparison with large packet sizes that were IPsec protected with the same configuration as the smaller packet, unless in the cases whereby the packet was very large which has to be fragmented. It is therefore, a guide for network administrators to trade up between processing cost and larger address space among other improvements specifically for transmission involving larger IP packets.