IPv6 Launch Day: IPv6 Resources for Network Admins

IPv6 Launch Day

Today is IPv6 launch day. Across the internet, many of the largest internet websites and services will be flipping the switch and implementing IPv6 permanently. Over the past several years, the number of available IPv4 addresses has been running out. The solution: IPv6 utilizing 128bit addresses which, in addition to offering more addresses than the internet will be able to utilize in the foreseeable future, adds a whole host of additional features and advantages over IPv4 which it replaces.

For the past few months, Sean Wilkins has been covering the differences between IPv4 and IPv6 in a series of articles for Petri. Check out our IPv6 article roundup and share your favorite IPv6 resources in the comments.

IPv6 Resources for Network Admins

The IPv6 Header
The last of the available unreserved IANA IPv4 addresses were allocated nearly a year ago and with complete IPv4 exhaustion fast approaching, knowledge of IPv6 is critically important. In this brief post, Sean Wilkins introduces the IPv6 Header and how the different fields are used.

IPv6 Header vs IPv4 Header
Since the IPv4 address space will soon be replaced, now is a great time to familiarize yourselves with IPv6. In this post, Sean Wilkins discusses the differences between the IPv6 header and the IPv4 header.

IPv6 Address Types
IPv6 is largely about adding more IP capacity as we are quickly running out of IPv4 addresses to allocate, but IPv6 also offers different and better functionality. In this post, Sean Wilkins describes the different IPv6 address types: Unicast, Multicast, and the new Anycast.

IPv6 Address Notation
Learning IPv6 addressing may look daunting, but once you get over the large hexadecimal numbers, it isn’t much different than using IPv4. In this post, Networking Consultant Sean Wilkins shows how IPv6 addresses and subnetting work the same as with IPv4 address when converted to binary.

Cisco IPv6 Static Address Configuration
Once you obtain a basic understanding of IPv6, the next logical step is to test out the different capabilities that exist within Cisco equipment and IOS. In this article, Cisco Professional Sean Wilkins explains the configuration of IPv6 addressing on a Cisco IOS device.

IPv6 Transition
The IPv4 to IPv6 transition is upon us but the undertaking is not one that can take place with the flick of a switch. In this post, Sean Wilkins takes a look at the options available to organizations for an efficient and headache free transition. Which method is best for you?

OSPFv3 Configuration – OSPF for IPv6
With the IPv6 Launch Day upon us, it is becoming more important for network engineers to become familiar with how to configure IPv6 routing protocols. This article by Networking Consultant Sean Wilkins focuses on the basic configuration of OSPFv3 for IPv6

Coming Soon

Sean has more IPv6 articles on the way, including: RIP for IPv6: RIPng Configuration, Basic EIGRP for IPv6 Configuration and more.