How will IPv6 change the Internet? Christian Huitema Architect, Windows ® Networking Microsoft ® Corporation

Internet: the exponentials and the brick wall?

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1991: something is going to break…

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1992: CIDR is adopted, works starts on IPnG.

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1994: IPv6 draft is selected 1995-1999: IPv6 is developed. Address shortage; NAT for client/server. 2000: peer-to-peer, always-on..

How will IPv6 change the Internet?

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Addresses are the key

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Scarcity: the user is a “client”

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Plethora: the user is a “peer”

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IPv6 provide enough addressing

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64+64 format: 1.8E+19 networks, units

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assuming IPv4 efficiency: 1E+16 networks, 1 million networks per human

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20 networks per m 2 of Earth (20 per m 2 )

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Practical impact is enormous

Problem 1: Peer-to-peer RTP audio example

P1 Home LAN NAT Internet NAT Home LAN 

With NAT:

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Need to learn the address “outside the NAT”

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Provide that address to peer Need either NAT-aware application, or application-aware NAT May need a third party registration server to facilitate finding peers

P2

Solution 1: Peer-to-peer RTP audio example

P1 Home LAN Home Gateway Home Gateway Home LAN Internet P2 

With IPv6:

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Just use IPv6 address

Problem 2: Multiparty Conference Example

P1 Home LAN NAT Internet NAT Home LAN P3 

With NAT, complex and brittle software:

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2 Addresses, inside and outside

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P1 provides “inside address” to P3, “outside address” to P2

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Need to recognize inside, outside

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P1 does not know outside address of P3 to inform P2

P2

Solution 2: Multiparty IPv6 Conference Example

P2 P1 P3 Home LAN Home Gateway Internet 

With IPv6:

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Just use IPv6 addresses

Home Gateway Home LAN

Problem 3: Ad-hoc networking

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IPv4: media lock + 63 sec.

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Try DHCP

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Wait for timeout

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Select AutoNet address

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Conflict detect

Solution 3: Ad-hoc networking

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IPv6: media lock + 1 sec.

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Configure using MAC

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Conflict detect

Problem 4: Move from “cell” to “cell”

P1 Relay ‘cell’ A Internet ‘cell’ B 

IPv4:

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Tell server, Packets are relayed through the server

P2

Solution 4: Move from “cell” to “cell” with IPv6

P1 Relay ‘cell’ A Internet ‘cell’ B 

IPv6:

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Tell server + peer Packets take direct path

P2

If IPv6 is so great, how come it is not there yet?

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Applications

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Need upfront investment, stacks, etc.

Similar to Y2K, 32 bit vs. “clean address type”

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Network

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Need to ramp-up investment No “push-button” transition

Good News: With 6to4, We Have a Transition Plan Pure “Version 6” Internet Original “Version 4” Internet 6to4 Site

1 v4 address = 1 v6 network

6to4 Site

Microsoft Roadmap

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March 1998 => MSR prototype for NT4.

March 2000 => Early developer release for W2K on MSDN Web.

September 2000 => Full IPv6 Winsock SDK and key application support.

Next phase:

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Work on further IPv6 release

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Test and port applications, test the transition tools.

Goal: IPv6 and IPv4 parity

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Customer chooses!

Eventually => IPv4 becomes legacy

For More Information

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Microsoft IPv6 white paper

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http://www.microsoft.com/technet/netw ork/ipvers6.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000 /library/howitworks/communications/net workbasics/IPv6.asp

Microsoft IPv6 Tech Preview News

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http://www.microsoft.com/PressPass/pr ess/2000/Mar00/IPv6PR.asp

Microsoft IPv6 Tech Preview Kit

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http://msdn.microsoft.com/downloads/s dks/platform/tpipv6.asp

Key Messages

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IPv6 direct addressing of all stations enables peer-to-peer, conferencing, auto-configuration, mobility. Transition to IPv6 akin to Y2K (upgrade all SW to 128-bit addresses) To help industry move along this path, Microsoft released a stack and an SDK for Win2000; Microsoft will continue to iterate this based on industry feedback