On Sun, 2006-05-28 at 09:40 +0200, Per Jessen wrote:
Support for using IPv6 addresses everywhere - configuration etc.
Okay, there's a _lot_ of "FUD" out there about IPv6. Why? Because people have _never_ used it. IPv6 was designed for _less_administration_, and it _is_. First off, every IPv6 system has an automatically configured LINK LOCAL address. It's FE80::/64, with the lower 64-bits being based on the 48-bit IEEE802 MAC address. E.g., my Ethernet MAC is: 00:E0:4C:09:20:45 My IPv6 LINK LOCAL address is: fe80::2e0:4cff:fe09:2045/64 ^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^^ MAC Address ^^^^ fe80::/64 (LINK LOCAL subnet) If "LINK LOCAL" sounds familiar, it's because the IPv6 concept was backported to IPv4 as well -- 169.254/16. *BUT* in IPv6, you _always_ have a "LINK LOCAL" address. I.e., the _local_, layer-2 IPv6 address is _always_ "LINK LOCAL." If you have a routed IPv6 address, then you have a _second_ IPv6 address on a system. IPv6 was _purposely_ designed for 3 "context" IPs: - LINK LOCAL (layer-2) - SITE LOCAL (layer-3, internal -- deprecated, see below), NOW PRIVATE - INTERNET Many _large_ and even _medium_ size enterprises are using IPv6 LINK LOCAL and PRIVATE addresses. Why? Because it solves a _lot_ of issues. Traditionally, interconnected enterprises use 1:1 NAT to hide their schemes and avoid IPv4 address conflicts (i.e., I've worked in large, interconnected defense and financial firms) -- but IPv6 handles it _much_ better.
Really? I wasn't aware of that. I though it worked the other way round.
Huh? _Every_ Linux distribution that enables IPv6 by default _also_ has the system come up with a IPv4 address.
So, if I were to get an IPv6 range from my provider
First off, you need to go research how IPv6 works. You _can_ use IPv6 _internally_, and then NAT/PAT IPv6 to IPv4 for the Internet. If you are interconnecting enterprises, IPv6 typically _eliminates_ the requirement for 1:1 IPv4 NAT. Secondly, you have LINK LOCAL (layer-2) and PRIVATE (layer-3) addresses. There _are_ reserved IPv6 ranges for private use. LINK LOCAL is an absolute _dream_ to have on the same subnet.
(there are some providers here that offer it),
Why are you talking "providers"? I'm _not_ talking about "providers"! Anytime someone like myself talks of IPv6, _why_ do people think the Internet? Oh, that's right, because they have _never_ used IPv6. ;-> IPv6 is a _dream_ for enterprises! It was _not_ merely designed to address the Internet, it was designed and _chosen_ by the IETF _because_ it solves many issues for _enterprises_internally_!
there's no reall need to worry?
Worry about what?
Would people on plain IPv4 networks have access to e.g. my mail-server on IPv6 or would I need to provide some sort of gateway?
IPv4 maps into IPv6 and IPv6 maps into IPv4. Again, _read_ up on IPv6 -- don't assume and spread FUD.
Currently, I occasionally see AAAA records returned for some Swiss hosts - these I don't have access to without a IPv6-4 tunnel or something. (fortunately, they also have IPv4 addresses).
We *ARE* using IPv6 in the US at Fortune 100 companies, as well as organizations that connect to them. Even if only the Internet2 is IPv6 publicly, IPv6 is very, very _common_ in the US. It's one of the reasons why I'm pushing _hard_ to make IPv6 knowledge _standard_ in the next round of LPI exam updates. -- Bryan J. Smith Professional, technical annoyance mailto:b.j.smith@ieee.org http://thebs413.blogspot.com ----------------------------------------------------------- Americans don't get upset because citizens in some foreign nations can burn the American flag -- Americans get upset because citizens in those same nations can't burn their own