IPv4 Run-Out and IPv4-IPv6 Co-Existence Scenarios

Abstract

When IPv6 was designed, it was expected that the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 would occur more smoothly and expeditiously than experience has revealed. The growth of the IPv4 Internet and predicted depletion of the free pool of IPv4 address blocks on a foreseeable horizon has highlighted an urgent need to revisit IPv6 deployment models. This document provides an overview of deployment scenarios with the goal of helping to understand what types of additional tools the industry needs to assist in IPv4 and IPv6 co-existence and transition.

This document was originally created as input to the Montreal co- existence interim meeting in October 2008, which led to the rechartering of the Behave and Softwire working groups to take on new IPv4 and IPv6 co-existence work. This document is published as a historical record of the thinking at the time, but hopefully will also help readers understand the rationale behind current IETF tools for co-existence and transition. This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for informational purposes.

Abstract as published in the RFC, via rfc-editor.org.

What “Informational” means

Published for the general information of the community. It does not define an IETF standard and carries no standards-track status.