Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) will create numerous possibilities for the internet. By increasing address space, providing practical security methods, and facilitating address mobility IPv6 will move the internet into a new generation. Future market needs and the transition period were key issues that were taken into account during the development of IPv6. In fact, the transition has already begun on a worldwide testbed called the 6BONE. The 6BONE is a global IPv6-IPv4 network that has been initiated to test IPv6 functionality. Global testing and development will assure that IPv6 will connect the world into the next millenium.

This site focuses on two fundamental areas, IPv6 functionality and the IPv6 Implementation. An understanding of the changes and the new functions available in IPv6 is essential to a successful implementation. There are numerous sources across the internet that provide excellent information about these topics. This site provides essential information that has been compiled from several Internet Drafts, RFC's, and other IPv6 sites. New documentation will continue to become available as IPv6 testing progresses. This site provides a stable foundation, from which one can delve into the broader functions and advantages of IPv6.

Once a basic understanding of IPv6 has been achieved, one can begin the implementation process. This paper covers the implementation of IPv6 on a Debian Linux/GNU 1.3 system. Every step of the implementation process is covered, from the installation of the applications to the network and DNS configuration. Basic networking and Linux knowledge is assumed, as this site does not cover general networking ideas or general Linux usage.

The IPv6 network created in this implementation co-exists over a pre-established IPv4 network at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications de Bretagne in Brest, France. The implementation includes two IPv6 routers, an IPv6 host, and an IPv6 HTTP Server. The local IPv6 network is connected to the 6BONE over an IPv6 in IPv4 tunnel through Rennes, France.

IPv6 is an exciting protocol with the potential to quickly become the standard across the internet. Universal testing today will continue to facilitate a successful transition into the next generation of the Internet Protocol.