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Networking Intermediate

What is IPv6?

The latest version of the Internet Protocol with 128-bit addresses, designed to replace IPv4 and solve address exhaustion.

IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334), providing 340 undecillion unique addresses — enough for every device on Earth. It eliminates the need for NAT, simplifies routing, and includes built-in IPSec support.

IPv6 adoption is growing (40%+ of Google traffic). Dual-stack (running IPv4 and IPv6 simultaneously) is the common transition strategy. Key differences from IPv4 include no broadcast (replaced by multicast), auto-configuration (SLAAC), and simplified headers.

Related Terms

OSI Model
The seven-layer Open Systems Interconnection model that standardizes network communication functions from physical transmission to application protocols.
VLAN (Virtual LAN)
A logical grouping of network devices that creates separate broadcast domains on the same physical network infrastructure.
DHCP
A protocol that automatically assigns IP addresses and network configuration to devices on a network.
ARP (Address Resolution Protocol)
A protocol that maps IP addresses to physical MAC addresses on a local network segment.
Reverse Proxy
A server that sits between clients and backend servers, forwarding client requests and returning server responses on their behalf.
Content Delivery Network (CDN)
A geographically distributed network of servers that caches and delivers web content from locations closest to users for faster load times.
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