Introducing IPv6 on Your Network

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

In addition to the IPv4 stack installed by default, Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP include an IPv6 protocol stack that you can use to test IPv6, to explore IPv6-enabled applications, and to prepare for possible eventual migration to a native IPv6 infrastructure.

It is expected that IPv4 and IPv6 will coexist on enterprise networks for a number of years. Depending on their needs, some organizations might continue to use IPv4 exclusively, some will migrate slowly while running both IPv4 and IPv6 in the interim, and some will maintain IPv4 in one or more sections of their organization and implement IPv6 in other sections.

To ensure that your organization makes best use of IPv6 capabilities with the least administrative overhead, include a plan for introducing IPv6 into the design for your TCP/IP network. To prepare to introduce IPv6, you must explore the new functionality introduced by IPv6, plan IPv6 addressing, plan how to route IPv6 traffic over an existing IPv4 infrastructure or an IPv6 infrastructure, decide whether to deploy DNS dynamic update, and decide whether to deploy PortProxy to enable IPv4 applications (where possible) for IPv6. Figure 1.15 shows each task in the planning process.

Figure 1.15   Introducing IPv6 on Your Network