How IPv6 Works (TechRef)
Applies To: Windows Server 2008
The Internet has fueled significant innovation and growth in network computing. To support this growth and the demand for more collaborative communication experiences, the current version of the Internet Protocol (IP), called IP Version 4 (IPv4), is being replaced with a new standard.
IPv4 is an agreed-upon set of protocols, or rules, that allow computers to communicate with each other by specifying the format of packets and the addressing scheme.
The new version of IP, called IP version 6 (IPv6), performs the same functions as IPv4 but resolves unanticipated IPv4 design issues.
As a core networking protocol in Windows Server® 2008, Windows Vista®, and the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating systems, IPv6 serves as one of two Internet protocols that enable computers that are running Microsoft Windows operating systems to communicate on intranets and over the Internet.
This section contains the following topics: