Application Aspects of IPv6 Transition
RFC 4038
Network Working Group M-K. Shin, Ed.
Request for Comments: 4038 ETRI/NIST
Category: Informational Y-G. Hong
ETRI
J. Hagino
IIJ
P. Savola
CSC/FUNET
E. M. Castro
GSYC/URJC
March 2005
Application Aspects of IPv6 Transition
Status of This Memo
This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does
not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this
memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2005).
Abstract
As IPv6 networks are deployed and the network transition is
discussed, one should also consider how to enable IPv6 support in
applications running on IPv6 hosts, and the best strategy to develop
IP protocol support in applications. This document specifies
scenarios and aspects of application transition. It also proposes
guidelines on how to develop IP version-independent applications
during the transition period.
Shin, Ed., et al. Informational [Page 1]
RFC 4038 Application Aspects of IPv6 Transition March 2005
Table of Contents
1. Introduction ................................................. 3
2. Overview of IPv6 Application Transition ...................... 3
3. Problems with IPv6 Application Transition .................... 5
3.1. IPv6 Support in the OS and Applications Are Unrelated... 5
3.2. DNS Does Not Indicate Which IP Version Will Be Used .... 6
3.3. Supporting Many Versions of an Application Is Difficult. 6
4. Description of Transition Scenarios and Guidelines ........... 7
4.1. IPv4 Applications in a Dual-Stack Node ................. 7
4.2. IPv6 Applications in a Dual-Stack Node ................. 8
4.3. IPv4/IPv6 Applications in a Dual-Stack Node ............ 11
4.4. IPv4/IPv6 Applications in an IPv4-only Node ............ 12
5. Application Porting Considerations ........................... 12
5.1. Presentation Format for an IP Address .................. 13
5.2. Transport Layer API .................................... 14
5.3. Name and Address Resolution ............................ 15
5.4. Specific IP Dependencies ............................... 16
5.4.1. IP Address Selection ........................... 16
5.4.2. Application Framing ............................ 16
5.4.3. Storage of IP addresses ........................ 17
5.5. Multicast Applications ................................. 17
6. Developing IP Version - Independent Applications ............. 18
6.1. IP Version - Independent Structures..................... 18
6.2. IP Version - Independent APIs........................... 19
6.2.1. Example of Overly Simplistic TCP Server
Application .................................... 20
6.2.2. Example of Overly Simplistic TCP Client
Application .................................... 21
6.2.3. Binary/Presentation Format Conversion .......... 22
6.3. Iterated Jobs for Finding the Working Address .......... 23
6.3.1. Example of TCP Server Application .............. 23
6.3.2. Example of TCP Client Application .............. 25
7. Transition Mechanism Considerations .......................... 26
8. Security Considerations ...................................... 26
9. Acknowledgments .............................................. 27
10. References ................................................... 27
Appendix A. Other Binary/Presentation Format Conversions ........ 30
A.1. Binary to Presentation Using inet_ntop() ............... 30
A.2. Presentation to Binary Using inet_pton() ............... 31
Authors' Addresses ............................................... 32
Full Copyright Statement ......................................... 33
Shin, Ed., et al. Informational [Page 2]
RFC 4038 Application Aspects of IPv6 Transition March 2005
1. Introduction
As IPv6 is introduced in the IPv4-based Internet, several general
issues will arise, such as routing, addressing, DNS, and scenarios.
An important key to a successful IPv6 transition is compatibility
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