DHCPv6 is the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol is a network configuration protocol for hosts on Internet Protocol networks. Computers that are connected to IP networks must be configured before they can communicate with other hosts. The most essential information needed is an IP address, and a default...

 for IPv6

IPv6

Internet Protocol version 6 is a version of the Internet Protocol . It is designed to succeed the Internet Protocol version 4...

. Although IPv6's stateless address autoconfiguration can also be used to acquire IPv6 access, DHCPv6 may be a more suitable solution to assign addresses, nameservers and other configuration information as being done today with DHCP for IPv4. A notable case is Domain Name System

Domain name system

The Domain Name System is a hierarchical distributed naming system for computers, services, or any resource connected to the Internet or a private network. It associates various information with domain names assigned to each of the participating entities...

 servers used on a network, albeit other mechanisms exist for this in the Neighbor Discovery Protocol

Neighbor Discovery Protocol

The Neighbor Discovery Protocol is a protocol in the Internet Protocol Suite used with Internet Protocol Version 6 . It operates in the Link Layer of the Internet model and is responsible for address autoconfiguration of nodes, discovery of other nodes on the link, determining the Link Layer...

..

DUID

DUID means DHCP Unique IDentifier and is used by a client to get an IP address from a DHCPv6 server. It has a minimum length of 12 bytes (96 bits) and a maximum length of 20 bytes (160 bits). The actual length of it depends on the type. The server compares the DUID with its database and then delivers configuration data (address, lease times, DNS servers...) to the client. The first 16 bits of a DUID contain the DUID type (currently there are three types). The meaning of the remaining 96 bits depend on the DUID type.

Example

Suppose that the Server's link-local address is fe80::0011:22ff:fe33:5566/64 and the client's link-local address is fe80::aabb:ccff:fedd:eeff/64.

• DHCPv6 client sends a Solicit from [fe80::aabb:ccff:fedd:eeff]:546 for [ff02::1:2]:547.
• DHCPv6 server replies with an Advertise from [fe80::0011:22ff:fe33:5566]:547 for [fe80::aabb:ccff:fedd:eeff]:546.
• DHCPv6 client replies with a Request from [fe80::aabb:ccff:fedd:eeff]:546 for [ff02::1:2]:547.
• DHCPv6 server finishes with an Reply from [fe80::0011:22ff:fe33:5566]:547 for [fe80::aabb:ccff:fedd:eeff]:546.

Implementations

• Jagornet DHCPv6, an IPv6 Phase II Ready Certified DHCPv6 Server implemented in Java
• WIDE-DHCPv6, a DHCPv6 implementation for BSD and Linux
• Dibbler, a portable DHCPv6 implementation for Linux and Windows
• ISC DHCP, version 4.1.0 and later, for Solaris, Linux and BSD
• Linux DHCPv6 no new development, obsoleted by ISC DHCP
• Microsoft Windows Vista and later, built in Microsoft Windows

IETF Standards

• RFC 3315, "Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol for IPv6 (DHCPv6)"
• RFC 3319, "Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCPv6) Options for Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Servers"
• RFC 3633, "IPv6 Prefix Options for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) version 6"
• RFC 3646, "DNS Configuration options for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol for IPv6 (DHCPv6)"
• RFC 3736, "Stateless Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Service for IPv6"
• RFC 5007, "DHCPv6 Leasequery"

External Links

• IPv6 Intelligence: DHCPv6, comparison of DHCPv6 packages and implementations