RFC 2373 (rfc2373) - Page 2 of 26

IP Version 6 Addressing Architecture

Alternative Format: Original Text Document
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RFC 2373              IPv6 Addressing Architecture             July 1998


        2.7.1 Pre-Defined Multicast Addresses.....................15
        2.7.2 Assignment of New IPv6 Multicast Addresses..........17
      2.8 A Node's Required Addresses.............................17
   3. Security Considerations.....................................18
   APPENDIX A: Creating EUI-64 based Interface Identifiers........19
   APPENDIX B: ABNF Description of Text Representations...........22
   APPENDIX C: CHANGES FROM RFC-1884..............................23
   REFERENCES.....................................................24
   AUTHORS' ADDRESSES.............................................25
   FULL COPYRIGHT STATEMENT.......................................26


1.0 INTRODUCTION

   This specification defines the addressing architecture of the IP
   Version 6 protocol.  It includes a detailed description of the
   currently defined address formats for IPv6 [IPV6].

   The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of Paul
   Francis, Scott Bradner, Jim Bound, Brian Carpenter, Matt Crawford,
   Deborah Estrin, Roger Fajman, Bob Fink, Peter Ford, Bob Gilligan,
   Dimitry Haskin, Tom Harsch, Christian Huitema, Tony Li, Greg
   Minshall, Thomas Narten, Erik Nordmark, Yakov Rekhter, Bill Simpson,
   and Sue Thomson.

   The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
   "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
   document are to be interpreted as described in [RFC 2119].

2.0 IPv6 ADDRESSING

   IPv6 addresses are 128-bit identifiers for interfaces and sets of
   interfaces.  There are three types of addresses:

     Unicast:   An identifier for a single interface.  A packet sent to
                a unicast address is delivered to the interface
                identified by that address.

     Anycast:   An identifier for a set of interfaces (typically
                belonging to different nodes).  A packet sent to an
                anycast address is delivered to one of the interfaces
                identified by that address (the "nearest" one, according
                to the routing protocols' measure of distance).

     Multicast: An identifier for a set of interfaces (typically
                belonging to different nodes).  A packet sent to a
                multicast address is delivered to all interfaces
                identified by that address.



Hinden & Deering            Standards Track
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