ABSTRACT
The next-generation Internet Protocol will significantly enhance the ability of the Internet in terms of device addressing, router efficiency, and security. Although the actual implementation of IPv6 is still a few years away, most network managers and administrators will eventually be tasked with planning migration strategies that will enable their organizations to move from the existing version of the Internet Protocol to the next-generation Internet Protocol, IPv6. Therefore, it is important to obtain an appreciation for the major characteristics of IPv6, which will then serve as a foundation for discussing migration methods that can be considered to take advantage of the enhanced functionality of the next-generation Internet Protocol.
