Next generation automatic IP configuration deployment issues

Abstract

Although Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol for IPv6 (DHCPv6) protocol was defined in 2003, it was designed as a framework rather than a complete solution to the automatic configuration in IPv6 networks. There are still some unsolved problems and new options yet to be defined. One example of such case is Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) option, which final version has been published in late 2007. It describes DHCPv6 client and server behavior, but some important aspects remain unaddressed. Authors developed and released working open source implementation over a year before FQDN standard reached mature phase. This paper discuses those issues and recommends possible solutions. Another important development area in the DHCPv6 protocol is a lack of well defined authentication and authorization. Experimental AAA implementation has been developed and reached validation phase. Quick overview of the Dibbler project - a working, multi-platform, open-source DHCPv6 implementation - is also provided, its strengths, used solutions and validation methods used to prove its correctness are discussed. Conclusions and discussion regarding areas for further studies appears in the last section of this article.