RFC 2374 (rfc2374) - Page 1 of 12


An IPv6 Aggregatable Global Unicast Address Format



Alternative Format: Original Text Document



Network Working Group                                        R. Hinden
Request for Comments: 2374                                       Nokia
Obsoletes: 2073                                              M. O'Dell
Category: Standards Track                                        UUNET
                                                            S. Deering
                                                                 Cisco
                                                             July 1998


           An IPv6 Aggregatable Global Unicast Address Format

Status of this Memo

   This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
   Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
   Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
   and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1998).  All Rights Reserved.

1.0 Introduction

   This document defines an IPv6 aggregatable global unicast address
   format for use in the Internet.  The address format defined in this
   document is consistent with the IPv6 Protocol [IPV6] and the "IPv6
   Addressing Architecture" [ARCH].  It is designed to facilitate
   scalable Internet routing.

   This documented replaces RFC 2073, "An IPv6 Provider-Based Unicast
   Address Format".  RFC 2073 will become historic.  The Aggregatable
   Global Unicast Address Format is an improvement over RFC 2073 in a
   number of areas.  The major changes include removal of the registry
   bits because they are not needed for route aggregation, support of
   EUI-64 based interface identifiers, support of provider and exchange
   based aggregation, separation of public and site topology, and new
   aggregation based terminology.

   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].








Hinden, et. al.             Standards Track