This set of Web pages provides information of the Next Generation Internet Protocol (IPng). IPng was recommended by the IPng Area Directors of the Internet Engineering Task Force at the Toronto IETF meeting on July 25, 1994 in RFC 1752, The Recommendation for the IP Next Generation Protocol The recommendation was approved by the Internet Engineering Steering Group and made a Proposed Standard on November 17, 1994.

The 6bone is an IPv6 Testbed that is an outgrowth of the IETF IPng project that created the IPv6 protocols intended to eventually replace the current Internet network layer protocols known as IPv4.

The 6bone is currently a world wide informal collaborative project, informally operated with oversight from the "NGtrans" (IPv6 Transition) Working Group of the IETF.

The 6bone started as a virtual network (using IPv6 over IPv4 tunneling/encapsulation) operating over the IPv4-based Internet to support IPv6 transport, and is slowly migrating to native links for IPv6 transport.

The initial 6bone focus was on testing of standards and implementations, while the current focus is more on testing of transition and operational procedures.

Vint Cert - On The Future of ISPs. When last we saw Vinton G. Cerf on the cover of Boardwatch Magazine his T-shirt said: "IP on everything." At the time Cerf said: "that has been my guiding philosophy for 25 years." Here's a recent article.

This paper by Robert Hinden presents an overview of the Next Generation Internet Protocol (IPng). It is quite technical, and covers all aspects of IPng, but is fairly short.

Host Implementations (by Organization):

Apple BSDI Bull Delecsys (Dassault) Epiloque

FreeBSD Hitachi, Ltd. HP IBM INRIA

KAME Linux Mentat Microsoft NetBSD

NTHU OpenBSD Pacific Softworks Process Software

SCO Siemens Nixdorf Silicon Graphics Sun

Treck Trumpet UNH WIDE

Router Implementations:

3Com Nortel (Bay Networks) Cisco Systems Hitachi, Ltd.

IBM Merit NTHU Nokia Sumitomo Electric

Ericsson (Telebit Communications) Zebra

A good thumbnail of transition approaches, aimed at network implementors. Very concise.

A world-wide consortium of leading Internet vendors, Research & Education Networks are shaping the IPv6 FORUM, with a clear mission to promote IPv6 by dramatically improving the market and user awareness of IPv6, creating a quality and secure Next Generation Internet and allowing world-wide equitable access to knowledge and technology, embracing a moral responsibility to the world.

IPv6 and the Future of the Internet - a white paper from Sun, one of the major IPv6 developers.

Slides from a great tutorial, takes about an hour to read. Contents: