Modified Network Address Translation - Protocol Translation
IMDEA Networks
Univ. of Auckland
A smooth transition from IPv4 to IPv6 requires that either all hosts are upgraded to dual stack before the first hosts can become IPv6- only, or that there be some mechanism for IPv6-only hosts to talk to IPv4-only hosts. Expecting the former within a reasonable timeframe isn't realistic, based on current adoption of dual stack combined with the latest projections for the IPv4 depletion that point to a date early in the next decade. And the IETF has recently deprecated the main mechanism that allows the latter: NAT-PT. This document proposes a modified form of NAT-PT that addresses the reasons why the mechanism was deprecated and currently understood requirements. This should allow future deployment of the modified NAT-PT as an IPv4-to-IPv6 transition mechanism, giving operators the option of running their networks largely IPv6-only.