For the Internet to continue its extraordinary growth, the IP protocol must evolve to support new addressing and routing techniques. After years of debate, the new IP protocol, IPv6, has been finalized - and the transition is underway. In this completely updated guide to IPv6, the former Chair of the Internet Architecture Board explains the new standard in detail. Discover how IPv6 delivers: * A new addressing architecture to support rapid Internet growth. * Support for multicasting and anycasting. * Support of real-time multimedia and other applications. * Enhanced security, including encryption and authentication. Learn how IPv6 differs from IPv4 - and how to prepare your networks, equipment, and software. Walk through transition options, including a dual-stack strategy and tunneling. See how to plug-and-play the IPv6 protocol, minimizing the impact on other network software and hardware. Understand how IPv6 can be carried over ATM networks. IPv6 is coming - and as an Internet professional, you need to understand it. This book delivers the critical, timely information you need for planning and deployment.