RFC 3513              IPv6 Addressing Architecture            April 2003


1.  Introduction

   This specification defines the addressing architecture of the IP
   Version 6 (IPv6) protocol.  It includes the basic formats for the
   various types of IPv6 addresses (unicast, anycast, and multicast).

   The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of Paul
   Francis, Scott Bradner, Jim Bound, Brian Carpenter, Matt Crawford,
   Deborah Estrin, Roger Fajman, Bob Fink, Peter Ford, Bob Gilligan,
   Dimitry Haskin, Tom Harsch, Christian Huitema, Tony Li, Greg
   Minshall, Thomas Narten, Erik Nordmark, Yakov Rekhter, Bill Simpson,
   Sue Thomson, Markku Savela, and Larry Masinter.

2. IPv6 Addressing

   IPv6 addresses are 128-bit identifiers for interfaces and sets of
   interfaces (where "interface" is as defined in section 2 of [IPV6]).
   There are three types of addresses:

   Unicast:   An identifier for a single interface.  A packet sent to a
              unicast address is delivered to the interface identified
              by that address.

   Anycast:   An identifier for a set of interfaces (typically belonging
              to different nodes).  A packet sent to an anycast address
              is delivered to one of the interfaces identified by that
              address (the "nearest" one, according to the routing
              protocols' measure of distance).

   Multicast: An identifier for a set of interfaces (typically belonging
              to different nodes).  A packet sent to a multicast address
              is delivered to all interfaces identified by that address.

   There are no broadcast addresses in IPv6, their function being
   superseded by multicast addresses.

   In this document, fields in addresses are given a specific name, for
   example "subnet".  When this name is used with the term "ID" for
   identifier after the name (e.g., "subnet ID"), it refers to the
   contents of the named field.  When it is used with the term "prefix"
   (e.g., "subnet prefix") it refers to all of the address from the left
   up to and including this field.

   In IPv6, all zeros and all ones are legal values for any field,
   unless specifically excluded.  Specifically, prefixes may contain, or
   end with, zero-valued fields.






 
RFC 3513              IPv6 Addressing Architecture            April 2003


2.1 Addressing Model

   IPv6 addresses of all types are assigned to interfaces, not nodes.
   An IPv6 unicast address refers to a single interface.  Since each
   interface belongs to a single node, any of that node's interfaces'
   unicast addresses may be used as an identifier for the node.

   All interfaces are required to have at least one link-local unicast
   address (see section 2.8 for additional required addresses).  A
   single interface may also have multiple IPv6 addresses of any type
   (unicast, anycast, and multicast) or scope.  Unicast addresses with
   scope greater than link-scope are not needed for interfaces that are
   not used as the origin or destination of any IPv6 packets to or from
   non-neighbors.  This is sometimes convenient for point-to-point
   interfaces.  There is one exception to this addressing model:

      A unicast address or a set of unicast addresses may be assigned to
      multiple physical interfaces if the implementation treats the
      multiple physical interfaces as one interface when presenting it
      to the internet layer.  This is useful for load-sharing over
      multiple physical interfaces.

   Currently IPv6 continues the IPv4 model that a subnet prefix is
   associated with one link.  Multiple subnet prefixes may be assigned
   to the same link.