Analysis of IPv6 Transition Technologies

TL;DR

This paper evaluates IPv6 transition mechanisms—Dual-Stack, Tunnel, and Translation—by simulating their performance impacts on network behavior using OPNET Modeler, focusing on throughput, latency, and delays.

Contribution

It compares automatic and manual IPv6 transition strategies through simulation, providing insights into their effects on network performance and behavior.

Findings

Dual-Stack offers higher throughput but increased latency.

Tunneling introduces additional delay compared to other methods.

Translation mechanisms balance performance with compatibility.

Abstract

Currently IPv6 is extremely popular with companies, organizations and Internet service providers (ISP) due to the limitations of IPv4. In order to prevent an abrupt change from IPv4 to IPv6, three mechanisms will be used to provide a smooth transition from IPv4 to IPv6 with minimum effect on the network. These mechanisms are Dual-Stack, Tunnel and Translation. This research will shed the light on IPv4 and IPv6 and assess the automatic and manual transition strategies of the IPv6 by comparing their performances in order to show how the transition strategy affects network behaviour. The experiment will be executed using OPNET Modeler that simulates a network containing a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Local Area Network (LAN), hosts and servers. The results will be presented in graphs and tables, with further explanation. The experiment will use different measurements such as throughput, latency (delay), queuing delay, and TCP delay.