[6bone] IPv6 tunnels over NAT boxes, w/o need for new transition protocols

JORDI PALET MARTINEZ JORDI PALET MARTINEZ" <jordi.palet@consulintel.es
Thu, 10 Apr 2003 04:23:25 +0200


Hi all,

Since a few months already, we have been working in using regular NAT routers to establish IPv6 tunnels, as a quite simple
transition mechanism, instead of inventing new protocols that may be we don't need in most of the situations.

We have described our conclusions in a short document, that is now publicly available. The idea is quite simple "proto-41
forwarding".

But I want to go further, and for that I need your help ... and I think this is something that with a few volunteers (as many as
better), we can do a good and important work. The idea is to identify what routers in addition to those that we already tested,
support this mechanism.

So, if some of you (as many as possible!), can invest a few minutes to try it, please do it, and report to me directly (I don't
think we want all these messages in the mailing list !) at jordi.palet@consulintel.es.

Even better if some of the router manufacturers that receive this email can directly tell us how their different router
models/firmware, behave using this mechanism.

I will compile all the reports received in the next 4-5 weeks (will keep anonymity if requested), and prepare a short I-D describing
the results, and proposing some ideas for router vendors to support this better in future firmware releases. May be it can be in
time for next IETF meeting ;-)

In my opinion, if there is an interesting number of routers supporting this, and/or is easy to implement/enhance in new firmware
versions, we may be in front of an easy transition tool.

In your report, please remember to mention router vendor, model, and firmware version. Any other interesting details welcome.

The document is accessible at the Euro6IX web site (www.euro6ix.org). You need to click on "public", then "services", and find "IPv6
Tunnels over NAT".

By the way, several interesting documents are available in www.euro6ix.org (you need to register to access them).

Regards,
Jordi

PS: Sorry for x-posting, if you are in several mail exploders


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