IPv6 Stateless Address Autoconfiguration Protocol | Generated by AI
Question: Which protocol is used for stateless address autoconfiguration in IPv6?
A) DHCPv6
B) SLAAC
C) NAT66
D) OSPFv3
Answer:
The correct answer is B) SLAAC.
Explanation:
Stateless Address Autoconfiguration (SLAAC) is the mechanism defined in IPv6 for hosts to automatically configure their own IPv6 addresses without requiring a stateful server. It uses Router Advertisement (RA) messages from routers, which include network prefix information, allowing hosts to generate their interface identifier (typically from the MAC address via EUI-64 or privacy extensions) and form a complete address. SLAAC is described in RFC 4862.
- A) DHCPv6: Incorrect. DHCPv6 is a stateful protocol that provides addresses and other configuration from a server (similar to DHCP in IPv4), but it is not stateless.
- C) NAT66: Incorrect. NAT66 is a form of Network Address Translation for IPv6, which is rarely used due to IPv6’s large address space.
- D) OSPFv3: Incorrect. OSPFv3 is a routing protocol for IPv6, not related to address configuration.
SLAAC provides a simple, serverless way for devices to obtain addresses, making it the standard for stateless autoconfiguration in IPv6.
References:
- RFC 4862: IPv6 Stateless Address Autoconfiguration
- RFC 8415: DHCPv6 (for contrast with stateful configuration)