Keywords: ipv6, dns, domain name system

Network Working Group                                          G. Huston
Request for Comments: 4159                                         APNIC
BCP: 109                                                     August 2005
Category: Best Current Practice


                        Deprecation of "ip6.int"

Status of This Memo

   This document specifies an Internet Best Current Practices for the
   Internet Community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2005).

Abstract

   This document advises of the deprecation of the use of "ip6.int" for
   Standards Conformant IPv6 implementations.

1.  IPv6 Standards Action

   In August 2001 the IETF published [RFC3152], which advised that the
   use of "ip6.int" as the domain for reverse-mapping of IPv6 addresses
   to DNS names was deprecated.  The document noted that the use of
   "ip6.int" would be phased out in an orderly fashion.

   As of 1 September 2005, the IETF advises the community that the DNS
   domain "ip6.int" should no longer be used to perform reverse mapping
   of IPv6 addresses to domain names, and that the domain "ip6.arpa"
   should be used henceforth, in accordance with the IANA Considerations
   described in [RFC3596].  The domain "ip6.int" is deprecated, and its
   use in IPv6 implementations that conform to the IPv6 Internet
   Standards is discontinued.

   The Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) are advised that maintenance
   of delegation of entries in "ip6.int" is no longer required as part
   of infrastructure services in support of Internet Standards
   Conformant IPv6 implementations as of 1 September 2005.  The RIRs are
   requested to work with their communities to adopt a schedule
   regarding the cessation of support of registration services for the
   "ip6.int" domain.






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RFC 4159                        ip6.int                      August 2005


2.  IANA Considerations

   IANA is advised that the "ip6.int" domain for reverse mapping of IPv6
   addresses to domain names is no longer part of Internet Standards
   Conformant support of IPv6 as of 1 September 2005.

3.  Security Considerations

   While DNS spoofing of address to name mapping has been exploited in
   IPv4, removal of the "ip6.int" zone from the standard IPv6
   specification creates no new threats to the security of the internet.

4.  Acknowledgements

   The document was prepared with the assistance of Kurt Lindqvist,
   Thomas Narten, Paul Wilson, David Kessens, Bob Hinden, Brian
   Haberman, and Bill Manning.

5.  Normative References

   [RFC3152] Bush, R., "Delegation of IP6.ARPA", BCP 49, RFC 3152,
             August 2001.

   [RFC3596] Thomson, S., Huitema, C., Ksinant, V., and M. Souissi, "DNS
             Extensions to Support IP Version 6", RFC 3596, October
             2003.

Author's Address

   Geoff Huston
   APNIC

   EMail: gih@apnic.net


















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RFC 4159                        ip6.int                      August 2005


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   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2005).

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Acknowledgement

   Funding for the RFC Editor function is currently provided by the
   Internet Society.







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