overlay651

Overlay651 is a proposed networking protocol designed to facilitate IPv6 connectivity over IPv4 networks. Its primary goal is to provide a tunneling mechanism that allows IPv6 packets to be encapsulated within IPv4 packets, enabling communication between IPv6-enabled hosts that are separated by an IPv4-only infrastructure. This is particularly useful during the transition period from IPv4 to IPv6, where native IPv6 deployment may not be universal.

The protocol works by creating virtual links between IPv6 hosts or networks that are separated by IPv4 infrastructure. An IPv6 packet is encapsulated with an IPv4 header at the edge of the IPv6 domain. This encapsulated packet is then routed across the IPv4 network. Upon reaching the destination, the outer IPv4 header is stripped, and the original IPv6 packet is delivered to its intended recipient.

Overlay651 aims to be a stateless tunneling solution, meaning that intermediate IPv4 routers do not need to maintain state information about the tunnels. This simplifies network management and reduces the overhead on the IPv4 infrastructure. The protocol is designed to be flexible, allowing for various addressing schemes and encapsulation methods. Its development is intended to complement other IPv6 transition mechanisms, offering a simple and efficient way to extend IPv6 reachability.