Classification of IPv6 Transition Mechanisms using Multiple-Criteria Decision-Making
Received: 13 January 2025 | Revised: 10 February 2025 | Accepted: 21 February 2025 | Online: 16 April 2025
Corresponding author: Mouataz Hamdou
Abstract
IPv4-to-IPv6 transition is critical for dealing with the depletion of IPv4 addresses and ensuring the future scalability of the internet. This paper presents a systematic evaluation and ranking of 13 widely utilized IPv4-to-IPv6 transition mechanisms through a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) process. Initially, a methodology inspired from Bradford’s Law was applied to prioritize mechanisms in terms of how frequently they appear in the literature. Then, using the Weighted Sum Model (WSM), the current work assessed each mechanism on the basis of four key criteria: Performance (P), Security (Sec), Deployment (D), and Routing Efficiency (R). Mechanisms, such as Dual-stack, MAP-T, and NAT64, emerged as the top performers, offering sustainable scalability, high Sec, and D ease. However, mechanisms, like Teredo and 6to4, ranked lower due to significant Sec vulnerabilities, limited scalability, and P bottlenecks. The performed analysis underscores the importance of selecting transition mechanisms that balance P and Sec, particularly in large-scale networks and mobile environments. Potential areas for improvement, especially in tunneling mechanisms, are also identified and future research directions are proposed, focusing on lightweight and hybrid solutions to optimize IPv6 transition strategies.
Keywords:
network migration, IPv4, IPv6, dual-stack, tunneling, translation, weighted sum modelDownloads
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