Discussion: Research on IPv6 protocol for Embedded Systems

Several hot technologies today include wireless, communication, IPv6, and embedded. With the development of the network, our embedded technology has also developed by leaps and bounds. In order to keep pace with the network trend, the IPV Protocol included in the embedded system has also been invested in research and experiments.

The embedded Internet technology applies the Internet technology to embedded devices to achieve information interaction between embedded devices. It is a combination of embedded technology and Internet technology and has a broad market prospect. At present, many manufacturers are conducting research in this area, and have released many embedded Internet solutions. The mature solutions commonly used are ulP and LWIP written by Adam Dunkels, Swiss Emy of computer sciences, they use IPV4 technology as the basis and streamline as the guiding ideology, and introduce complex TCP/IP technology into embedded devices to meet the requirements of embedded devices to access the network. IPv6, as an IPV4 version, is the upgrade and improvement of IPV4 and the core of the Next Generation Network, designing a TCP/IPv6 protocol stack that combines with an embedded device with less code and simple functions is a very practical challenge and is also the purpose of this project.

IPv6 protocol stack

The IPv6 protocol stack is based on the IPv6 network layer protocol. Like IPV4, it follows the existing four-layer Internet interconnection architecture. The protocol stack is divided into four layers: network interface layer, Internet layer, transmission layer, and application layer. The Application Layer directly targets users and provides access to services at other layers. The transport layer is used to provide peer-to-peer physical conversations between the source host and the target host. The network interface layer shields specific hardware implementation details, responsible for receiving and sending underlying data. The network layer is a key part of the entire TCP/IP architecture. Its main function is to provide reliable data transmission from the host to the host on the network. The IPv6 protocol is located at this layer. It consists of IPv6, ICMPV6, ND, and IPsec.

IPv6 protocol

According to the description of the IPv6 function in RFC2460, IPv6 is mainly responsible for adding the IPv6 header to the data segment at the upper layer and sending it to the lower layer. The packets received at the lower layer are processed and analyzed and handed over to TCP, UDP or ICMPV6 processing. Compared with IPv4, IPv6 changes mainly focus on the following aspects: address capacity expansion, simplified Header Format, support for expansion and option improvement, and Data Flow Label capabilities, authentication and confidentiality.

ICMPV6 Protocol

ICMPV6 protocol combines IPv4 ICMP Control Packet protocol), I-GMP group member protocol), ARP Address Resolution Protocol) and other functions of multiple protocols, to achieve error control, address interpretation and other functions, mobile IPv6 is supported. An ICMPV6 Packet is encapsulated in an IP packet and is the payload data of an IP packet. It implements error control through the exchange of various error messages and information packets, address interpretation and retrieval of Route prefix information.

Neighbordiscovery) Protocol Discovered by neighbors

The Neighbor Discovery Protocol (ND) is the core protocol in the IPv6 protocol stack and an important protocol for IPv6. It defines the solution to the following problems: route discovery, prefix discovery, parameter discovery, automatic Address Configuration, address explanation, Next Hop decision, neighbor inaccessibility, duplicate address detection, and redirection. The functions discovered by neighbors are implemented through the exchange of five ICMP packet neighbor requests/neighbor announcement packets, router requests/router announcement packets, and redirection packets.