IPv8 Architecture
The central operating unit in the IPv8 draft is the Zone Server. The draft describes it as an active/active platform that provides the services a network segment needs before a device begins normal operation.
Zone Server Role
Section titled “Zone Server Role”A device joining an IPv8 network sends a DHCP8 Discover. The draft says the response can include every service endpoint the device needs, including addressing, name resolution, time, telemetry, authentication, route validation, access control, and translation.
In this model, the Zone Server is not only a DHCP server. It is the control point for local network policy and validation.
Services
Section titled “Services”| Service | Draft role |
|---|---|
| DHCP8 | Assigns address and service information in one lease response. |
| DNS8 | Resolves names and supports the A8 record type. |
| NTP8 | Supplies time synchronization. |
| NetLog8 | Collects telemetry and logging information. |
| OAuth8 | Caches OAuth2 JWT validation material locally. |
| WHOIS8 resolver | Validates active route registration. |
| ACL8 | Applies zone and gateway access control. |
| XLATE8 | Translates between IPv4 and IPv8 traffic. |
| Update8 | Manages updates for L1-L4 stack components. |
Redundancy
Section titled “Redundancy”draft-thain-ipv8-02 includes Zone Server redundancy and even/odd addressing language. The intent is to keep the Zone Server pair active/active and able to share service responsibility.
Operational Model
Section titled “Operational Model”The proposal shifts many decisions that are often distributed across separate systems into a single local platform. That makes the Zone Server the main place to understand IPv8 policy behavior.
For transition behavior and IPv4 compatibility, see Transition.