What to Expect From IPv6 in 2026
04/02/2026
In 2026, IPv6 is likely to move beyond being viewed merely as a solution to IPv4 exhaustion and take on a more practical role in how networks are designed and operated, especially at the corporate edge and in the cloud. Rather than merely responding to an address shortage, IPv6 is becoming part of the modern operating model for distributed, automated networks that are increasingly critical to business operations and public services.
The Big Bet: IPv6-Mostly Networks
The main bet for 2026 is the consolidation of the model known as IPv6-mostly networks. In practice, this means designing the network to operate primarily on IPv6, keeping IPv4 exclusively as a compatibility mechanism for applications and services that do not yet fully support IPv6.
Maintaining the traditional dual-stack model across the entire infrastructure continues to consume IPv4 addresses and increases operational complexity, as it forces teams to manage two protocols across all network domains. IPv6-mostly networks propose the opposite approach, namely, reducing this overhead and allowing a gradual transition by segments, such as campuses, corporate Wi-Fi, branches, or specific environments, reserving dual stack only for cases where it is unavoidable, such as certain data center services or legacy applications
A decisive factor for enabling this scenario is the widespread availability of CLAT in Windows, announced by Microsoft. With this mechanism enabled by default, Windows devices will be able to operate essentially over IPv6 and resort to IPv4 translation only when necessary. Since Windows remains dominant in corporate environments, this development has the potential to unlock widespread adoption, particularly among organizations that have historically been concerned about the impact on legacy systems.
If this trend is confirmed, 2026 should also be the year when the ecosystem matures on the client side, particularly in Linux distributions. IPv6 support on its own is no longer enough; critical features, such as DHCP Option 108 and CLAT, must be enabled by default, well documented, and consistent across major distributions (Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL, Rocky, and others).
Cloud Services
For cloud services, the expectation for 2026 is an acceleration in the availability of native IPv6 resources from major providers. In 2025, significant progress in this direction was already observed, particularly in AWS, which is often cited as a reference in this movement. The trend is for other providers to intensify this pace throughout 2026 to avoid a competitive disadvantage.
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As the cloud increasingly treats IPv6 as the standard for managed services, the scenario becomes much more favorable for companies. Designing end-to-end IPv6 solutions becomes simpler, reducing the need for workaround solutions and excessive layers of NAT and CGNAT that increase costs and operational complexity. Providers that do not keep up with the evolution of IPv6 open up space for customers to migrate to alternatives that are better aligned with this reality.
This movement also signals a cultural shift in how networks are operated. By 2026, address management is likely to move away from the manual, almost artisanal model to models driven by APIs and automation. As networks continue to grow in scale and complexity, the risk of human error increases, and IPv6 can only deliver its full potential when combined with clear standards, governance, and well-integrated automation tools.
Network Observability
When we talk about observability, we are not simply referring to dashboards filled with charts or predefined alerts. Observability means being able to truly understand what is going on within the network, even in situations that were not originally anticipated. It is the ability to analyze events generated by the systems and interpret them to understand the behavior of the infrastructure as a whole.
The views expressed by the authors of this blog are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LACNIC.