Subject: Next Header

From: Gopal Dommety <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2000 17:08:20 -0700

Hello:

	In IPv6 the next header is a 8 bit field. Is this  limiting (i.e, I can have only 255 values)?

Thanks
Gopal

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From: Steve Deering <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2000 20:29:43 -0700

>	In IPv6 the next header is a 8 bit field. Is this  limiting (i.e, I can have only 255 values)?

Gopal,

In the unlikely event that we someday use up the 8-bit Next Header /
Protocol numbering space, we could invent another extension header
(identified by the last remaining 8-bit value) that contains a 16-bit
(or 32-bit or whatever) field to identify a whole bunch more Next Header
types.  So, no, it is not limiting.

Steve