Configuring Neighbor Discovery Protocol

•	Network > Neighbor Discovery (IPv6 Only)

Network > Neighbor Discovery (IPv6 Only)

The Neighbor Discovery Protocol (NDP) is a new messaging protocol that was created as part of IPv6 to perform a number of the tasks that ICMP and ARP accomplish in IPv4. Just like ARP, Neighbor Discovery builds a cache of dynamic entries, and the administrator can configure static Neighbor Discovery entries. The following table shows the IPv6 neighbor messages and functions that are analogous to the traditional IPv4 neighbor messages.

 

Table 48. IPv4/IPv6 neighbor messages and functions

IPv4 Neighbor message	IPv6 Neighbor message
ARP request message	Neighbor solicitation message
ARP relay message	Neighbor advertisement message
ARP cache	Neighbor cache
Gratuitous ARP	Duplicate address detection
Router solicitation message (optional)	Router solicitation (required)
Router advertisement message (optional)	Router advertisement (required)
Redirect message	Redirect Message

The Static NDP feature allows for static mappings to be created between a Layer 3 IPv6 address and a Layer 2 MAC address.

To configure a Static NDP entry:

1	Go to the Network > Neighbor Discovery page.

2	On the Network > Neighbor Discovery page, click the Add button. The Add Static NDP dialog displays.

3	In the IP Address field, enter the IPv6 address for the remote device.

4	In the Interface drop-down menu, select the interface on the firewall that will be used for the entry.

5	In the MAC Address field, enter the MAC address of the remote device.

6	Click OK. The static NDP entry is added.

The NDP Cache table displays all current IPv6 neighbors. The follow types of neighbors are displayed:

•	REACHABLE - The neighbor is known to have been reachable within 30 seconds.

•	STALE - The neighbor is no longer known to be reachable, and traffic has been sent to the neighbor within 1200 seconds.

•	STATIC - The neighbor was manually configured as a static neighbor.