Configuring IPv6 on a Public Cloud instance

The network configuration files are located in the /etc/netplan/ directory.

The best practice is to create a separate configuration file in the /etc/netplan/ directory to configure IPV6. In our example, our file is called 51-cloud-init-ipv6.yaml:

sudo nano /etc/netplan/51-cloud-init-ipv6.yaml

This separates the IPv6 configuration and lets you revert changes easily if needed.

Add the following lines to the file. Replace the generic elements (i.e. YOUR_IPV6, IPV6_PREFIX and IPV6_GATEWAY) as well as the network interface (if your server is not using eth0) with your specific values:

network:
    version: 2
    ethernets:
        eth0:
            dhcp6: no
            match:
              name: eth0
            addresses:
              - YOUR_IPV6/IPv6_PREFIX
            routes:
              - to: ::/0
                via: IPv6_GATEWAY

network:
    version: 2
    ethernets:
        eth0:
            dhcp6: no
            match:
              name: eth0
            addresses:
              - 2607:5300:201:abcd::7c5/128
            routes:
              - to: ::/0
                via: 2607:5300:201:abcd::1

You can test your configuration using this command:

sudo netplan try

If it is correct, apply it using the following command:

sudo netplan apply

The network configuration files are located in the /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ directory. We recommend that you start by backing up the relevant configuration file.

In our example, our file is called ifcfg-eth0, so we make a backup of the ifcfg-eth0 file using the following commands. Remember to replace eth0 with your actual interface if necessary.

cd /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/
sudo mkdir backup
sudo cp ifcfg-eth0 backup/ifcfg-eth0

You will then be able to revert the changes, using the commands below:

sudo rm -f /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0
sudo cp /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/backup/ifcfg-eth0 /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0

Then we edit the ifcfg-eth0 file, adding only the lines for the IPv6 configuration of the server. Replace the generic elements (i.e. YOUR_IPV6, IPV6_PREFIX and IPV6_GATEWAY) with your specific values.

IPV6INIT=yes
IPV6ADDR=YOUR_IPV6/IPV6_PREFIX
IPV6_DEFAULTGW=IPV6_GATEWAY

We have omitted the IPv4 configuration to avoid confusion, but the IPv6 configuration is made in the same configuration file.

IPV6INIT=yes
IPV6ADDR=2607:5300:201:abcd::7c5/128
IPV6_DEFAULTGW=2607:5300:201:abcd::1

Restart the network interface using one of the following commands:

sudo service networking restart

sudo systemctl restart networking

The network configuration file is located in the /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/. We recommend that you start by backing up the relevant configuration file.

In our example, our file is called cloud-init-eth0.nmconnection, so we make a copy of the cloud-init-eth0.nmconnection file using the following commands. Remember to replace eth0 with your actual interface if necessary.

cd /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/
sudo mkdir backup
sudo cp cloud-init-eth0.nmconnection backup/cloud-init-eth0.nmconnection

Then we edit the cloud-init-eth0.nmconnection file, adding only the lines for the IPv6 configuration of the server. Replace the generic elements (i.e. YOUR_IPV6, IPV6_PREFIX and IPV6_GATEWAY) with your specific values.

If we assume that your interface is eth0, the configuration should look like this:

[ipv6]
method=manual
may-fail=true
address1=YOUR_IPV6/IPV6_PREFIX
route1=::/0,IPV6_GATEWAY

We have omitted the IPv4 configuration to avoid confusion, but the IPv6 configuration is made in the same configuration file.

[ipv6]
method=manual
may-fail=true
address1=2607:5300:201:abcd::7c5/128
route1=::/0,2607:5300:201:abcd::1

By default, IPv6 is not configured on Windows Servers. To enable it, perform the following steps:

Go to Network Connections in Windows.

Then go to Properties of your network card by right-clicking on it.

Next, click on Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6), then on the Properties button.

Lastly, enter your IPv6 details.

Once done, tick the Validate settings upon exit box and click the OK button to validate your changes.