Which IPv6 address identifies multiple destinations, with packets delivered to the closest destination?

Which IPv6 address identifies multiple destinations, with packets delivered to the closest destination?

• A. Global address
• B. Anycast address
• C. Multicast address
• D. Unicast address

Answer: (B)

Anycast addresses identify multiple destinations, with packets delivered to the nearest member. In IPv6, several devices can share the same anycast address, and when a packet is sent to that address, routers route it to the closest instance based on current routing metrics like cost or latency. This lets services be accessed from the nearest location without the sender needing to know which specific device will answer, which is ideal for things like regional DNS servers or nearby edge routers. This behavior is different from a multicast address, which delivers to all members of a group, and from a unicast address, which targets a single device. A global address is simply a routable unicast address type and does not imply multiple destinations.

Anycast addresses identify multiple destinations, with packets delivered to the nearest member. In IPv6, several devices can share the same anycast address, and when a packet is sent to that address, routers route it to the closest instance based on current routing metrics like cost or latency. This lets services be accessed from the nearest location without the sender needing to know which specific device will answer, which is ideal for things like regional DNS servers or nearby edge routers. This behavior is different from a multicast address, which delivers to all members of a group, and from a unicast address, which targets a single device. A global address is simply a routable unicast address type and does not imply multiple destinations.