IPv6 global unicast addresses can be configured dynamically in three ways.
1. SLAAC(Stateless Address Autoconfiguration)
Using this method, the Interface ID is created using EUI-64 while the prefix and prefix length are determined from ND Router Advertisement messages. Instead, Windows operating system create a random 64-bit Interface ID[1]
2. Stateless DHCPv6
Hosts receive theire addressing information from Router Advertisements and obtain other configuration parameters from a DHCPv6 server.[2]
3. Stateful DHCPv6
This method provides the same autoconfigruation services that DHCP performs for IPv4(DHCPv4). Hosts receive all their addressing and other configuration information directly from a DHCPv6 server.[3]
| method | IPv6 address | Prefix | Default gateway | DNS server | other options |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SLAAC | Router | Router | Router | Router or not | Router or not |
| Stateless DHCPv6 | Router | Router | Router | Router or DHCPv6 server | DHCPv6 server |
| Stateful DHCPv6 | DHCPv6 server | Router | Router | DHCPv6 server | DHCPv6 server |
The host does not necessarily determine the method it uses to dynamically obtain its addressing information. If the host is depending on the Router Advertisement, the router controls this decision using the information contained in its RA message, specifically the M flag and the O flag..[4]
 stateful DHCPv6 (Rick Graziani, IPv6 Fundamentals, ciscocompress, 2013) |
 stateless DHCPv6 (Rick Graziani, IPv6 Fundamentals, ciscocompress, 2013) |