SLAAC and EUI-64 IPv6 Address Assignment on an Interface
Which action must be taken to assign a global unicast IPv6 address on an interface that is derived from the MAC address of that interface?
Community Insight
The question tests how a MAC-derived (EUI-64) interface ID is created: SLAAC performs it, so the trap is thinking you must manually assign a link-local address or disable EUI-64, which does the opposite of what is asked.
On a Cisco router interface, an IPv6 global unicast address built from the interface MAC address via the modified EUI-64 process is produced only when Stateless Address Autoconfiguration (SLAAC) is running. This page establishes that enabling IPv6 SLAAC on the interface (typically after an RA is received from a router) is the required action, and explains why the other options cannot generate a MAC-derived global address.
Many learners pick B, believing the EUI-64 bit process must be enabled or toggled — but the option says DISABLE, which would prevent the MAC-based interface ID from being formed, defeating the very mechanism requested.
Community Discussion (24 comments)
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Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
With SLAAC enabled, an interface uses Router Advertisement prefixes plus the modified EUI-64 process to form a 128-bit global unicast address whose interface ID is derived from the interface's 48-bit MAC address (the U/L bit is flipped and FFFE is inserted in the middle). The Cisco configuration trigger is theipv6 unicast-routing plus the ipv6 address <prefix>/<length> eui-64 form and the reception of RA messages, all part of SLAAC operation defined in RFC 4862. Without SLAAC (and the associated RA/NSDU behavior), the router has no stateless mechanism to synthesize that MAC-based global address automatically, which is exactly what option C enables.Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A is wrong because an explicitly assigned link-local address (for exampleipv6 address fe80::1/64) only creates a link-scope address, not a global unicast address, and it does not use the MAC address at all. Option B is wrong because disabling EUI-64 removes the MAC-to-interface-ID mapping; you would then rely on a randomly generated (RFC 4941 privacy) or manually specified interface ID. Option D is wrong because stateful DHCPv6 delivers addresses from a server's pool with no requirement that the interface ID match the MAC, and it does not use EUI-64; that is DHCPv6 stateful mode, not SLAAC. Option D also involves client request/lease mechanics absent from the MAC-derived scenario described.Community Comment Notes
Community discussion supports C: ZUMY stated plainly "C is the answer," and dsolaide explained that SLAAC "is specifically used to assign only a global unicast IPv6 address, an IPv6 prefix length, and, optionally, a default router." 7d040c6 gave the decisive reasoning that "The EUI-64 process performs the action required, so disabling it would certainly not achieve the outcome - whereas SLAAC does a similar thing, automatically." ElieAC's confusion about option B is the classic trap this page resolves, and several commenters note that the site's answer keys are occasionally wrong, so learners should verify against Cisco/RFC documentation rather than trusting any single posted answer.Official Reference
Exam Strategy
On CCNA exam questions, keywords like "derived from the MAC address" always point to SLAAC with modified EUI-64, so choose the option that enables or activates the autoconfiguration process rather than one that disables or manually configures it. Rule out any option mentioning DHCPv6 when the question describes stateless, MAC-based generation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is disabling the EUI-64 bit process not the correct action here?
EUI-64 is the very process that builds the interface ID from the MAC address. Disabling it removes the MAC-derived ID, so no MAC-based global unicast address would be created.
Does stateful DHCPv6 ever generate a MAC-derived IPv6 address?
No. Stateful DHCPv6 assigns addresses from a server pool, and the interface ID does not need to match the MAC address, so it does not satisfy the question's requirement.
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