Which of the following statements correctly describes a key characteristic of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6)?

Introduction / Context:
IPv6 introduces several important improvements over IPv4, including a vastly larger address space, simplified header structure, and changes in how traffic is sent to multiple destinations. Exams often test whether you can distinguish accurate statements about IPv6 design goals from common misconceptions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are comparing basic IPv6 features with those of IPv4.
• Broadcast traffic in IPv4 can be inefficient and noisy on large networks.
• IPv6 was designed to improve efficiency and scalability in large networks.
• The question asks which description of IPv6 is correct.

Concept / Approach:
One of the key design decisions in IPv6 was to eliminate the concept of a broadcast address. Instead of sending packets to all nodes in a subnet with a broadcast, IPv6 uses multicast addresses targeted at specific groups and anycast addresses to reach one representative of a group. This reduces unnecessary traffic and improves control over who receives particular messages. IPv6 also keeps hierarchical addressing to support efficient routing, and interfaces can and often do use multiple IPv6 addresses simultaneously.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Evaluate option B first because it mentions broadcasts, multicast, and anycast.2. Confirm that IPv6 indeed removes broadcast addresses and uses multicast groups such as all nodes and all routers for control traffic.3. Note that anycast addresses in IPv6 allow a packet to be delivered to the nearest member of a set of nodes that share the same anycast address.4. Recognize that this description matches documented IPv6 behavior and goals.5. Compare the other options and identify that they contradict standard IPv6 features.

Verification / Alternative check:
IPv6 standards and textbooks explicitly mention that there is no broadcast address in IPv6. Instead, special multicast addresses such as FF02::1 (all nodes) and FF02::2 (all routers) are used. Routing and Neighbor Discovery protocols rely on these multicast addresses rather than broadcast flooding.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A is incorrect because IPv6 addresses are allocated hierarchically by registries and providers to support aggregation in routing tables. Option C is wrong because IPv6 defines an address space of 2^128 addresses, which is far more than 2.7 billion. Option D is incorrect because an interface commonly has multiple IPv6 addresses, such as a link local address, one or more global unicast addresses, and possibly temporary privacy addresses.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners underestimate the scope of the IPv6 address space or assume that broadcasts still exist because IPv4 relies on them heavily. Confusing broadcast with multicast is also frequent. Remember that IPv6 intentionally removed broadcasts to reduce network noise and replaced them with targeted multicast groups and anycast addressing, which provide more efficient distribution of packets to multiple receivers.

Final Answer:
IPv6 has eliminated traditional broadcasts and replaces them with more efficient multicast and anycast mechanisms.