Seamless Cloud Networking with Amazon API Gateway’s Dual-Stack Endpoint for All API Types

Overview

Amazon API Gateway’s support for dual-stack endpoint offering is an important step in cloud networking that empowers customers to natively host IPv4 and IPv6 clients on all API Gateway endpoint types, custom domains, and management APIs without additional configurations or code changes. This release answers some of the industry’s critical needs, such as IPv4 address availability shortages, compliance needs, and increased demands for future-proof, publicly accessible APIs.

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Introduction

As more than 99% of the 4.3 billion IPv4 addresses are already in use and worldwide IPv6 adoption exceeds 40% in 2024, companies are increasingly pressed to support both protocols. The depletion of IPv4 addresses and the growth of IPv6-only networks have prompted a worldwide migration to dual-stack (IPv4/IPv6) architectures. Historically, API-driven applications had difficulty supporting both protocols natively, usually necessitating cumbersome workarounds or expensive network redesigns. Amazon API Gateway’s new dual-stack capability solves this problem by allowing developers to expose APIs to the entire internet, whether clients use IPv4 or IPv6, simplifying configuration and management, lowering costs associated with acquiring IPv4 addresses, and assisting organizations in complying with government and industry requirements for IPv6 adoption.

Key Features and Benefits

Universal Endpoint Support

All Endpoint Types: Dual-stack is now supported for REST, HTTP, and WebSocket APIs on regional, edge-optimized, and private endpoints.
Custom Domains: Companies can make dual-stack support available for custom domains, making branded API endpoints reachable over IPv4 and IPv6.
Management APIs: AWS management APIs also benefit, enabling administration irrespective of client network stack.

Seamless DNS Compatibility

Dual-Stack DNS Resolution: Amazon API Gateway endpoints with dual-stack support return both IPv4 (A) and IPv6 (AAAA) DNS records. Clients on either protocol can connect without middleware or additional configuration.
Custom Domain Integration: DNS for dual-stack custom domains returns A and AAAA records, simplifying integration with services and end-users on different network stacks.

Global Availability

All AWS Regions: Support for dual-stack is live in all AWS commercial regions, AWS GovCloud (US), and AWS China (Beijing, Ningxia) regions.
No Additional Cost: This capability has no additional cost, making it available to all Amazon API Gateway users.

Simplified Network Management

Reduced Complexity: Organizations can migrate to IPv6 in a phased manner without disrupting current IPv4 connectivity or requiring additional infrastructure.
Future-Proofing: APIs are available to increasing IPv6-only clients, especially in developing economies and mobile-first regions.
Alignment with AWS Ecosystem: Dual-stack support aligns with identical functionality in AWS Elastic Load Balancers and VPCs, allowing consistent dual-stack architecture designs.

Configuration and Implementation

Facilitating Dual-Stack Support

API Creation/Update: Dual-stack can be activated during new API creation or by updating existing endpoints via the AWS Management Console, CLI, or Infrastructure as Code tools (e.g., Terraform).
Custom Domains: Choose the dual-stack option when setting up or changing a custom domain. Ensure your DNS provider (Route 53) creates A and AAAA records that resolve to the Amazon API Gateway domain.
Integration with Load Balancers: If your Amazon API Gateway is behind AWS Network or Application Load Balancers, set these up for dual-stack.

As illustrated below, you can choose the dualstack option when defining a new REST API.

api

As shown in the next image, you can similarly configure dualstack for custom domain names.

api2

If you need to revert to IPv4-only for any reason, you can modify the IP address type setting without redeploying your API for the update to take effect.

api3

Use Cases and Impact

Global Reach: Businesses can connect with customers in IPv6-only cellular networks and markets.
Compliance: Meets government and industry group mandates to support IPv6.
Migration Path: Facilitates gradual migration from IPv4 to IPv6 and minimizes operational risks.
Cost Optimization: Averts costs from IPv4 address unavailability, primarily in mass-scale public API deployments.
Modernization: Complies with cloud-native best practices by enabling modern dual-stack architectures.

Conclusion

Amazon API Gateway’s support for dual-stack endpoints is a key addition to developing future-proof, globally available, and modern APIs. It makes the IPv6 transition easy, aids in regulatory compliance, and eliminates the operational hurdles of accommodating multiple client environments.

With global region availability for everyone, easier configuration, and without extra cost, this feature makes Amazon API Gateway a front-runner for IPv4 and IPv6 connectivity in an increasingly changing internet world.

Drop a query if you have any questions regarding Amazon API Gateway and we will get back to you quickly.

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FAQs

1. What is Amazon API Gateway dual-stack support, and why is it significant?

ANS: – Dual-stack support enables API Gateway endpoints to receive traffic from IPv4 and IPv6 clients. This is important because IPv4 addresses are all but depleted (IANA allocated the final blocks in 2011), and IPv6-only networks are increasing quickly, particularly in mobile and IoT installations. Dual-stack puts your APIs in front of all clients, regardless of their network protocol.

2. Does dual-stack affect security, performance, or cost?

ANS: – Security configurations need to be reloaded to cover both IPv4 and IPv6 traffic. Performance is more or less identical across protocols, with perhaps some slight differences during the first DNS resolution. The feature is free in all AWS regions, including GovCloud and China.

WRITTEN BY Nekkanti Bindu

Nekkanti Bindu works as a Research Intern at CloudThat. She is pursuing her master’s degree in computer applications and is driven by a deep curiosity to explore the possibilities within the cloud. She is committed to considerably influencing the cloud computing industry and helping companies that use AWS services succeed.