Techniques are described for dynamically configuring an interface in a
network service provider. The techniques allow dynamic configuration of,
for example, a dual stacked interface that includes both Internet
Protocol version 6 (IPv6) and Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) on the
same layer 2 link. In this way, a customer network having an existing
IPv4 connection to a network service provider will be able to run both
IPv4 and IPv6 over the same interface. A network device within the
network service provider may receive a control packet from a subscriber
device. The packet may be received on an ATM hybrid permanent virtual
circuit (PVC) that supports multiple interface columns. The network
device is capable of auto-sensing multiple packet protocols and may
dynamically create multiple interface columns over the same ATM interface
based on the encapsulation type of the received packets.