Quantum Networking: How Cisco is Accelerating Practical Quantum Computing

Just as Cisco helped build infrastructure for the internet, we’re now creating quantum networking technology that will be the foundation for the quantum internet, making quantum computing practical years ahead of current timelines. Our approach could accelerate impactful quantum computing and networking applications from decades away to just 5-10 years. Today, we are announcing two milestones:

1. Unveiling of Cisco’s Quantum Network Entanglement Chip – a research prototype and breakthrough technology that enables quantum networks to scale and connect quantum processors for practical applications
2. Opening of Cisco Quantum Labs – our dedicated research lab in Santa Monica, CA, where quantum scientists and engineers are building tomorrow’s quantum networking technologies

Breaking the Quantum Scaling Barrier

Here’s the challenge: Today’s quantum processors have only hundreds of qubits, while applications require millions. Even the most ambitious quantum computing roadmaps currently only target a few thousand qubits by 2030.

Decades ago, classical computing faced similar challenges until we began to connect smaller nodes together through networking infrastructure to create powerful distributed systems within data centers and cloud computing. Just as the use of large classical monolithic computer systems phased out, the future of quantum does not lie in a single monolithic quantum computer. Scaled-out quantum data centers, where processors work together through specialized networking, will be the practical and achievable path forward.

Companies building quantum processors will benefit from Cisco’s quantum networking technologies to scale their systems. By building this infrastructure now, Cisco is helping to accelerate the entire quantum ecosystem.

The Quantum Network Entanglement Chip

A key part of our quantum networking vision is Cisco’s quantum network entanglement chip, developed as a prototype in collaboration with UC Santa Barbara. It generates pairs of entangled photons that enable instantaneous connection regardless of distance through quantum teleportation—what Einstein famously described as “spooky action at a distance.”¹

What makes our entanglement chip stand out:

• Works with existing infrastructure: Operates at standard telecom wavelengths and can therefore leverage existing fiber optic infrastructure
• Practical deployment: Functions at room temperature as a miniaturized Photonic Integrated Chip (PIC), making it suitable for scalable system deployment today
• Energy efficiency: Consumes less than 1mW of power
• High performance: 1 million high-fidelity entanglement pairs per output channel, with a rate of up to 200 million entanglement pairs per second in chip

See the strategy section below to discover how these capabilities deliver immediate business value—both for quantum data centers of tomorrow and quantum enhanced classical applications today.

From Lab to Reality

While today marks the formal opening of the Cisco Quantum Labs facility in Santa Monica, our team has been developing fundamentals of the quantum networking stack for years. The lab serves as a facility where our researchers can experiment with quantum networking solutions that bridge both theoretical concepts and practical implementation. Our approach is detailed in our arXiv paper “Quantum Data Center Infrastructures,” which outlines the architecture needed for distributed quantum computing systems.

Beyond the entanglement chip, we’re using the lab to advance research prototypes of other critical components to complete our vision of the quantum networking stack, including entanglement distribution protocols, a distributed quantum computing compiler, Quantum Network Development Kit (QNDK), and a Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG) using quantum vacuum noise. More components of our quantum data center infrastructure roadmap will be announced soon as we complete our vision of the quantum networking stack.

In parallel, Cisco teams are implementing Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) NIST standards across our portfolio, ensuring classical networks remain secure in a post-quantum world.

Advancing Quantum Networking in Two Strategic Directions

Our quantum networking strategy follows two complementary paths:

• Quantum Network for the Quantum World: We’re building infrastructure to connect quantum processors at scale, enabling distributed quantum computing, quantum sensing, and optimization algorithms that could transform critical applications such as drug discovery, materials science, and complex logistics problems. Our quantum network entanglement chip is foundational to this vision.
• Quantum Network for the Classical World: While practical quantum computing problems might be a few years away, quantum networking principles offer immediate benefits to classical systems through use cases such as eavesdropper-proof secure communication, ultra-precise time synchronization, decision signaling, and secure location verification.

What makes our quantum networking approach powerful is our focus on both software and hardware development. By developing our own network hardware components such as the chip alongside our full software stack, we gain unique insights into how these elements work together to build complete quantum networking infrastructure. While some companies focus solely on one type of quantum computing technology (superconducting, ion trap, or neutral atom-based systems), Cisco is building a vendor-agnostic framework that works with any quantum computing technology. This approach mirrors Cisco’s historical strength in networking – we don’t need to pick winners because we’re building the networking fabric that will enable various quantum technologies to scale.

For a deeper technical dive into how our quantum network entanglement chip and quantum data center architecture work, check out the blog by Ramana Kompella, Cisco Fellow and VP of Cisco Research and Reza Nejabati, Head of Quantum Research and Cisco Quantum Labs.

¹ A note to readers: Throughout this blog, we’re tackling complex quantum physics principles using simplified analogies and explanations. While these simplifications help make quantum concepts more accessible, they naturally omit some of the technical depth of quantum mechanics. It’s important to note that quantum teleportation doesn’t allow for faster-than-light information transmission.

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