An Extensible Quantum Network Simulator Built on ns-3: Q2NS Design and Evaluation

2026-03-03

AI Summary

This work addresses the scarcity of quantum network hardware and the limitations of existing simulation tools in efficiently and accurately co-simulating quantum operations and classical signaling. To this end, the authors present Q2NS, a modular and extensible quantum network simulator built on ns-3. Q2NS introduces an architecture that decouples protocol control logic from node and channel operations, and uniformly supports multiple quantum state representations—including state vectors, density matrices, and stabilizer formalisms—while enabling tightly integrated simulation of quantum and classical communication. The framework also provides dedicated visualization tools to facilitate rapid prototyping of heterogeneous quantum internet scenarios. Experimental evaluations demonstrate that Q2NS achieves high computational efficiency and modeling flexibility across real-world use cases and benchmark tests, offering an open-source platform for quantum internet research.

Technology Category

• Machine Learning: Quantum Machine Learning
• Knowledge Representation and Reasoning: Qualitative Reasoning
• Search and Optimization: Sampling/Simulation-based Search

Application Category

• Web Mining and Content Analysis: Web data generation and simulation
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web performance, measurement, and characterization
• Graph Algorithms and Modeling for the Web: Querying, indexing, and retrieval in Web-related graphs

Abstract

As quantum networking hardware remains costly and not yet widely accessible, simulation tools are essential for the design and evaluation of quantum network architectures and protocols. However, designing a scalable and computationally efficient quantum network simulator is intrinsically challenging: i) quantum dynamics must be emulated on classical computing platforms while capturing the stateful and non-local nature of entanglement, a quantum resource without any classical networking analog; ii) quantum networking is inherently hybrid, as protocol execution also fundamentally depends on classical signaling. This makes a tight and faithful co-simulation of quantum operations and classical message exchanges a core requirement. In this light, we present Q2NS, a modular and extensible quantum network simulator, built on top of ns-3, designed to seamlessly integrate quantum-network primitives with ns-3's established classical protocol stack. Q2NS adopts a modular architecture that decouples protocol control logic from node- and channel-level operations, enabling rapid prototyping and adaptation across heterogeneous and evolving Quantum Internet scenarios. Q2NS natively supports multiple quantum state representations through a unified interface, allowing interchangeable state-vector, density-matrix, and stabilizer backends. We validate Q2NS through realistic use-case studies and comprehensive benchmarks, demonstrating superior computational efficiency over representative state-of-the-art alternatives, while preserving modeling flexibility. Finally, we provide a dedicated visualization tool that jointly captures physical and entanglement-enabled connectivity and supports entangled-state manipulations, facilitating an intuitive interpretation of entanglement dynamics and protocol behavior. Q2NS offers a flexible, open, and scalable simulation platform for advancing Quantum Internet research.

Problem

• quantum network simulation
• entanglement
• classical-quantum co-simulation
• scalable simulator
• Quantum Internet

Innovation

• quantum network simulation
• ns-3 integration
• modular architecture
• hybrid classical-quantum co-simulation
• entanglement visualization