Quantum Networking Fundamentals: From Physical Protocols to Network Engineering

2026-04-02

AI Summary

This work addresses the critical challenge of scaling quantum networks from laboratory prototypes to programmable, multi-tenant global infrastructures by co-designing physical-layer capabilities with network engineering principles. It proposes a network-centric architecture featuring a novel dual-plane design for Software-Defined Quantum Networking (SDQN) and a Quantum Network Operating System (QNOS), enabling efficient coordination between classical control and quantum data planes. Furthermore, the paper introduces a Quantum Network Utility Maximization (Q-NUM) framework that jointly optimizes entanglement routing, scheduling, and fidelity trade-offs. By bridging the gap between simulation and real-world deployment, this research provides network engineers with a comprehensive toolchain and reference model to build scalable quantum networks under practical constraints such as decoherence and probabilistic delays.

Abstract

The realization of the Quantum Internet promises transformative capabilities in secure communication, distributed quantum computing, and high-precision metrology. However, transitioning from laboratory experiments to a scalable, multi-tenant network utility introduces deep orchestration challenges. Current development is often siloed within physics communities, prioritizing hardware, while the classical networking community lacks architectural models to manage fragile quantum resources. This tutorial bridges this divide by providing a network-centric view of quantum networking. We dismantle idealized assumptions in current simulators to address the "simulation-reality gap," recasting them as explicit control-plane constraints. To bridge this gap, we establish Software-Defined Quantum Networking (SDQN) as a prerequisite for scale, prioritizing a symbiotic, dual-plane architecture where classical control dictates quantum data flow. Specifically, we synthesize reference models for SDQN and the Quantum Network Operating System (QNOS) for hardware abstraction, and adapt a Quantum Network Utility Maximization (Q-NUM) framework as a unifying mathematical lens for engineers to reason about trade-offs between entanglement routing, scheduling, and fidelity. Furthermore, we analyze Distributed Quantum AI (DQAI) over imperfect networks as a case study, illustrating how physical constraints such as probabilistic stragglers and decoherence dictate application-layer viability. Ultimately, this tutorial equips network engineers with the tools required to transition quantum networking from a bespoke physics experiment into a programmable, multi-tenant global infrastructure.

Problem

• Quantum Internet
• Scalable Networking
• Multi-tenant Infrastructure
• Quantum Resource Management
• Simulation-Reality Gap

Innovation

• Software-Defined Quantum Networking
• Quantum Network Operating System
• Quantum Network Utility Maximization
• Entanglement Routing
• Distributed Quantum AI