Developing software for quantum networks represents a critical step towards realising practical, large-scale quantum communication and computation, and a comprehensive review of this emerging field is now available. Robert J. Hayek, Joaquin Chung, and Rajkumar Kettimuthu, all from Argonne National Laboratory, present a detailed analysis of the software landscape, examining tools designed for both the creation of network protocols and their ongoing operation. Their work reveals a significant disparity between theoretical advances in quantum networking and their implementation in functional simulators and testbeds, particularly when considering dynamic network conditions and management. This review establishes a clear taxonomy of software components across infrastructure, logical, and control layers, and importantly, proposes a roadmap for building scalable architectures that will underpin future hybrid, large-scale quantum networks.
Demonstration to deployable networks requires software implementations of architectures and protocols tailored to the unique constraints of quantum systems. This paper reviews the current state of software implementations for quantum networks, organised around a three-plane abstraction of infrastructure, logical, and control/service planes. It covers software for both designing quantum network protocols, such as SeQUeNCe, QuISP, and NetSquid, and operating them, with a focus on essential control/service plane functions including entanglement distribution, topology management, and resource management, within a proposed taxonomy. The review highlights a persistent gap between theoretical protocol proposals and their realisation.
Quantum Network Software, Simulation and Control
This is a comprehensive review of software tools and frameworks used in the design and operation of quantum networks. Researchers employ network simulators and emulators to model and test quantum network protocols and architectures before physical implementation. SeQUeNCe, for example, simulates entanglement-enabled connectivity in Quantum Local Area Networks (QLANs). Beyond specialized tools, general-purpose simulation tools also play a crucial role in testing network designs. Network control and management platforms orchestrate and control quantum network resources.
A consortium has developed an Operating System for Quantum Network Nodes, aiming to provide a full operating system for managing quantum network nodes and enabling application execution. Other platforms, like Control Plane Software and Modular Quantum Network Architecture, focus on extensible control and integrating network scheduling with local program execution. Two-Level Control Frameworks and resource-centric, task-based approaches further refine control over quantum network resources. Several tools and frameworks address the challenges of routing and establishing connections in quantum networks.
QPing, a quantum ping primitive, tests network connectivity, while Quantum Wrapper Networking employs a datagram switching approach with monitoring capabilities. Comprehensive surveys of entanglement routing techniques, shortcuts to quantum network routing, and multiplane architectures propose innovative routing strategies. The Adaptive Continuous Entanglement Generation Protocol focuses on adaptive entanglement generation. Tools also focus on understanding and monitoring the structure and state of the quantum network. Methods exist for inferring quantum network topology using local measurements.
Automation is crucial, and protocols have been developed for automatically configuring optical quantum networks. Higher-level network architectures and frameworks, such as the Illinois Express Quantum Metropolitan Area Network, demonstrate specific implementations. The IETF’s Quantum Internet Task Force is developing standards and protocols for the quantum internet, with ongoing drafts like the Multiplane Architecture. Key themes and trends include increasing abstraction towards higher-level control platforms, adoption of Software-Defined Networking (SDN) principles for centralized control and programmability, integration with classical networks, standardization efforts, and a focus on automation. This review provides a snapshot of the rapidly evolving landscape of software for quantum networks. The field is still in its early stages, but the tools and frameworks described here are laying the foundation for a future quantum internet.
Quantum Network Software, Simulation and Implementation Challenges
This work presents a comprehensive review of software implementations designed for quantum networks, focusing on the infrastructure, logical, and control/service planes essential for realizing practical, large-scale systems. Researchers have proposed several theoretical protocols for network management, including designs that utilize entropic and qubit measurements to build network topologies and diagnostic tools like QPing, which assesses entanglement fidelity. Simulation approaches, such as those employing software like SeQUeNCe and NetSquid, have enabled the creation of quantum local area networks (QLANs) with orchestrator and client nodes, allowing for dynamic topology simulations unconstrained by physical limitations. Specifically, simulations demonstrate the ability to distribute multipartite entanglement and maintain fidelity through correction protocols, showcasing a crucial step towards scalable network architectures.
Several software implementations address entanglement management, a core function for distributing high-fidelity entanglement between users. QNodeOS, a full-stack operating system, utilizes a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)-based scheduler to maximize fidelity in point-to-point networks, while the adaptive continuous entanglement protocol (ACP) implemented in NetSquid aims to minimize the time required to fulfill entanglement requests by adapting to network conditions. Researchers have also developed virtual circuit protocols coupled with entanglement tracking to manage this critical resource effectively. These implementations draw parallels to 5G network architectures, with link-level entanglement sharing similarities to channel access using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) and the entanglement manager functioning analogously to the Session Management Function (SMF) in 5G, coordinating path establishment based on requests and network conditions. This work highlights the growing sophistication of quantum network software and lays the groundwork for future development of scalable, robust, and high-performance quantum communication systems.
Quantum Networks, Theory and Implementation Gaps
This work presents a comprehensive review of software designed for both the development and operation of quantum networks, structured around a three-plane abstraction encompassing infrastructure, logical, and control/service functions. The analysis reveals a significant body of theoretical proposals and simulations for quantum network protocols, particularly in the area of entanglement management, but a relative scarcity of implementations tested on actual quantum network testbeds. This highlights a persistent gap between theoretical advances and practical realization, a crucial challenge for building deployable quantum networks. The authors identify several key areas requiring further development to address this gap.
These include advancing topology management protocols to incorporate failure handling and dynamic reconfiguration, and refining resource management frameworks to account for uniquely quantum constraints such as decoherence and probabilistic entanglement. They also emphasize the need for standardized interfaces and software-defined orchestration tools to promote interoperability between diverse quantum devices, and suggest extending current control planes with a dedicated management plane for scalability through configuration management and health monitoring. Acknowledging the immaturity of quantum hardware, the authors advocate for continued development of realistic simulators as a critical step toward bridging the gap between theory and practice. They note encouraging progress through initiatives like the IETF’s quantum internet research group, which is working towards common interfaces and data formats, and stress that ongoing collaboration between software developers, experimentalists, and standards bodies will be essential for realizing scalable, large-scale quantum networks.
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