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IEEE Photonics Conference

Scalable and secure architecture for quantum networks

Muneer Alshowkan, Philip G. Evans, Brian P. Williams, Nageswara S. V. Rao, Claire E. Marvinney, Yun‐Yi Pai, Benjamin J. Lawrie, Nicholas A. Peters, Joseph M. Lukens

Published Nov 1, 2022• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We demonstrate a scalable quantum local area network design with secure classical communications for data management and instrument control. In this design, secret keys generated from quantum key distribution are supplied to commercial off-the-shelf firewalls to establish encrypted control planes between three remote nodes.
DOI
10.1109/ipc53466.2022.9975679

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As practical quantum networks prepare to serve an ever-expanding number of nodes, there has grown a need for advanced auxiliary classical systems that support the quantum protocols and maintain compatibility with the existing fiber-optic infrastructure. We propose and demonstrate a quantum local area network design that addresses current deployment limitations in timing and security in a scalable fashion using commercial off-the-shelf components. First, we employ White Rabbit switches to synchronize three remote nodes with ultra-low timing jitter, significantly increasing the fidelities of the distributed entangled states over previous work with Global Positioning System clocks. Second, using a parallel quantum key distribution channel, we secure the classical communications needed for instrument control and data management. In this way, the conventional network that manages our entanglement network is secured using keys generated via an underlying quantum key distribution layer, preserving the integrity of the supporting systems and the relevant data in a future-proof fashion.
Quantum key distribution allows secure key distribution between remote communication parties. In a quantum network, multiple users are connected by quantum links for key distribution and classical links for encrypted data transmission. When the quantum network structure becomes complicated with a large number of users, it is important to investigate network issues, including security, key management, latency, reliability, scalability, and cost. In this work, we utilize the classical network theory and graph theory to establish a framework for a quantum network, addressing two critical issues, security and key management. First, we design a communication scheme with the highest security level that trusts a minimum number of intermediate nodes. Second, when the quantum key is a limited resource, we design key management and data scheduling schemes to optimize the utility of data transmission. Our results can be directly applied to the current metropolitan and free-space quantum network implementations and can potentially be a standard approach for future quantum network designs.
As an extension of quantum key distribution, secure communication among multiple users is a basic task in a quantum network. When the quantum network structure becomes complicated with a large number of users, it is important to investigate network issues, including security, key management, latency, reliability, scalability, and cost. In this work, we utilize the classical network theory and graph theory to address two critical issues in a quantum network, security and key management. First, we design a communication scheme with the highest security level that trusts a minimum number of intermediate nodes. Second, when the quantum key is a limited resource, we design key management and data scheduling schemes to optimize the utility of data transmission. Our results can be directly applied to the current metropolitan and free-space quantum network implementations and can potentially be a standard approach for future quantum network designs.
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) technology enables the capabilities to distribute secure keys consisting of symmetric random bit strings that can be proven to be secure even against a cyberattack with an unbounded computational ability. QKD, however, has critical limitations in terms of scalability, availability and expense. QKD network (QKDN) is a technology which addresses these shortcomings by control and management capabilities to extend the reachability and availability. This paper proposes an architecture for QKDN control and management to address the required functionality and its proof of concept implementation.
This paper presents a novel scalable Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) protocol designed to facilitate secure key exchange in large-scale quantum communication systems. The protocol leverages quantum entanglement and quantum measurement techniques to generate and distribute a secret key between multiple parties. A key limitation of existing QKD protocols is their restricted scalability. This proposed protocol addresses this issue through a carefully designed architecture and utilizes advanced quantum information processing concepts to enable the expansion of the system while maintaining its inherent security. The theoretical analysis demonstrates the protocol's feasibility and outlines key parameters for optimization. We focus on the core mechanisms and provide a detailed description of the protocol's operation, highlighting its potential for practical implementation in future quantum networks. The protocol's performance characteristics, including key rate and security level, are discussed.