A Review of Software for Designing and Operating Quantum Networks

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Hayek, Robert J., Chung, Joaquin, Kettimuthu, Rajkumar
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Hayek, Robert J.
Chung, Joaquin
Kettimuthu, Rajkumar
author_facet Hayek, Robert J.
Chung, Joaquin
Kettimuthu, Rajkumar
contents Quantum network protocol development is crucial to realizing a production-grade network that can support distributed sensing, secure communication, and utility-scale quantum computation. However, the transition from laboratory 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, organized around the three-plane abstraction of infrastructure, logical, and control/service planes. We cover software for both designing quantum network protocols (e.g., SeQUeNCe, QuISP, and NetSquid) and operating them, with a focus on essential control/service plane functions such as entanglement, topology, and resource management, in a proposed taxonomy. Our review highlights a persistent gap between theoretical protocol proposals and their realization in simulators or testbeds, particularly in dynamic topology and network management. We conclude by outlining open challenges and proposing a roadmap for developing scalable software architectures to enable hybrid, large-scale quantum networks.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_00203
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A Review of Software for Designing and Operating Quantum Networks
Hayek, Robert J.
Chung, Joaquin
Kettimuthu, Rajkumar
Quantum Physics
Networking and Internet Architecture
Systems and Control
Quantum network protocol development is crucial to realizing a production-grade network that can support distributed sensing, secure communication, and utility-scale quantum computation. However, the transition from laboratory 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, organized around the three-plane abstraction of infrastructure, logical, and control/service planes. We cover software for both designing quantum network protocols (e.g., SeQUeNCe, QuISP, and NetSquid) and operating them, with a focus on essential control/service plane functions such as entanglement, topology, and resource management, in a proposed taxonomy. Our review highlights a persistent gap between theoretical protocol proposals and their realization in simulators or testbeds, particularly in dynamic topology and network management. We conclude by outlining open challenges and proposing a roadmap for developing scalable software architectures to enable hybrid, large-scale quantum networks.
title A Review of Software for Designing and Operating Quantum Networks
topic Quantum Physics
Networking and Internet Architecture
Systems and Control
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.00203