Networking infrastructure vendor Cisco Systems, through its Outshift division, has released two software research prototypes targeting multi-node quantum network operations: the Cisco Quantum Network Controller and version 0.2.0 of its Network-Aware Quantum Compiler.

Building on the architecture of Cisco’s Universal Quantum Switch, the control plane establishes an Entanglement-as-a-Service (EaaS) abstraction layer. This framework enables compilers, application layer routines, and security protocols to request on-demand entanglement across multi-vendor QPU hardware without direct configuration of optical paths, physical device triggers, or timing parameters.

1.Cisco Quantum Network Controller Architecture

The Quantum Network Controller implements a software-defined control plane configured for the probabilistic and non-cloning characteristics of quantum states. Architectural components include:

Because quantum states cannot be inspected without state collapse, the Controller uses closed-loop statistical telemetry to monitor link health, executing predefined tuning or re-initialization when performance degrades. In a prior multi-node deployment across 17.6 kilometers of commercial telecom fiber in New York City, the software stack demonstrated polarization fidelity above 99% at room temperature using third-party hardware.

2.Network-Aware Quantum Compiler v0.2.0 & Distributed QEC

The Network-Aware Quantum Compiler v0.2.0 integrates circuit compilation, qubit partitioning, and distributed quantum error correction (dQEC) against physical network parameters. The compiler factors optical switch delay, fiber attenuation loss, communication qubit constraints, and inter-QPU surface code lattice surgery directly into the compilation workflow. Features include:

Source:https://quantumcomputingreport.com/cisco-releases-quantum-network-controller-and-network-aware-compiler-v0-2-0-for-distributed-quantum-infrastructure/