LYRA : A Modular path towards Industrialised and Scalable Quantum Networking
Lead Participant:
NU QUANTUM LTD
Abstract
Credible sources estimate the Quantum Computing (QC) market will have a market value of $90-$170B annually in a Fault Tolerant era. It is increasingly accepted that to reach commercial viability, Quantum Networks (QNs), will be needed to scale QC - increasing the number and quality of qubits. The timely development of QNs will thus gate the widespread adoption of QC and the transformative benefits it can bring. Ultimately QNs will be as essential to QC as classical networking is to High Performance and Cloud computing.
Currently, advancements in Quantum Networking are academically driven experiments in highly controlled laboratory environments. While essential to improving state-of-the-art performance metrics, they neglect crucial factors that will allow for real-world deployment in more industrial and IT-like environments, where they will ultimately need to operate _resiliently_ and at _large scale_.
Project LYRA accelerates and de-risks the path to _deployable_ and _scalable_ quantum-networking specifically for the use-case of interconnecting Quantum Computing nodes in data-centres.
The project concentrates on _pragmatic_ and _demonstrable_ improvements in the _packaging_ and _usability_ of quantum networking technologies, while still maintaining appropriately high levels of performance. We will deliver a world-first deployable Quantum Networking Unit prototype, the networking heart of a Quantum Computer Cluster.
Cisco will be the End User for this project. As the world's leading supplier of classical networking, Cisco has unparalleled experience in delivering scalable, resilient and performant data-centre services. Cisco have committed to contribute to, and **underwrite, key system requirements** and **evaluate final deliverables**, potentially at a UK facility.
Additionally, to demonstrate product-market fit and to ensure the construction of an extensible & relevant roadmap, Nu Quantum have assembled a Customer Requirements Council (CRC). The 5-party CRC represents leading QC vendors and global data-centre technology providers.
Currently, advancements in Quantum Networking are academically driven experiments in highly controlled laboratory environments. While essential to improving state-of-the-art performance metrics, they neglect crucial factors that will allow for real-world deployment in more industrial and IT-like environments, where they will ultimately need to operate _resiliently_ and at _large scale_.
Project LYRA accelerates and de-risks the path to _deployable_ and _scalable_ quantum-networking specifically for the use-case of interconnecting Quantum Computing nodes in data-centres.
The project concentrates on _pragmatic_ and _demonstrable_ improvements in the _packaging_ and _usability_ of quantum networking technologies, while still maintaining appropriately high levels of performance. We will deliver a world-first deployable Quantum Networking Unit prototype, the networking heart of a Quantum Computer Cluster.
Cisco will be the End User for this project. As the world's leading supplier of classical networking, Cisco has unparalleled experience in delivering scalable, resilient and performant data-centre services. Cisco have committed to contribute to, and **underwrite, key system requirements** and **evaluate final deliverables**, potentially at a UK facility.
Additionally, to demonstrate product-market fit and to ensure the construction of an extensible & relevant roadmap, Nu Quantum have assembled a Customer Requirements Council (CRC). The 5-party CRC represents leading QC vendors and global data-centre technology providers.
Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
|---|---|---|
| NU QUANTUM LTD | £2,238,319 | £ 2,238,319 |
Participant |
||
| INNOVATE UK |
People |
ORCID iD |
| Isabel Dowbiggin (Project Manager) |