How Will IBM and Cisco Target Distributed Quantum Systems?

​​​​​​​IBM and Cisco have outlined a joint plan to build a distributed quantum computing network capable of interconnecting large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers within and between data centres. 

The companies aim to deliver an initial demonstration by 2030, with longer term work focused on the foundations of a quantum computing internet.

Jay Gambetta, Director of IBM Research and IBM Fellow, says: “At IBM, our roadmap includes plans to deliver large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers before the end of the decade. 

“By working with Cisco to explore how to link multiple quantum computers like these together into a distributed network, we will pursue how to further scale quantum's computational power. And as we build the future of compute, our vision will push the frontiers of what quantum computers can do within a larger high-performance computing architecture.”

Quantum systems built for data centre deployment

IBM’s roadmap sets out quantum processing units that will operate as shared computing resources, deployed in data centres and linked over short distances through dedicated networking hardware. 

The collaboration with Cisco aims to define the hardware and software required for these systems to work in a coordinated topology.

A central focus is connecting fault-tolerant systems running in separate cryogenic environments. 

The companies plan to develop new physical interfaces such as microwave-optical transducers, along with a software layer that can orchestrate distributed quantum workloads. These components are intended to support quantum operations across multiple machines without degrading qubit fidelity.

Cisco’s work centres on networking technologies that preserve quantum states and distribute entanglement over controlled links.

Vijoy Pandey, SVP & GM at Outshift by Cisco, says: “Getting quantum computing to useful scale is not just about building bigger individual machines, it is also about connecting them together. 

“IBM is building quantum computers with aggressive roadmaps for scale-up and we are bringing quantum networking that enables scale-out. 

“Together, we are solving this as a complete system problem, including the hardware to connect quantum computers, the software to run computations across them and the networking intelligence that makes them work.”

Linking QPUs across facilities

IBM is developing a quantum networking unit that will convert stationary qubits inside a quantum processor into transmissible quantum information. This is intended to serve as the interface for connecting quantum processing units within a data centre or across multiple facilities.

Cisco’s architecture would distribute entanglement to these networking units on demand, enabling workloads that span several systems. The companies will first test these capabilities in a single site, using Cisco quantum network nodes to bridge multiple IBM processors.

Beyond this, they plan to investigate optical-photon transmission and other long-distance approaches for connecting quantum computers between data centres. These investigations aim to set the groundwork for links that allow quantum algorithms to run across larger distributed infrastructures.

Towards a quantum data centre model

Cisco has presented a quantum data centre concept that includes networking hardware and supporting software capable of maintaining entanglement, enabling teleportation between systems and synchronising quantum operations with high precision.

Such an architecture would allow quantum workloads to be shared across multiple processors without losing coherence.

IBM and Cisco also plan to co-fund academic research to advance the technologies needed for distributed quantum computing. 

IBM’s work with the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center, led by Fermilab, includes exploring the deployment of quantum networking units at scale. A demonstration involving multiple connected quantum processors is planned within three years.

If successful, the collaboration would provide a technical pathway for data centres to host clusters of quantum systems capable of running workloads that exceed the capacity of individual machines.