Cisco Unveils 'Foundational' Universal Quantum Switch To Scale The Quantum Internet
'There's going to be very few people that understand how to operate, build and operate these things … technology is moving so fast now that most of our clients can't keep up with that. They're having to rely on partners more and more,' one executive at a Cisco partner says of the emerging quantum opportunity.
by Gina Narcisi via CRN
Cisco Systems has introduced its first universal quantum switch and what the tech giant is calling a "foundational" piece in building a scalable quantum internet.
"Our focus at Cisco is to build that quantum network … we are building that quantum networking stack all the way from the ground up. This is fundamental innovation. [This is] something that has not been done before," Vijoy Pandey, senior vice president and general manager of Outshift, Cisco's emerging technology and incubation group, told reporters and analysts ahead of the Thursday launch.
Pandey highlighted the significant challenges in quantum computing, such as the need for thousands to millions of qubits to solve complex societal problems, such as financial modeling and drug discovery. Current quantum computers operate with about 100 to 1,000 qubits, but advancements are expected to reach tens of thousands in the next few years.
While quantum networking is still firmly in the research phase with limited near‑term commercial opportunity for the channel, Maryland Heights, Mo.-based longtime Cisco partner World Wide Technology (WWT) is already engaging with vendors including Cisco, Nvidia, and a handful of quantum startups to understand where the technology is heading, according to Neil Anderson, vice president and CTO of cloud, infrastructure and AI solutions for WWT.
For now, the most immediate customer demand is around post‑quantum encryption, while quantum networking itself remains more of an education and long‑term investment play for partners, he said.