Cisco Unveils Prototype to Link Quantum Computers Into a Network

Insider Brief

• Cisco has developed a prototype universal quantum switch designed to connect different quantum computers and sensors into a single network, enabling distributed quantum computing.
• The device routes entangled photon signals without measuring them, converts between multiple quantum data formats and operates using standard telecom fiber at room temperature to support real-world deployment.
• The approach aims to reduce the need for larger standalone quantum machines by enabling resource sharing, interoperability across hardware types and early applications such as secure communications and synchronized systems.

Cisco is testing a prototype device designed to connect different quantum machines into a single network, a step that could help the technology scale beyond today’s hardware limits.

The system, developed by Cisco and discussed in a company blog post, is called a universal quantum switch. It is intended to link quantum computers and…