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Building a Quantum Network: How to Optimize Security and Expenses

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Abstract

Quantum key distribution (QKD) is regarded as a key-technology for the upcoming decades. Its practicability has been demonstrated through various experimental implementations. Wide-area QKD networks are a natural next step and should inherit the selling point of provable security. However, most research in QKD focuses on point-to-point connections, leaving end-to-end security to the trustworthiness of intermediate repeater nodes, thus defeating any formal proof of security: why bother outwitting QKD, if the repeater node is an easy prey, and an equally valuable target? We discuss methods of designing QKD networks with provable end-to-end security at provably optimized efforts. We formulate two optimization problems, along with investigations of computational difficulty: First, what is the minimal cost for a desired security? Second, how much security is achievable under given (budget-)constraints? Both problems permit applications of commercial optimization software, so allow taking a step towards an economic implementation of a globally spanning QKD network.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the anonymous reviewers for valuable comments. The clarity, readability and overall contribution of the paper could be greatly improved by implementing their suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Applied Informatics, System Security Group, Universitaet Klagenfurt, Universitaetsstrasse 65-67, 9020, Klagenfurt, Austria

    Stefan Rass & Peter Schartner

  2. Institute of Mathematics, Operations Research, Universitaet Klagenfurt, Universitaetsstrasse 65-67, 9020, Klagenfurt, Austria

    Angelika Wiegele

Authors
  1. Stefan Rass
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  2. Angelika Wiegele
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  3. Peter Schartner
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Correspondence to Stefan Rass.

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Rass, S., Wiegele, A. & Schartner, P. Building a Quantum Network: How to Optimize Security and Expenses. J Netw Syst Manage 18, 283–299 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10922-010-9162-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10922-010-9162-0

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