Ibm And Cisco Announce Plans To Build A Network Of Large Scale Fault

NOVEMBER 20, 2025 – YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY and SAN JOSE, CA -- Today, IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) announced an intention to collaborate on the groundwork for networked distributed quantum computing, to... By combining IBM’s leadership in building useful quantum computers with Cisco’s quantum networking innovations, the companies plan to explore how to scale large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers beyond IBM’s ambitious roadmap. Additionally, they will work to solve fundamental challenges towards a quantum computing internet. Within five years, IBM and Cisco will aim to demonstrate the first proof-of-concept for a network that combines individual, large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers, enabling them to work together to run computations over tens to... This network would allow problems to be run with potentially trillions of quantum gates, the fundamental entangling operations required for transformative quantum applications such as massive optimization problems, or the design of complex materials... “At IBM, our roadmap includes plans to deliver large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers before the end of the decade,” said Jay Gambetta, Director of IBM Research and IBM Fellow.

“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.” "Getting quantum computing to useful scale is not just about building bigger individual machines, it is also about connecting them together,” said Vijoy Pandey, GM/SVP at Outshift by Cisco. “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." Scaling a Distributed Quantum Computing Network

IBM and Cisco have announced plans to develop a distributed quantum computing network that would interlink large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum systems within and across data centres. The companies aim to demonstrate the first proof-of-concept within five years, with a longer-term goal of building the foundations for a quantum computing internet in the 2030s. 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.” IBM’s roadmap positions future quantum processing units as shared resources that can be housed in data centres and connected over short distances through dedicated quantum networking hardware.

Companies aim to scale fault-tolerant quantum systems into a high-performance, entangled mesh to serve as the foundation for a quantum internet. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. IBM and Cisco have announced plans to jointly build a distributed quantum computing network capable of linking fault-tolerant systems over long distances. In an announcement on Thursday, November 20, the companies said they aim to demonstrate a two-machine entanglement proof-of-concept by 2030, with the ultimate goal of enabling scalable quantum workloads that span multiple sites and... If successful, the collaboration would mark a shift in how quantum computing resources are deployed, moving beyond single-system scale to a federated architecture capable of trillions of quantum operations.

The initiative will combine IBM’s superconducting qubit hardware with new networking infrastructure from Cisco, including microwave-optical transducers, quantum network control layers, and physical and software routing protocols designed for entangled quantum state transmission. The proposed architecture is intended to support fault-tolerant quantum computers already in IBM’s development roadmap. But it would also require the creation of new intermediary hardware — a planned ‘Quantum Networking Unit’, or QNU — to interface with IBM’s quantum processors and translate static quantum states into flying qubits... - New collaboration plans to unite strengths of both leaders to design a connected network of large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers, targeted by early 2030s- Companies plan to deliver an initial demonstration of multiple networked... YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, N.Y. and SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov.

20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) announced an intention to collaborate on the groundwork for networked distributed quantum computing, to be realized as soon as the early 2030s. By combining IBM's leadership in building useful quantum computers with Cisco's quantum networking innovations, the companies plan to explore how to scale large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers beyond IBM's ambitious roadmap. Additionally, they will work to solve fundamental challenges towards a quantum computing internet. Within five years, IBM and Cisco will aim to demonstrate the first proof-of-concept for a network that combines individual, large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers, enabling them to work together to run computations over tens to... This network would allow problems to be run with potentially trillions of quantum gates, the fundamental entangling operations required for transformative quantum applications such as massive optimization problems, or the design of complex materials... "At IBM, our roadmap includes plans to deliver large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers before the end of the decade," said Jay Gambetta, Director of IBM Research and IBM Fellow.

"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." "Getting quantum computing to useful scale is not just about building bigger individual machines, it is also about connecting them together," said Vijoy Pandey, GM/SVP at Outshift by Cisco. "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." Cisco and IBM plan to pool their R&D efforts to build a network of large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers capable of working together to run computations up to hundreds of thousands of qubits.

They aim to demonstrate the first proof-of-concept within five years, though much of this technology has not been developed yet. As part of the collaboration, the vendors will look to develop quantum hardware and software that could physically link many large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers together to form networked distributed quantum computing. Their initial proof-of-concept calls for entangling qubits from multiple separate quantum computers located in distinct cryogenic environments. “Doing so will require the companies to invent new connections, including microwave-optical transducers and a supporting software stack,” the vendors stated. “Getting quantum computing to useful scale is not just about building bigger individual machines, it is also about connecting them together,” Vijoy Pandey, general manager and senior vice president at Outshift by Cisco, said... “IBM is building quantum processors 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 processors, the software to run computations across them, and the networking intelligence that makes it work.” [[Related: Top quantum breakthroughs of 2025]] IBM has talked about developing an interface to its quantum computers called a Quantum Networking Unit (QNU), which will allow for microwave-based link research and prototyping. IBM announced this month it is working with the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center (SQMS) at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory to entangle two IBM quantum computers in separate cryogenic infrastructures, linked together by... QNU-based systems could be used across potentially multiple quantum computers through a network. ​​​​​​​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.” 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. IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) announced an intent to collaborate to build a network of large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers, targeting initial demonstrations by the early 2030s and a proof-of-concept within five years.

The companies plan to link multiple QPUs via a quantum networking unit (QNU), explore microwave-optical transducers, and develop a hardware and software stack to distribute entanglement, synchronize operations with sub-nanosecond precision, and enable computations... IBM and Cisco formed a strategic collaboration to build networked, fault-tolerant quantum computers, with demonstrations planned within five years. Combining IBM’s fault-tolerant quantum roadmap and Cisco’s quantum networking approach targets a system-level solution. The plan centers on a quantum networking unit (QNU) interface to convert stationary qubits into "flying" qubits and on microwave-optical transducers to move quantum information between cryogenic environments. Key dependencies include inventing robust transduction hardware, preserving fragile quantum states across links, and a software stack that orchestrates entanglement distribution with sub-nanosecond sync. These technical challenges create execution risk and a multi-year development horizon.

Proof-of-concept expected to be delivered by 2030 IBM is collaborating with Cisco to develop the groundwork for networked distributed quantum computing by the early 2030s. An initial demonstration of the network is expected to be delivered in the next five years, with IBM stating that the project will help lay the groundwork for the quantum Internet, in addition to... Earlier this month, IBM said it will achieve quantum advantage by the end of 2026, and is on target to develop a fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2029. If successful, the proof-of-concept will demonstrate a network that combines individual, large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers that can work together to run computations over tens to hundreds of thousands of qubits. For that initial demonstration, the companies will entangle qubits from multiple separate quantum computers located in distinct cryogenic environments.

IBM's vision of a quantum computing internet. (Image source: IBM.) IBM and Cisco have teamed up on a mission to enable practical, distributed and networked quantum computing “by the early 2030s”. Parlaying the individual skills and expertise of the two companies – IBM’s in quantum machines and Cisco’s in quantum networking technologies – the initial aim is, by the end of 2030, to demonstrate the... Furthermore, the two will collaborate to “solve fundamental challenges towards a quantum computing internet”. If successful, that would be quite something.

According to Jay Gambetta, director of IBM Research (and IBM Fellow), the tech giant’s 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… 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.”

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