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to facilitate the possible further standardization with
more valuable scenarios, developing standards to
support emerging QKD applications in user networks
with a QKDN are necessary.
・ Trusted-relay-based QKDN: Trustworthy networking is
fundamentally important to ensure security and privacy
with legal compliance. The efforts for related security
solutions on a QKDN should be continued in alignment
with architectural frameworks to be developed.
Figure 11 – Near-term to long-term QKDN standardization ・ Scale up QKDN: Feasible approaches for building up a
perspective [ITU-T FG-QIT4N] large-scale QKDN and its cost-effective deployment for
user networks should be investigated with candidate
Furthermore, ITU-T SG13 will continue to develop technical solutions (e.g. with quantum relay).
Quantum Enhanced Networking and Services (QENS) ・ Towards QENS from QKDN: Technical solutions for
covering a broad range of QIT while supporting emerging QKDN are necessary to be expanded for supporting
user networks (e.g. 5G and beyond) for cryptographic QENS with QITs. QENS basically need QIN and its
applications, taking into consideration the importance of services with advanced features from quantum
trustworthy networking and services as long-term issues. computing and communication as well as quantum
sensing and metrology.
Future work on QKDNs and QENS standardization may
cover the following potential work items that could address 6. CONCLUSION
the challenges highlighted below.
As the introduction of a QKDN into the current networks
・ Support of QKDN interoperability: Many different brings new challenges to the design of the network
scenarios for interworking with QKDNs have been architecture and security considerations, we have introduced
identified with possible directions to make progress on standardization activities in ITU-T SG13 and FG-QIT4N.
QKDN architectures and reference points in the We have also identified key challenges and potential work
interworking framework of SG13 and the QKDN items for stimulating future standardization for QENS
protocol framework of SG11. Therefore, it’s necessary considering trustworthy networking technologies and
to develop interoperable solutions among multiple AI/ML techniques for cryptographic applications in 5G and
providers and different technologies. beyond. For future work, we need to stimulate QKDNs and
・ Specifications of QKDN protocols: From a QKD QENS standardization activities while addressing challenges
system perspective, most protocols have been to be resolved for supporting trustworthy networking and
developed. For a QKDN perspective, these protocols services, as well as cryptographic applications through
should be extended to support a network with many tightly integrating with 5G networks and beyond as user
nodes and new protocols for control and management networks with QKD and QITs.
should be newly developed in line with the functional
architecture model shown in Figure 3. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
・ Synchronization: Frequency and time synchronization This work was supported by Institute of Information &
plays a fundamental supporting role in networks. Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation
Therefore, specific requirements and related protocols (IITP) grant funded by the Korean government (MSIT)
for synchronization should be standardized. (No.2020-0-00557, Development of Standards for Quantum
・ Multiprotocol connectivity: There is a lack of detailed Information Technology).
schemes to effectively coordinate different QKD
devices of manufacturers and regions under REFERENCES
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・ The adoption of AI/ML to a QKDN: It is very important
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