Building the Software Stack for Quantum Networks: Orchestration, Control, and Simulation
Quantum networks require a software stack purpose-built for the unique demands of entanglement distribution: tight synchronization, stochastic link behavior, and diverse physical-layer hardware. This talk presents Aliro's approach to this challenge: AlirOS, a real-time quantum network operating system and orchestration platform that abstracts hardware complexity and exposes entanglement as a programmable network service, and Aliro Simulator, a software platform for quantum network co-design.
We will walk through the architecture of these software systems, grounding them in real deployments. This includes the orchestration of BBM92 entanglement-based QKD, and how organizations use Aliro Simulator to evaluate hardware trade-offs, accelerate protocol development, and de-risk network planning decisions before deployment.
Michael is Co-Founder and CTO at Aliro, The Quantum Networking CompanyⓇ spun out of Harvard in 2019 building the software stack for quantum networks. At Aliro, he leads research, intellectual property, and customer and partner relations. Michael is a published author in quantum research, and a co-inventor of several patents in quantum security, computing software, compilers, error correction, and quantum network protocols - all driving the deployment of commercial-grade product lines at Aliro. He is actively involved in the QED-C Standards & Performance Metrics TAC, and serves as the liaison between QED-C and ITU-T for quantum key distribution standards development. Michael is a thought leader in quantum secure communications, entanglement distribution, control software, and quantum network simulation, leading the design of a revolutionary quantum internet stack.
