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The internet was built by reading packet headers.
Quantum networks cannot do that.
In this episode, I explore my biggest takeaways from Part 1 of my Beyond the Qubit interview with Vijoy Pandey, head of Outshift at Cisco. The key difference is simple but profound: classical networks scale by inspecting and forwarding information, while quantum networks have to preserve information they cannot directly inspect.
This episode is for investors, founders, and anyone trying to understand what infrastructure quantum computing will need beyond the QPU itself. If quantum systems are going to scale beyond isolated machines, they will need a network layer that can connect processors, sensors, and resources while preserving fragile quantum states.
Cisco’s approach is interesting because the company is not trying to build the quantum computer itself. It is exploring the networking layer around quantum systems, using photonics, telecom frequencies, room-temperature components, and existing fiber infrastructure. The goal is not to recreate the classical internet, but to build the architecture needed for quantum scale.
The strategic question is not only who builds the best qubits.
It is also:
Who builds the network that connects them?
💡 In this episode, we cover:
Why quantum networks cannot simply copy classical internet architecture
Why quantum information cannot be inspected like classical packets
How quantum switches and entanglement sources could enable scaling
Why networking between QPUs may become a major bottleneck
Why Cisco is focusing on the infrastructure layer around quantum computers
How photonics and existing fiber infrastructure could improve deployability
Why quantum networks may also connect sensors and shared resources
What investors should watch in the quantum networking stack
Chapters
00:00 Why Cisco is exploring quantum networking
00:50 Why quantum needs a network layer
03:22 Quantum clusters and the need for connectivity
04:47 What quantum networking actually means
05:23 The quantum switch challenge
08:01 Why classical networking cannot be copied
10:03 Why quantum networks cannot inspect information
12:29 Building networks without destroying quantum states
14:42 Why Cisco focuses on photonics and fiber
17:39 Connecting quantum computers and sensors
27:14 The current state of quantum networking
Share this episode with someone investing in or building in quantum, and subscribe or follow Beyond the Qubit for more conversations on quantum technology, markets, and investing.
📌 Disclaimer: This is not investment advice. This post is shared on a personal basis and I do not represent any company.
