Quantum technology is on a development path that will impact the computational and communications markets in the coming years. The leading use cases for adoption include quantum-safe encryption algorithms, secure quantum key distribution, accelerated compute for AI and life sciences, and quantum-based random number generation. There will be at least three different access modalities by which end-users will connect with quantum-based computing equipment: (1) a cloud service, (2) a quantum machine in a colocation facility, and (3) a private on-premises data center. In each of these access modalities, quantum machines co-exist with classical compute. Thus, one challenge The OCP Community faces is clear, how to integrate quantum technology with existing data center facilities, classical computers and communication equipment.
The OCP Foundation and the quantum specialists within the larger OCP Community believe the time is right to start down the path of standardization to push the market forward with a set of best practices on how to prepare for and integrate quantum technologies into today’s data centers and communication networks. The OCP Community has a successful track record of providing a safe collaborative environment to develop community-driven standardizations. Competitors can come together to solve shared problems reducing friction for all market players. When experienced early adopters come together to share their learnings and then work with their vendors to drive standardizations, it has led to many successful programs for classical data centers and equipment providers, which the OCP Foundation expects can be replicated as quantum is added to today’s data centers and communication networks. One example which highlights our track record is the OCP Ready™ Recognition Program for Hyperscale Data Centers. The community-led framework, which emphasizes guidelines, and a checklist centered on physical requirements for a scalable, efficient hyperscale data center can be adapted for quantum computing facilities. By leveraging this framework, we can ensure that quantum facilities adhere to consistent guidelines, promoting interoperability and ease of deployment across diverse environments. This approach will help support the unique requirements and rapid evolution of quantum technology.
To continue the journey to bring together a community of classical and quantum practitioners and data center operators within the OCP, we have organized an afternoon quantum breakout session at OCP’s Future Technologies Symposium (afternoon of October 16th) that is collocated with OCP Global Summit (October 15th to 17th) to advance the efforts within the Community. We will hear from data center operators such as Leibnitz Super Computing Center leading the way deploying quantum machines creating hybrid classical operational data centers, companies such as NVIDIA, developing software for the Hybrid AI and Quantum data center, established classical market leaders such as HPE and Intel on post-quantum cryptography, communication providers such as Telefonica deploying quantum-safe networking, quantum vendors such as Quside and Orca offering quantum computing and quantum random number generation products, and NIST and Seagate on quantum related standards.
This quantum breakout session gathers industry experts and leading quantum hardware and software vendors along with agencies working on early standardization activities and institutional-level R&D initiatives to discuss potential standardization initiatives and the role of standards bodies and the Open Compute Project. It is a follow on to the recent OCP Regional Summit FTS Quantum Breakout Session where there are still many challenges in quantum, including deployment, interconnection and operation of experimental Quantum Computing (QC) systems alongside operational High Performance Computing (HPC) environments, disconnected/siloed development and usage of system software, programming tools, workflows between HPC and QC systems, identification and demonstration of use-cases for co-design and evaluation of HPC-QC systems, and critical need for interdisciplinary knowledge transfer and skills development.
Plan to attend and you will learn the following:
- A better understanding of current quantum hardware and software
- Why quantum is important for the OCP Community.
- How quantum will impact the community and market in the next 3-5 years
- Top use cases (communications, computing)
- How to prepare for the integration of quantum technology in data centers and communication networks
- What the quantum data center may look like:
- Physical facilities - Impact to design of DC white space
- Interface between classical and quantum equipment
- Current standards efforts and any gaps
- Overview of the work effort forming at OCP and how to join
See you there!