Luxembourg Experimental Network for Quantum Communication Infrastructure (Lux4QCI)

The project at a glance

Start date:

01 Jan 2023
Duration in months:

42
Funding:

Digital Europe Programme / Recovery and Resilience Facility, Luxembourg Government / European Commission
Principal Investigator(s):

Symeon CHATZINOTAS

About

Lux4QCI aims to deliver the first experimental QCI network in Luxembourg. A distinctive feature is the by-design integration between the FO-based terrestrial and the FSO-based satellite segment. Lux4QCI envisions making Luxembourg a QCI front-runner and a hub for secure key distribution across the EU. To achieve those goals, Lux4QCI will identify use cases of interest, including governmental communications and sensitive data transfer among data-centres, for application scenarios of QKD-enhanced secure communications. Subsequently, it will design the system architecture and the underlying QCI network topology. A security analysis of selected architectural elements of the proposed QCI will then be conducted. Selection, procurement, integration, and experimental testing of the HW and SW components of the QCI network will be performed. The intended QCI will be nationally deployed through multiple terrestrial optical fibres running hundreds of kms and interconnecting at least 6 PoPs. The network will rely on a hybrid configuration combining multiple QKD technologies (e.g. P&M, MDI) over a range of multihop topologies (e.g. star, serial, tree). Further, the international Lux4QCI connectivity will be emulated through OGS interfaces towards already planned satellite assets, i.e. EAGLE-1. In this context, a secure KMS enabling inter-domain connections while also leveraging additional cryptographic primitives and blockchain technology will be developed. Joint key and data stream routing will be implemented via SDN flow management, whereas joint key storage management and routing will be tackled by VNF in the orchestrator. Lux4QCI will pave the way for future interconnectivity bilaterally with other national QCIs, and multilaterally in the context of EuroQCI. In the national context, the project shall increase the maturity of QCI applications by community building, open testbed creation as well as professional training through the Luxembourg Competence Centre.

Organisation and Partners

Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT)
Signal Processing and Communications (SIGCOM)
Systems and Network Security (SNS)
SES Techcom SA
LuxConnect SA
InCert G.I.E.
National Infrastructures for Research and Technology
Fondation Restena (Reseau Téléinformatique de l'Education Nationale et de la Recherche)
iTrust Consulting SARL
Ministere D'Etat