Toshiba launches QSN Platform to deliver quantum-safe networks at scale
- Highlights
New carrier grade platform enables organizations to integrate quantum-safe protection across existing networks with reduced complexity, footprint and cost
Kawasaki, Japan – Toshiba Corporation today announced the launch of its Quantum-Safe Networking (QSN) Platform, marking a major step towards delivering true scalability, flexibility and greater efficiency in the deployment of quantum-safe networks.
The Toshiba QSN Platform brings together interoperable equipment and deployment capabilities within a unified architecture. It is designed to help network operators, data center service providers, enterprises and public-sector organizations protect their most critical data paths first and expand as their security, operational and commercial requirements evolve.
Importantly, those organizations do not need to rebuild their networks to get started. The platform integrates with existing network infrastructures and can support deployments from a single dedicated connection to large metro, hub-and-spoke, ring, mesh and long-distance networks.
By simplifying the deployment of quantum-safe networks and improving the economics of expanding across multiple sites, the platform helps turn the quantum-safe transition into a strategic advantage. Organizations can strengthen network resilience while scaling protection in line with their needs. Service providers can also begin to offer differentiated quantum-safe services to create new revenue opportunities.
The quantum-safe transition is under way
The prospect that sufficiently powerful quantum computers could render many of today’s encryption methods insecure is driving urgent action. The risk is already present through “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks, in which adversaries capture encrypted information today and retain it for future decryption.
Governments, regulators and standards bodies around the world are now compelling action and establishing timelines for migrating critical systems towards quantum-safe security.
Targeted trials and commercial deployments have demonstrated that the technology can be used to protect critical connections. The next step for industry is to extend quantum-safe protection across more sites and network types as efficiently as possible.
Combining quantum-safe technologies
The Toshiba QSN Platform supports this expansion through a range of capabilities that reduce complexity, footprint and cost. For example, its transceivers combine transmitters and receivers in a single unit, while its hubs use optical switching to connect multiple sites with less equipment than conventional point-to-point deployments.
Within the single architecture, Toshiba QSN Platform combines various quantum technologies. Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) provides quantum-resistant key exchange, helping organizations meet recent government mandates and recommendations. In addition, the QSN platform delivers the highest level of security through advanced quantum technologies, including Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Quantum Random Number Generation (QRNG). These technologies are designed to withstand all future computational attacks and are not susceptible to AI-driven attacks increasingly used to find vulnerabilities in algorithmic cryptography. The platform allows organizations to tailor security levels to specific use cases and environments.
Hiroshi Tsukino, Vice President, ICT Solutions Division, Toshiba Corporation, said:
“The quantum-safe transition represents the largest cryptographic transformation in history. A transformation of that scale cannot happen overnight. Organizations need to begin protecting their most critical networks and data today, while establishing a clear path to extend that protection as threats evolve and new standards and operational requirements are introduced.
“Toshiba QSN Platform has been designed to provide a practical path to quantum-safe network adoption. We look forward to expanding Toshiba QSN Platform with telecommunications providers, data center operators and other critical infrastructure providers across EMEA, North America and APAC supporting the development of secure and resilient digital infrastructure for the quantum era.”
One interoperable platform, greater scale and flexibility
The Toshiba QSN Platform comprises complementary components developed to operate as a single, centrally managed system. Designed for operation with high key rates and long fiber spans, the platform reduces the need for dedicated fiber, additional equipment and trusted network nodes:
- QSN Transceiver 1550/1310: combines a Quantum Transmitter (QTx), Quantum Receiver (QRx), operating with a quantum wavelength of either 1550 or 1310nm, in one unified chassis for high-performance core network deployments, as well as efficient, secure, quantum-safe key relaying.
- QSN Hub 1550/1310: uses active optical switching for scalable point-to-multipoint quantum-safe networking from one central system to multiple remote sites. A single hub can serve hundreds of remote sites, reducing equipment footprint, power and costs compared with conventional point-to-point deployments.
- QSN Spoke 1550/1310: provides a compact endpoint for adding remote sites efficiently to Hub and Spoke deployments.
- QSN Link 1550/1310: provides dedicated point-to-point QKD, with independent QTx and QRx components that can be reused as the network evolves.
- QSN Multiplexer: enables quantum channels, QKD service channels and third-party high-capacity DWDM data traffic to share existing lit fiber, eliminating the need for expensive dedicated dark fibers.
- QSN Key Delivery System (KDS): integrated within the QKD appliances, the KDS delivers QKD, PQC and hybrid keys across the network through a distributed, resilient and crypto-agile software layer. Automatic key re-routing and support for different key exchange mechanisms help organizations adapt as threats, standards and security requirements change.
- QSN Key Management System (Q-KMS): a standalone software that runs on industry-standard x86 servers and provides a rich set of key management capabilities for quantum-safe networks. It enables customers to flexibly design system configurations tailored to their own quantum-safe networks.
- QSN Controller: provides centralized, automated control to network-wide visualization and configuration with Software Defined Networking interfaces for simple network integration.
Andrew Shields, Vice President of Toshiba Europe and Head of its Quantum Technology Division, said:
“Toshiba QSN Platform dramatically simplifies the rollout of quantum‑safe protection by reducing both cost and complexity across large‑scale networks. It will transform network deployments by enabling operators to serve multiple customers and nodes from a single exchange‑based unit, eliminating the need for dedicated hardware per link. Centralized control, standards‑based integration and adaptive key delivery give organizations the flexibility to evolve as threats and requirements change. Our goal is to empower customers to build secure, future‑ready networks that can confidently withstand the next era of cyber risk.”
Toshiba brings more than 25 years of dedicated quantum research and development to the platform, supported by a 150-year engineering heritage. Its experience includes quantum-safe network deployments with tier-one communications providers and participation in major government-backed quantum networks across EMEA, North America and APAC.
Toshiba also chairs the ETSI Industry Specification Group on Quantum Key Distribution and contributes to international standards, assurance, and certification initiatives.
For more information on Toshiba’s QSN Platform, visit: www.toshiba.eu/quantum
