Transmitting bits and qubits

Imagine a computer with no networking capabilities. You can compose a document, but you can’t send it anywhere. You can’t visit websites. You can’t send or receive messages. If your computer runs a commercial application, you can’t access new data without plugging in a thumb drive. No doubt about it. Networking is important.

Quantum networking is the transmission of qubit states from one device to another. This transmission opens up new possibilities. Here are some examples:

• The BB84 algorithm covered in Chapter 5 involves the exchange of a randomly generated sequence of qubits. This requires a network that supports the transmission of qubit states.
• Today’s cloud computing is endlessly scalable, and fast, reliable network communication makes cloud computing possible. When computers pool resources, the whole is more than the sum of its parts. A network of quantum computers would offer mind-boggling possibilities...