An Architecture for Integrating QKD into Terrestrial Networks

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is widely accepted as being necessary to counteract threats posed by quantum computers to cybersecurity. However, a QKD setup is fundamentally a single-link solution. Applying this effectively and securely to an entire network requires an overlying architecture that manages the QKD-generated keys. This paper proposes an architecture for integrating QKD-generated keys into existing networks. It presents a logically centralised design, a communication model, and recommendations, offering guidance for teams developing their QKD architecture.