Draft Charter (discussed at IETF 103) A Quantum Internet, if developed and deployed, will bring new communication and remote computation capabilities, as well as improving the accuracy of physical sensor systems (e.g., for interferometry for long-baseline telescopes). One key area will be cryptographic functions including quantum key distribution and quantum byzantine agreement. Work toward a Quantum Internet is well underway in physics laboratories and in theory groups. The next step is network engineering. Some of the problems that need to be addressed include: * routing: there are a number of proposals, including a couple in the last six months or so, and which routing schemes are appropriate for which circumstances needs to be assessed * resource allocation: some of the routing proposals seem to be including a notion of the dynamic traffic on the network, but this distinction needs to be defined clearly * connection establishment: what does a request look like (semantics more than syntax) as it propagates across the network? * interoperability: given than different networks are currently being designed and built, how do we ensure a long-lived internetwork develops? * security: are quantum repeater networks inherently more or less vulnerable in operations than classical networks? * design of an API that will serve the role that sockets play in classical networks There are also other problems: * applications for a Quantum Internet: by far the most important on the agenda for the community (not necessarily a QIRG work item) is figuring out what we would *do* with a Quantum Internet, including what data rates and fidelities are required (otherwise, there is no market for a QI) * multi-party states and multi-party transfers such as network coding: rather than simple, independent point-to-point transfers, how can we create and use more complex states? Outputs and Milestones Two concrete work items that QIRG may produce: * An architectural framework delineating network node roles and definitions, to build a common vocabulary and serve as the first step toward a quantum network architecture. * Wehner, Elkhouss and Hanson have created a roadmap of technical capability milestones for quantum networks. Mapping these milestones to concrete use cases will help to determine the order and timing of classical protocols that will be needed. Additionally, QIRG may serve as technical consultants to cryptography groups within IETF and IRTF on the capabilities and timing for both quantum computation and quantum networking, to provide guidance on development and deployment of IETF protocols. Finally, QIRG will serve as a coordination point with other standards organizations that are working on standardization of quantum networks. Process QIRG will hold 2-3 meetings per year, typically one at IETF, one at a related conference, and one online. Membership Policy Open