Interview | Michael Redding, CTO at Quantropi
Michael Redding, CTO at Quantropi shares his thoughts on the biggest challenges facing the adoption of Quantum technology in 2021, the first steps an organisation can take to start making their data and networks “Quantum safe” and the infrastructure building blocks required to begin a Quantum computing or secure communications proof of concept.
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What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the adoption of Quantum technology in 2021?
Like the first wave of cloud, the biggest challenge to adoption is risk aversion. For as much as is already understood and demonstrated, there is still a lot to prove and those inclined to sit back and wait for a proven solution will likely continue to do so.
What is going to be the biggest area of focus for your organisation within Quantum over the next 12 months?
Quantum Secure Data Communications. Quantum-based attacks on current security architectures are a mater of when, not if, and the modern global economy depends on the ability to preserve data and communications security against this emerging threat vector.
Top tips: How can you best engage and support the business to adopt Quantum technologies?
FOCUS ON VALUE not tech. Sounds simple, but if there is provable and sufficient positive business impact resultant from the deployment of quantum technology, value trumps risk aversion!
Top tips: What is the best single piece of advice you can give to an enterprise looking to start their Quantum journey?
Take a look at the quantum landscape (as it stands today) through a functional lens: what kinds of problems can it solve (not how does it solve them). Once you’ve done that, map those capabilities against your current business priorities to find plausible match. That gives you a clear starting point against a sea of potential and the chance to unlock real world value (which gives forward momentum to any corporate initiative).
What are the first steps an organisation can take to start making their data and networks “Quantum safe”?
The stop gap measure is upgrading to longer key lengths but the downside is higher cost, slower performance, and evitable obsolescence. More robustly, they can work with a Quantum Secure Data Communications solution like Quantropi to insert Quantum secure keys into their existing security systems while validating truly secure Post Quantum Cryptography to replace today’s AES and RSA algorithms.
What technology infrastructure building blocks are required to begin a Quantum computing or secure communications proof of concept?
What you have today! Digital Quantum Key Distribution from Quantropi achieves Quantum secure distribution of Quantum secure Keys over todays “classical” IT infrastructure (data center, LAN/WAN/Internet, PC/Mobile/IoT) while Quantum Public Key Envelope from Quantropi uses only existing fiber optic/network infrastructure at the carrier level to achieve Quantum secure PKI without any requirement for out-of-band communications
What are you most looking forward to at the Quantum.Tech digital event?
The Quantum technology sector is advancing at a pace we haven’t seen since the early days of the internet with the translation from the science / academic realm into a burgeoning commercial market. The Quantum Tech digital event represents an opportunity to hear from and interact with so many top experts on the state of the tech and state of the market.