Preparation for the Certified Quantum Network Architect Exam
Where CQNE Training provides the engineering foundation for quantum networking, CQNA Architect Training develops the design competencies needed to deploy quantum networking solutions in enterprise and government environments. The curriculum covers end-to-end network design: evaluating and selecting QKD systems, integrating quantum-derived keys into existing security architectures, planning trusted-node and satellite-based deployments, and designing hybrid networks that combine QKD with PQC.
Course Outline
Module 1. QKD System Evaluation and Selection
Vendor comparison methodology. Performance benchmarks: key rate under realistic conditions versus published specifications. Distance performance with standard fiber. Integration interfaces: API access, key delivery protocols, network management. Total cost of ownership including infrastructure, installation, maintenance, and key management integration.
Module 2. Key Management Architecture
How quantum-derived keys flow from QKD endpoints to encryption devices. Key lifecycle management: generation, distribution, storage, usage, and retirement. Key storage requirements and security considerations. Relay key management in trusted-node networks. Key management for different encryption use cases: link encryption, network-layer encryption, and application-layer encryption.
Module 3. Trusted-Node Network Design
Deploying QKD beyond point-to-point range using physically secured intermediate nodes. Trust model: what must be assumed about each node. Physical security requirements. Key relay protocols. Network monitoring and tamper detection. Balancing security requirements with deployment cost. When trusted-node design is sufficient versus when entanglement-based approaches are necessary.
Module 4. Satellite QKD Architecture
Overcoming terrestrial distance limits through free-space optical links. LEO versus GEO satellite tradeoffs. Ground station requirements. Key distribution protocols for satellite QKD. Atmospheric effects and their mitigation. Integration with terrestrial QKD networks. Current satellite QKD programs and their demonstrated capabilities.
Module 5. Hybrid QKD-PQC Network Design
Designing networks that use both QKD and post-quantum cryptography. Where QKD provides advantages over PQC alone. Where PQC is sufficient without QKD. Layered security architectures that combine both approaches. Key management integration when quantum and post-quantum keys are used together. Cost-benefit analysis for hybrid versus PQC-only deployment.
Module 6. Metro and Long-Haul Deployment Planning
Designing quantum networks for metropolitan areas: fiber routes, node placement, key capacity planning. Long-haul connections: trusted-node chains, satellite links, and hybrid approaches. Deployment phasing: starting with critical links and expanding. Integration with existing telecommunications infrastructure.
Module 7. Network Security Architecture
Threat modeling for quantum networks. Security architecture documentation. Defense-in-depth applied to quantum networking. Monitoring and detection for quantum network attacks. Incident response for quantum network failures and security events. Compliance and audit considerations for quantum-secured communications.
Format and Delivery
This program is available online on-demand, live online, in person, and as private team training; current prices for each format are in the booking section below. Live online and in-person sessions include 180 days of access to the online on-demand course. Where that course is not yet published, the 180 days start on the day it is. Training format and exam format are independent: however you train, the exam is delivered as a proctored assessment, under arrangements confirmed when you book.
Live online and in-person sessions run 24 hours of instruction across four days, six hours of teaching each day within a seven and a half hour schedule that includes lunch and breaks. The online on-demand course covers the same material at a self-paced pace of roughly 40 hours.
Prerequisites
- Active CQNE – Certified Quantum Network Engineer certification
Pricing
| Option | Price |
|---|---|
| Online (self-paced) | US$2,499 |
| Live online (instructor-led) | US$2,999 |
| In-person (instructor-led) | US$3,499 |
| Online training + CQNA exam bundle | US$2,999 |
| In-person training + CQNA exam bundle | US$3,999 |
| Quantum Networking Path (CQNE + CQNA + both exams) online | US$4,499 |
All prices are in US dollars.
Who this course is for
Network architects, security architects, telecom designers, and senior infrastructure professionals who design quantum networking solutions.
What you’ll be able to do afterward
- Apply quantum network design methodology to enterprise and government requirements
- Evaluate and select QKD systems based on performance, security, and operational criteria
- Design key management architectures that integrate QKD with existing key infrastructure
- Plan trusted-node deployments with physical security and operational considerations
- Design hybrid quantum-classical network architectures
- Develop deployment plans, cost analyses, and business cases
What you leave with
You leave with the course handbook, a PDF of the full material with the instructor notes written out in place of the slides’ bullet points, and a PDF copy of Quantum Systems Integration, included at no extra cost. The handbook is yours to keep. For most organizations, that shared reference is the clearest return on a training budget.
Enrollment includes 180 days of access to the online on-demand course. Where that course is not yet published, the 180 days start on the day it is.
Where this course fits
An active CQNE certification is required before this training. CQNE Network Engineer Training is the step that gets you there. QCSP training for architects who also carry security of the systems they design, and Quantum-Safe Telecommunications where the network is a carrier network.
Why we teach this
The material comes from Quantum Systems Integration, the reference text on quantum computing, networking, and sensing written by the course author, and from faculty who work with quantum engineering and integration teams. We teach what we have had to get right in the field. The course teaches the judgment calls, and leaves vendor roadmaps to the vendors.
Certificate of Completion
Upon completion, you will receive a Quantum Academy certificate of completion. This is not a professional certification.
About this program
Quantum Academy credentials are private professional credentials issued by Quantum Academy, a trade name of Post-Quantum Institute. They are not government-issued licenses, accredited degrees, or academic credit, and earning one does not guarantee employment, promotion, regulatory approval, or any other specific outcome.
Quantum Academy programs are educational and informational only, and are not legal, compliance, or engineering advice.