Preparation for the Certified Quantum Network Architect Exam
CQNE Training provides the engineering foundation for quantum networking. CQNA Architect Training builds on it with the design skills needed to deploy quantum networks in enterprise and government environments. The curriculum covers end-to-end network design. You learn to evaluate and select QKD systems and to integrate quantum-derived keys into existing security architectures. You also plan trusted-node and satellite-based deployments and design 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. However you train, every exam is a proctored assessment. We confirm the arrangements when you book.
Live online and in-person training runs over four days, with 24 hours of instruction in total. Each day has six hours of teaching within a seven-and-a-half-hour schedule that includes lunch and breaks. The online on-demand course covers the same material and takes roughly 40 hours at your own pace.
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 |
| On-demand training + CQNA exam bundle | US$2,999 |
| Live online training + CQNA exam bundle | US$3,499 |
| In-person training + CQNA exam bundle | US$3,999 |
| Quantum Networking Bundle (CQNE + CQNA + both exams) on-demand | US$4,499 |
| Quantum Networking Bundle (CQNE + CQNA + both exams) live online | US$5,249 |
| Quantum Networking Bundle (CQNE + CQNA + both exams) in-person | US$5,999 |
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
When you finish, we email you the course handbook, a PDF of every slide with notes that explain it in full. We also include a PDF copy of Quantum Systems Integration. The handbook is yours to keep.
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 prepares you for it. Architects who are also responsible for the security of the systems they design should consider QCSP training. Where the network is a carrier network, Quantum-Safe Telecommunications is the next step.
Why we teach this
The material is based on Quantum Systems Integration, the reference text on quantum computing, networking, and sensing written by the course author. It also draws on faculty who work with quantum engineering and integration teams. We teach what we have had to get right in the field. We focus on the judgment calls you will face in practice, and vendor roadmaps are not part of the course.
Certificate of Completion
Upon completion, you receive a Quantum Academy certificate of completion. It is separate from our professional certifications and states your CPE credits, one for each 60 minutes of teaching. ISC2 counts them as professional development, and other certifying bodies set their own rules. The credits also count toward renewing a Quantum Academy certification. Our CPE credits page explains how to claim them.
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.
