AlirOS
The scalable control plane for quantum networks.
What is AlirOS?
AlirOS® is a software and gateware stack that transforms individual quantum networking hardware components into capable nodes running BBM92 key distribution today, and the Quantum Internet tomorrow.
What does AlirOS do?
- Abstracts complexity.
- Provides real-time control, timing, and protocol implementation.
- Speaks the management languages that enterprise networks already understand.
Organizations deploying AlirOS® today are not buying a point solution; they are establishing the operational foundation their quantum network will run on for years to come.
AlirOS® Network Stack
Interoperability Layer
Applications. APIs provided by the AlirOS RPC layer to control and consume quantum-derived data from AlirOS
Cisco SKIP integration provides quantum-generated symmetric keys to existing infrastructure.
Industry best practice Config, Management, and Control via NETCONF/YANG. Seamless integration with SDN platforms like Aliro Orchestrator and Cisco NSO.
Engineered for automation. Metric Layer collects telemetry from services and logical devices and publishes it to Prometheus enabling real-time visibility, alerting, diagnostics, and closed-loop control.
Service Layer
Modular Services. Implement functional capabilities, transforming device level interactions into coordinated behaviors, structured data, and valuable outputs.
- Keystore
- Polarization Compensation
Resource Layer
The Resource Access Layer (RAL). Brings up, activates, manages, and provides stateful access to devices.
Logical Devices. Abstracts vendor-specific hardware implementations through simple configuration files, allowing vendors and device builders complete implementation freedom while presenting a consistent interface to the system.
Lower Layers
Architected for Extensibility
- Module Access Layer
- Session Management
- Kernel and Driver APIs
Independent Timing
- Timing Calibration
- Time Tagging
BBM92 Protocol Implementation
- Basis Sifting
- Link Viability
- Fast QBER Sampling
- Key Generation
Physical Layer
Fast, direct connection to photon detectors via Transistor-Transistor Logic (TTL) interface.
Easy integration with all USB, Ethernet, Web, and PCIe accessible devices.
Example devices: entangled photon sources, single photon detectors, enclosed measurement modules, motorized polarization controllers, etc.
AlirOS Functionality
Physics-based security (BBM92).
Key material is generated through quantum entanglement, not mathematical computation. Any eavesdropping attempt disturbs the entanglement and is immediately detectable.
Native integration with Cisco SKIP.
Cisco switches and encryptors use the SKIP protocol to request quantum-generated keys directly from AlirOS nodes, protecting traffic across Cisco switches while existing infrastructure remains unchanged.
Continuous optical stability.
Automated polarization compensation monitors and optimizes the quantum link, preserving key rates and service continuity at long distances.
FPGA-based compute and I/O offload.
Basis sifting, authentication, error correction, and other protocol steps can be handled on chip lowering CPU and enabling wider platform adoption.
Built in time tagging.
FPGA logic provides real-time sampling and timestamping of photon detector output signals. This eliminates external hardware, saves rack space, and reduces BOM cost.
Native clock alignment.
FPGA logic uses Ethernet clock recovery to line up the clocks of distant nodes. This reduces BOM cost and improves ROI by replacing costly White Rabbit (WR) systems. WR is also supported to accommodate circumstances where it is preferred.
Software-based synchronization.
Statistical arrival patterns of the entangled photons themselves are used to normalize offsets due to unequal propagation delay and correctly identify pairs.
Scalable architecture for emerging quantum-enabled workflows.
Hardware can be onboarded through configuration and new interfaces are always abstracted by logical devices with common APIs. As your quantum network grows, the same platform flexibly and conveniently scales with it.
AlirOS is designed to serve as the control plane providing coordination, observability, and hardware abstraction that enterprise quantum infrastructure will demand.
Organizations deploying AlirOS today are not buying a point solution; they are establishing the operational foundation their quantum network will run on for years to come.