For us it is important to have access to a completely new technology to know its potential use in our current equipment and in those with higher performance that we will install soon. Its advantages must be tested in real cases like the ones we usually find in our projects.
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BSC deploys a Quside QRNG to accelerate randomized algorithms
The Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), a pioneering supercomputing center in Spain, recently deployed a quantum random number generator (QRNG) from Quside to pilot the use of this new resource for randomized algorithms and Monte Carlo methods.
1 de marzo de 2022
3.8 min read
Barcelona (Spain) – March 1, 2022, The Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), a pioneering supercomputing center in Spain, recently deployed a quantum random number generator (QRNG) from Quside to pilot the use of this new resource for randomized algorithms and Monte Carlo methods. The effort is a key result from the QRANGE project of the European Quantum Flagship.
QRNG to address challenges in computation
The generation of random numbers plays a crucial role in many scientific and industrial applications, including computation, gambling, and cryptography. In all these applications, it is of fundamental importance that the generated randomness delivers the required quality and performance, as any deviation may adversely affect modelling, jeopardize security, or lead to unbearable performance.
Quantum random number generators have been widely proposed as a possible solution to address some of the challenges in computation, particularly where high performance is required. It is within this context that Quside, in collaboration with ICFO and other partners, have studied and developed improved QRNG solutions during the QRANGE project, demonstrating raw entropy rates above 10 Gb/s in standard data center form factors. QRANGE is a €3.1M project awarded by the European Commission in 2018 as part of the Quantum Flagship program.
Performance improvements above 10x expected
As an outcome of these activities, the BSC has recently deployed a QRNG solution from Quside to further validate the application of this technology in the field of high-performance computation. Many computational problems and workloads from both industry and research rely on stochastic processes, which can benefit from higher-performance random number generation capabilities. Limitations in current means for generating these random numbers can lead to reduced performance, inefficient use of compute resources and even potential artifacts, especially in highly-parallel simulations.
The QRNG availability at BSC will be used to validate a variety of use cases from internal and external users in the field of randomized algorithms. Performance improvements above 10X are expected from the upcoming demonstrations.
The QRANGE project has been a key engagement of Quside since 2018. We’re proud of the achievements we have made within the project in the field of high-performance quantum randomness generation. We are also thrilled by the recent deployment and installation at BSC, and to work with their team to validate and demonstrate the value of this new resource.
About QRANGE: QRANGE is one of the first projects in the ramp-up phase of the Quantum Flagship. It is one of several projects targeting applications in Quantum Communication and working with “QIA”, the Quantum Internet Alliance, “CiViQ” for quantum key distribution and “UNIQORN” for affordable quantum communication
About BSC: BSC is the leading supercomputing center in Spain. It specializes in high-performance computing. It has a dual role: providing infrastructure and a supercomputing service for Spanish and European scientists, and generating knowledge and technology to be transferred to society. It has a staff of about 700 workers, most of whom are scientists who use supercomputers to conduct research in Computer Science, Life Sciences, Earth Sciences, and Engineering. The BSC is at the service of the international scientific community through the European research infrastructure PRACE (Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe) and manages the Spanish Supercomputing Network (RES). BSC is a public consortium owned by the Spanish Government Ministry of Science and Innovation (60%), the Catalan Government Department of Research and Universities (30%) and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (10%).
About Quside: Quside builds quantum technologies for safer connectivity and advanced computation. A spin-off of ICFO – The Institute of Photonic Sciences – in Barcelona, Spain, Quside has a 10+ year heritage in the development and research of quantum technologies and is commercializing innovative quantum random number generators and other hardware solutions. Quside is an active member of the European quantum community and the Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC) as well as a key contributor in a variety of projects for the European Commission (Qrange and Civiq projects for the Quantum Flagship program) and National efforts (Clave, Caramuel, QuSpin).
