The SSICLOPS project will focus on techniques for the management of federated private cloud infrastructures, in particular cloud networking techniques (within software-defined data centres and across wide-area networks). Key deliverables from the project will include a meta data description language for workloads, resources and policies, a flexible scheduling system using meta data, workload-specific adaptations to TCP/IP stacks, and data center performance analysis tools. Addressing topics, such as dynamic configuration, automated provisioning and orchestration of cloud resources the SSICLOPS projects will investigate high-performance, vertically integrated network stacks for intra/inter-cloud communication and efficient, scalable, and secure intra/inter-DC and client-facing transport mechanisms. The project will design, implement, demonstrate, and evaluate three specific use cases, namely a cloud-based in-memory database, the analysis of physics experiment data, and the prototypical extension of network stacks for a telecom provider in the SSICLOPS testbed.

Ubiquitous smart wireless connectivity is critical for future large-scale industrial tasks, services, assets and devices. Very significantly improved connectivity needs to be unlocked through novel spectrum combinations and the fully autonomous management of the underlying network resources by applying online AI at multiple decision layers. 6G BRAINS aims to bring AI-driven multi-agent Deep Reinforcement-Learning (DRL) to perform resource allocation over and beyond massive machine-type communications with new spectrum links including THz and optical wireless communications (OWC) to enhance the performance with regard to capacity, reliability and latency for future industrial networks. We propose a novel comprehensive cross-layer DRL driven resource allocation solution to support the massive connections over device-to-device (D2D) assisted highly dynamic cell-free network enabled by Sub-6 GHz/mmWave/THz/OWC and high resolution 3D Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) of up to 1 mm accuracy. The enabling technologies in 6G BRAINS focus on four major aspects including disruptive new spectral links, highly dynamic D2D cell-free network modelling, intelligent end-to-end network architecture integrating the multi-agent DRL scheme and AI-enhanced high-resolution 3D SLAM data fusion. The proposed solution will be validated by proof-of-concept trials. The primary and secondary applications of THz and OWC technologies for a very broad spectrum of scenarios will be validated at BOSCH’s self-contained smart factory. The developed technologies will be widely applicable to various vertical sectors such as Industry 4.0, intelligent transportation, eHealth, etc. In particular, new business opportunities emerging in 6G BRAINS will be identified for follow-up exploitation activities. The results of 6G BRAINS are expected to create a solid basis for future projects and global standardisation for B5G and 6G technologies in areas relevant to industrial environments.

The goal of the CiViQ project is to open a radically novel avenue towards flexible and cost-effective integration of quantum communication technologies, and in particular Continuous-Variable QKD, into emerging optical telecommunication networks. CiViQ aims at a broad technological impact based on a systematic analysis of telecom-defined user-requirements. To this end CiViQ unites for the first time a broad interdisciplinary community of 21 partners with unique breadth of experience, involving major telecoms, integrators and developers of QKD. The work targets advancing both the QKD technology itself and the emerging “software network” approach to lay the foundations of future seamless integration of both. The technological advantage will more specifically aim to: - Design architectures and implement protocol extensions of flexible “software based” networks for midterm country-wide QKD reach. - Drive CV-QKD systems and components up to TRL 6, derive standardized set of interfaces, also allowing a network-aware software defined functionality and open modular development, and pursue cost reduction by seamless integration of off-the-shelf components. - Push CV-QKD performance boundary forward by developing high-performance photonic integrated circuits (PIC) for CV-QKD, i.e. opening the way for ultra-low cost systems, and improve further the CV-QKD hallmark coexistence capability with standard WDM channels, i.e. reducing dramatically the barriers to optical network co-integration. - Prepare actively for next-generation networks by developing core enabling technologies and protocols aiming at quantum communication over global distances with minimal trust assumptions. CiViQ will culminate in a validation in true telecom network environment. Project-specific network integration and software development work will empower QKD to be used as a physical-layer-anchor securing critical infrastructures, with demonstration in QKD-extended software-defined networks.