CIENA Unveils AutoProvisioning to the Edge; Company Continues Focus on Enabling the Benefits of Distributed Network Intelligence

Business Wire, May 20, 2002

Business Editors/Hi-Tech Writers

LINTHICUM, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 2002

CIENA(R) Corporation (NASDAQ:CIEN), a global provider of intelligent optical networking systems and software, today announced it is extending its distributed intelligence features of its industry-leading CoreDirector(TM) optical switch to MetroDirector K2(TM), a next-generation multi-service access and switching platform, enabling service providers to automate the software provisioning process network wide, including circuit set-up and discovery of network topology.

This AutoProvisioning capability is the second element of CIENA's recently-launched Automation product and feature program designed to bring the benefits of distributed network intelligence to the Company's current and potential customers, telecom service providers. The first announced component of the program was the WavelengthDirector(TM) Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer (OADM), which makes it possible for carriers to add and drop traffic-carrying wavelengths with previously unavailable single-channel granularity along network routes.

AutoProvisioning by CIENA enables point-and-click provisioning of services in a composite metro-core-metro network to provide a consistent class of service in both segments of the network. The new feature allows the MetroDirector K2 and CoreDirector to work together to enable faster response to requests for new optical and electrical services and reduce effort required to provision circuits.

"By extending the point-and-click provisioning capabilities of our market-leading core optical switch, CoreDirector, to the metro space with MetroDirector K2, we are providing incomparable cost-efficiency to our customers," said Steve Alexander, senior vice president and chief technology officer at CIENA. "Automating the establishment of circuits in the metro network considerably reduces operational costs while also eliminating the costly and unreliable manual provisioning process."

The AutoProvisioning feature on MetroDirector K2 is first expected to be available to customers in the fourth calendar quarter of 2002.

Automation Program

One of the differentiating traits of CIENA's LightWorks(TM) optical networking products is their ability to provide distributed intelligence for carrier networks. This results in the highest available level of network automation and restoration for carriers that deploy them. The goal of the Automation program is to assist carriers in lowering network operating costs.

CIENA's product family spans the critical areas of next-generation intelligent optical networking. With the products that form CIENA's LightWorks architecture, service providers can build a LightWorks network that reaches from the core of the network to the access edge. CIENA is the only next-generation provider to offer carriers a complete range of products in long-distance optical transport, metropolitan optical transport, intelligent optical switching and network management.

ABOUT CIENA

CIENA Corporation's market-leading optical networking systems form the core for the new era of networks and services worldwide. CIENA's LightWorks architecture enables next-generation optical services and changes the fundamental economics of service-provider networks by simplifying the network and reducing the cost to operate it. Additional information about CIENA can be found at http://www.ciena.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions of CIENA (the Company) that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this release, including the Company's plans to enable customers to better automate their networks by deploying CIENA's Automation-based products, CIENA's expectation that the AutoProvisioning feature will be available by the end of 2002, and the ability of the AutoProvisioning feature to replicate the distributed intelligence characteristics of CoreDirector, are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in such forward-looking statements, due to risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's business, which include the risk factors disclosed in the Company's Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 21, 2002. Forward looking statements include statements regarding the Company's expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future and can be identified by forward looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "should," "will," and "would" or similar words. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.