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CIENA’S ONLINE TRANSPORT RECEIVES BROCADE FABRIC AWARE STATUS FOR END-TO-END STORAGE NETWORKING INTEROPERABILITY

ONLINE Transport Platform Demonstrates Interoperability in Heterogeneous Brocade-Based 2-Gigabit Fibre Channel Storage Area Network Environments

Ciena® Corporation (NASDAQ: CIEN), a leading provider of intelligent optical networking systems and software, announced today that the ONLINE™ Transport platform has been verified by Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. as interoperable with Brocade-based storage area networking (SAN) infrastructure. Testing was conducted through the Brocade Fabric Aware Program, an end-to-end interoperability initiative for storage entry to enterprise networks. The program is a comprehensive testing and configuration initiative designed to foster end-to-end SAN interoperability in multi-vendor Brocade-based SAN environments.

The Ciena ONLINE Transport platform delivers low-cost, scalable capacity to the enterprise and metro network operator with full dynamic add-drop capabilities on all deployed optical channels in the system. Fast optical layer protection switching provides the operator with a higher level of network survivability and less complexity than SONET-based solutions. This interoperability provides the highest level of assurance and technical support as customers migrate from 1G to 2G Fibre Channel over a Ciena-Brocade storage network.

Testing was conducted at the Brocade interoperability labs, which are state-of-the-art facilities supporting end-to-end interoperability and performance testing of SAN products in multi-vendor and large fabric SAN environments. The Brocade Fabric Aware Program has added more than forty members since its launch in 2000. In addition, as part of its investment in SAN interoperability, Brocade actively supports its members’ interoperability initiatives.

“ Ciena’s completion of Brocade’s Fabric Aware Program ensures best-of-breed storage-over-optical interoperability with Brocade's 2-Gigabit FC switches and director products,” said Dawn Hogh, vice president, product line management and solutions, metro networking group for Ciena. “As a result, customers will be able to extend the distance of enterprise and metropolitan area SANs.”

“ We are pleased that Ciena has successfully completed the Fabric Aware testing with Brocade fabric switches in multi-vendor SAN environments,” said Jay Kidd, Brocade vice president of product marketing. “Storage area networks are being deployed worldwide at a rapid rate as a scalable, high performance networking foundation for storage environments. The Fabric Aware program is an example of our continued commitment to delivering end-to-end interoperability to SAN customers.”