NORFOLK SOUTHERN SELECTS CIENA’S ONLINE TRANSPORT OPTICAL DATA NETWORKING SOLUTION
Linthicum, MD — 11/11/2002Ciena® Corporation (NASDAQ: CIEN), a leading provider of intelligent optical networking systems and software, today announced that Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC), one of the nation's premier transportation companies, has selected Ciena’s ONLINE™ Transport metropolitan dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) platform to support multiple services for its internal telecommunications network.
Norfolk Southern deploys data centers to manage transportation, e-commerce, and other corporate data applications. Ciena’s ONLINE Transport provides Norfolk Southern increased network capacity and optical protection for mainframe and client server systems between multiple data centers and large campus environments. Norfolk Southern has deployed the ONLINE Transport platform to provide for disaster recovery and normal operations of these transportation, e-commerce, and corporate applications.
“ Ciena delivered the density and variety of services Norfolk Southern required to build and manage a resilient, multi-protocol metropolitan optical network by utilizing native transport ESCON®, Fibre Channel, SONET, and Gigabit Ethernet capabilities on a single platform," said Dexter Grindstaff, manager of network systems for Norfolk Southern Corporation. “The ONLINE Transport platform provides a cost-effective and reliable network architecture to help Norfolk Southern ensure client satisfaction with efficient delivery, control and safety.”
ONLINE Transport’s ability to handle high channel counts will interconnect Unix servers in support of critical web-based business ordering, tracking, and billing applications, allowing customers to efficiently manage their rail traffic.
“ Norfolk Southern required optical connectivity between geographically distributed sites for protection of their data centers, without the costs associated with traditional carrier services,” said Pamela Adams, senior vice president of Ciena’s metro networking group. “Ciena’s ONLINE solutions offer high-density, high-bandwidth services while providing an intelligent management infrastructure.”
The ONLINE architecture, equipped with optical add/drop multiplex capabilities, significantly reduces the number of required nodes and ports on the network while improving overall resiliency (less than 50 milliseconds). Ciena’s next-generation solution, including dynamic optical power management, also grants Norfolk Southern the growth flexibility to readily add services, channels and nodes with minimal manual effort required.
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 operating costs. Additional information about Ciena can be found at www.ciena.com.
Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates 21,500 route miles in 22 states, the District of Columbia and Ontario, serving every major container port in the eastern United States and providing superior connections to western rail carriers. NS operates the East's most extensive intermodal network and is the nation's largest rail carrier of automotive parts and finished vehicles.
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 but not limited to Ciena’s intention of supplying the ONLINE Transport product to Norfolk Southern, and the expected benefits of such a deployment, 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-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 22, 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.
Nicole Anderson
Ciena Corporation
(877) 857 -7377
pr@ciena.com
Marie Downing
Ciena Corporation
(888) 243-6223
ir@ciena.com
