CIENA AND CYRAS DEMONSTRATE INTEROPERABILITY AT OFC 2001
Companies Show First-Ever Complete Edge-to-Core Intelligent Optical Networking Solutions
Linthicum, MD — 03/19/2001Ciena Corporation (CIEN) and Cyras Systems, Inc. today announced that the two companies will demonstrate interoperability between Ciena's MultiWave CoreDirector™ intelligent optical core switch and MultiWave Metro™ optical transport system and Cyras' K2™ Next-Generation SONET platform at this week's OFC 2001 conference and exhibit. Ciena intends to complete its acquisition of Cyras during the first calendar quarter of 2001.
Ciena and Cyras will feature two separate demonstrations during the OFC exhibit March 19 - 22, 2001 in Ciena's booth #1616. The first will show video traffic passing through Cyras' K2 platform and Ciena's MultiWave Metro and CoreDirector platforms over 2.5 Gigabits per second (Gbps) optical wavelengths. The second demo will highlight the K2's ability to deliver Gigabit Ethernet services over 10Gbps optical wavelengths.
"Cyras' K2 and Ciena's CoreDirector family of intelligent optical switches will result in a very effective combination in offering advanced bandwidth intelligence across the optical network," said Mark Lutkowitz, vice president of optical networking research for Communications Industry Researchers. "Being in constant touch with service providers, I am impressed by the dominating market position of CoreDirector as well as the sizable lead of the K2 in terms of low-cost OC-192 capability. Furthermore, it appears that Ciena has all of the bases covered in the public metropolitan network with its Metro transport solutions and Cyras K2 intelligent switching platform."
"Ciena and Cyras have very compatible technologies," said Bob Lee, senior director of marketing, Cyras Systems, Inc. "The two compelling demonstrations that we will show are strong testament to this compatibility."
"These interoperability demonstrations highlight the significant value that will be created through the combination of Ciena and Cyras products," said Chris Liou, senior director of product management and marketing, Ciena. "Customers can see first-hand the intelligent, end-to-end solutions that the two companies will provide with the K2, CoreDirector and Metro platforms."
About Cyras' K2
The K2 Next-Generation SONET Platform is designed for carriers facing the ever-increasing need for usable, cost-effective bandwidth. The K2 is NEBS Level 3 certified and supports all supplemental RBOC requirements and OSMINE. The K2 offers easy integration into existing network environments and delivers superior levels of price/performance, bandwidth optimization, reliability, service flexibility, provisioning capabilities and support for all prevailing circuit-switched and data-centric transport protocols. The K2 platform, with its patented backplane architecture, helps carriers transcend metro area gridlock while extracting the potential from their existing mixed-traffic infrastructure. Cyras' K2 is now generally available in production quantities.
About Ciena's MultiWave CoreDirector
Ciena's MultiWave CoreDirector is an intelligent optical core switch that provides the high-bandwidth switching, protection and provisioning capabilities for next-generation optical networking. With built-in networking intelligence, CoreDirector enables carriers to quickly create and deliver dynamic new optical services at any time, any size and any priority. With density up to 640 Gbps/bay, scalability to OC-768, and granularity down to STS-1, CoreDirector eliminates the need for additional SONET/SDH add/drop multiplexers, digital cross-connects, and optical cross-connects.
About Ciena's MultiWave Metro
MultiWave Metro is an intelligent optical transport system that offers carrier-class, ring-based protection with the ability to support SONET/SDH, IP, ATM, Gigabit Ethernet and high-bandwidth private line services at rates up to 10Gbps per channel. Utilizing all-optical protection and its ability to drop any traffic at any location on the ring without any intervening legacy gear, MultiWave Metro is a key step in the migration to simpler, more cost-effective, end-to-end networks.
Ciena Corporation's market-leading optical networking systems and software 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 www.ciena.com.
Cyras Systems, founded in 1998, creates Next-Generation Optical Networking Platforms for the global telecommunications market. This Gear for the Optical GenerationÔ is a flexible, scalable and protocol-fluent optical platform that revitalizes carriers' Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) by providing relief from the surge of mixed-traffic congestion. Cyras has raised more than $220M through a combination of equity and convertible debt financing. On December 19, 2000, Ciena Corporation announced its intention to acquire Cyras in a stock-for-stock transaction. The proposed acquisition is expected to close by the end of 1Q2001. Cyras is an ISO 9001 certified supplier and is headquartered in Fremont, California. Further information is available on the Internet at www.cyras.com or by calling (510) 623-6600. Cyras and K2 are trademarks of Cyras Systems Inc.
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, the potential merger with Cyras, timing of the merger, product compatibility and network management benefits of the Company's products, 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 February 15, 2001. 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 Gennis Lafayette
Cyras Systems, Inc.
(510) 623-6682
gennisl@cyras.com
Marie Downing
Ciena Corporation
(888) 243-6223
ir@ciena.com
