Ciena Announces Internet Availability of 2008 Annual Meeting Proxy Materials Under New SEC Notice and Access Rule

Linthicum, MD — 02/08/2008

Ciena® Corporation (NASDAQ: CIEN), the network specialist, today announced that the Company’s proxy materials for its 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders are now available via the Internet under the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC’s) new Notice and Access rule. Ciena’s 2007 annual report on Form 10-K and its proxy statement for the 2008 Annual Meeting, as filed with the SEC, can be viewed on the Company’s website at: http://www.ciena.com/investors/investors_shareholdermeeting.htm.

The new Notice and Access rule allows companies to furnish proxy materials to shareholders via the Internet as an alternative to traditional delivery of printed materials. By implementing the new Notice and Access rule, Ciena reduced the number of printed copies of its annual report and proxy materials this year by more than 80 percent, lowering the cost of both producing and delivering these materials while also reducing the associated environmental impact.

Ciena’s shareholders may obtain hard copies of the Company’s proxy materials free of charge by following the instructions provided on the Company’s website or in the “Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials” that was mailed today to shareholders as of the January 28, 2008 record date for the Annual Meeting. Ciena’s 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 at 3:00 p.m. (Eastern) at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel, 700 Aliceanna St., Baltimore, MD. The proceedings of the meeting will be webcast live via a link on the Company’s website at http://www.ciena.com/.