Ciena^® (NYSE: CIEN) will showcase its packet networking and Blue Planet software solutions at the MEF’s GEN 15 event taking place November 16-19 in Dallas. Ciena’s Blue Planet software division will be on full display demonstrating the benefits of service orchestration and what it means to the network. Attendees will also have the opportunity to see an in-depth view into the benefits that Ciena’s Coherent Service Line Module (CSLM) can provide when complemented by WaveLogic 3 Nano technology to extend distances between data centers up to 1,000km while supporting growing demand for services at 100GE data rates.

Ciena will also participate in the first ever LSO Hackathon, which will help facilitate the collaboration and creation of innovative and creative Ethernet services using newly-defined, open application programming interfaces under the service configuration and activation framework.

Additionally, Ciena executives and subject matter experts will present in several technical sessions, panel discussions and a keynote address at the event.

Proof of Concept (PoC) Showcase (GEN 15 Networking Hall):

• This Colt-sponsored, multi-vendor Proof-of-Concept (PoC) will showcase an open and future-proof architecture that allows service providers to efficiently integrate best-in-class Virtual Network Functions (VNFs), as well as rapidly develop and operationalize innovative, new Network Function Virtualization (NFV)-enabled Carrier Ethernet business services. Specifically, this PoC will demonstrate multi-domain lifecycle service orchestration of virtual CPE (vCPE) VNFs across an NFV-ready data center infrastructure and an SDN-enabled Carrier Ethernet WAN.

Demonstrations (Booth #501):

• Blue Planet software – Multiple demonstrations will provide an overview of how NFV in concert with Software Defined Networking (SDN) streamlines automation of the network service lifecycle across multi-vendor and multi-domain environments leading to truly open programmable network architectures.

• Packet Networking Portfolio – Ciena will showcase the 3903, 3905, and 3938vi, which are purpose-built for small and medium business MEF CE 2.0 certified Ethernet business services, small cell mobile backhaul, and virtual CPE applications. The use of Ciena’s 8700 Packetwave Platform for dense and energy-efficient Ethernet service aggregation and switching and data center interconnect will also be presented.

Speaking Sessions:

• Monday, November 16 at 2:15 p.m. CST - Abel Tong, Senior Director, Solutions Marketing for Blue Planet at Ciena, will be presenting a session titled “Lifecycle Service Orchestration in an SDN/NFV Context.”
• Tuesday, November 17 at 11:20 a.m. CST - Kevin Sheehan, Vice President, Global Operations for Blue Planet at Ciena, will explore the impact of a multi-domain, software-driven environment for service delivery during the keynote session “Accelerating SDN and NFV—A Glimpse into the Future.”

• Tuesday, November 17 at 11:45 a.m. CST - Nirav Modi, Vice President, Product Portfolio Management for Blue Planet at Ciena, will participate as a panel member during the “Combining LSO, Carrier SDN, and NFV to Generate New Revenue & Drive Business Transformation” technology innovation roundtable.
• Wednesday, November 18 at 3:00 p.m. CST - Abel Tong will participate as a panel member during the “Managing and Scaling NFV & SDN Rollouts” session.

About Ciena
Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) is the network specialist. We collaborate with customers worldwide to unlock the strategic potential of their networks and fundamentally change the way they perform and compete. Ciena leverages its deep expertise in packet and optical networking and distributed software automation to deliver solutions in alignment with its OPⁿ architecture for next-generation networks. We enable a high-scale, programmable infrastructure that can be controlled and adapted by network-level applications, and provide open interfaces to coordinate computing, storage and network resources in a unified, virtualized environment. For updates on Ciena news, follow us on Twitter @Ciena or on LinkedIn. Investors are encouraged to review the Investors section of our website at www.ciena.com/investors, where we routinely post press releases, SEC filings, recent news, financial results, and other announcements. From time to time we exclusively post material information to this website along with other disclosure channels that we use.

Note to Ciena Investors
Forward-looking statements. This press release contains certain forward-looking statements based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof; and Ciena's actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied, due to risks and uncertainties associated with its business, which include the risk factors disclosed in its Report on Form 10-Q, which Ciena filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 9, 2015. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding Ciena'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. Ciena assumes no obligation to update the information included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.