Resilient telecommunications infrastructure provides smart network monitoring for Germany’s natural gas transmission network

To assure reliable and secure data transportation in support of Germany’s Energy Transition, Open Grid Europe is working with Ciena^® (NYSE: CIEN), in consultation with Kapsch CarrierCom, to deploy a dedicated communications network backbone to facilitate Open Grid Europe’s intelligent coordination of gas transmission and sustainable energy supply. With Ciena, Open Grid Europe’s new programmable, high-capacity network will provide high-speed Ethernet connectivity for smart, always-on control and monitoring.

Key Facts:

• Open Grid Europe is Germany's leading natural gas transmission network. It spans 12,000 km, as long as the German Autobahn, and delivers gas to more than 450 suppliers, providing approximately 758 billion kWh annually, which accounts for more than two thirds of Germany’s total natural gas.

• Germany’s Energy Transition, or "Energiewende," is a commitment to reforming the country’s power supply system by moving to more renewable energy sources – such as wind, solar and water – and increasing energy conservation for a secure, environmentally friendly and economically successful future. With 47.8% of German households being gas heated, Open Grid Europe’s network will help ensure consistent energy supply and conservation as renewable sources can fluctuate.
• Ciena’s 6500 Packet-Optical Platform and unified management capability underpin the communications infrastructure of Open Grid Europe’s extensive pipeline and numerous compressor stations, providing 10G Ethernet for the operations and maintenance of process data, such as measurement, monitoring and control information.

• Kapsch CarrierCom, a global system integrator and supplier of end-to-end telecommunications solutions and a Ciena BizConnect partner, deployed Open Grid Europe’s robust Ciena-based network as a fully managed service.

Executive Comments:

• “Ensuring sustainable energy supply is our priority. With Ciena and Kapsch we have the infrastructure for intelligent coordination and smart network monitoring, which means we can focus on ensuring that the transmission of Germany’s natural gas is dependable and efficient.”
  -       Claus Meyer, Head of Technical Operations, Open Grid Europe
• “With Ciena’s technology, we can design, deploy and manage the latest generation of converged network technologies to enhance network performance and availability for Open Grid Europe. This tailored network will also support Open Grid Europe’s future initiatives, making its network a powerful and strategic business asset.”
  -       Ralf Arweiler, Vice President Carriers at Kapsch CarrierCom AG
• “OpenGrid Europe depends on fully redundant and secure data transportation for the management and monitoring of its mission-critical infrastructure. With Ciena facilitating operational simplicity and Kapsch delivering a tailored, end-to-end solution, Open Grid Europe can ensure its long-term competitive advantage.”
  -       Franck Welter, Head of Partners, Enterprise and Public Sector, EMEA at Ciena

About Open Grid EuropeOpen Grid Europe, with its head office in Essen, operates Germany's largest transportation network that is approx. 12,000 km in length. About 1,650 staff combine decades of experience in technology, operation and marketing.

Our name is both mission and vision: openness and transparency (Open) are our guiding principles for access to our gas pipeline network (Grid) within a European pipeline system (Europe) where we also act as a hub (The Gas Wheel).

We actively shape the future of the European natural gas transportation market. As the first German transmission system operator we merged market areas in NetConnect Germany (NCG) as early as 2008, leading to today’s cooperation involving six partners. The NCG virtual trading point now is one of the most liquid gas trading hubs in Europe.

As a transmission system operator we are subject to the supervision of the Federal Network Agency, the German regulator, and are bound by both EU and national regulations. We were the first in Germany to set our company up as an independent transmission operator or ITO and, within this framework, independently perform all tasks required for our business.

About Kapsch CarrierComKapsch CarrierCom is a leading, global systems integrator, manufacturer and supplier of end-to-end telecommunications solutions. The company offers innovative, business and mission-critical solutions for rail and urban public transport operators, carrier networks and energy supply companies. Kapsch CarrierCom is a trusted partner to organisations, who benefit from a comprehensive array of professional services and round-the-clock customer service. With nine research and development centres in Europe and Asia, Kapsch CarrierCom is constantly pushing the boundaries of technology. In addition, the company works with an ecosystem of strategic partners to maximise value for clients and help them increase their business success. Kapsch CarrierCom is part of the Kapsch Group and is headquartered in Vienna, Austria. For additional information: www.kapsch.net.

About CienaCiena (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 onLinkedIn. Investors are encouraged to review the Investors section of our website atwww.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-K, which Ciena filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 9, 2016. 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.