Ciena Announces Carrier Ethernet Certification Program

Courses completely independent of specific vendors or products and focus on the
protocols and technologies to design, build, operate and manage large-scale
Carrier Ethernet networks
LINTHICUM, Md.--(Business Wire)--
Ciena® Corporation (NASDAQ:CIEN), the network specialist, today announced the
industry`s first Carrier Ethernet Certification Program focused solely on
Carrier Ethernet technology as opposed to specific vendors or products. Carrier
Ethernet is the first of multiple training and certification programs that will
be offered by Ciena Learning Solutions, the company`s new group focused on the
technology certification and continuing education market. Courses are offered in
traditional classrooms, online and on-site at customer locations through an
international network of partner educational institutions.

Ciena Learning Solutions has established multiple partnerships to expand the
reach of its technology certification program. Global Corporate College (GCC) is
an association of more than 100 colleges and universities worldwide that has
partnered with Ciena to offer the new Carrier Ethernet Certification Program in
select markets through its member schools. Through the affiliation with GCC,
member schools get access to standardized, vendor-independent courses on
advanced Carrier Ethernet technologies to address the growing market demand for
knowledgeable professionals to design, build and manage next generation
networks. In addition, IEEE, the world`s leading professional association for
the advancement of technology, has named Ciena Learning Solutions an IEEE
Education Partner, an important resource for IEEE members. Ciena Learning
Solutions partnered with NIIT, a leading global talent development organization,
to develop the certification program.

"Technology certification programs today essentially represent a live version of
a specific vendor`s product manual, so we see a real opportunity to offer
increased value by focusing on the fundamental technology building blocks of
advanced networks," said James Caprara, vice president, global human resources
development at Ciena. "This approach enables us to extend our Carrier Ethernet
and optical technology and network design expertise into new knowledge-based
products that deliver vendor-independent training and education to a wide range
of sales, engineering, technical support and IT professionals from service
providers, large enterprises, research and education institutions, government,
military and other organizations as well as college students in the early stages
of their networking careers."

To address the needs of beginners to skilled professionals, the Carrier Ethernet
Certification Program is led by Ciena Carrier Ethernet experts and is available
in four tiers, with each requiring completion of the previous course as a
prerequisite:

* Carrier Ethernet Associate - students gain a firm foundation in Carrier
Ethernet standards, terminology, concepts and applications. This course is
designed for people in or entering sales, general management and executive
positions and is the foundation for all subsequent programs.
* Carrier Ethernet Professional - in a lab-based environment, students gain
skills and knowledge required to configure and troubleshoot Carrier Ethernet
networks. This course is designed for customer service technicians, deployment
engineers and technical support engineers.
* Carrier Ethernet Consultant - using case studies, students develop analytical
skills required to design Carrier Ethernet solutions for real-world
applications. This course is designed for systems engineers, network planners
and advanced technical support engineers.
* Carrier Ethernet Expert - students analyze and propose solutions for
high-level Carrier Ethernet service provider issues. This course is designed for
network architects and design engineers.

For more details on the Carrier Ethernet Certification Program and curriculum
content for each level, please visit: http://www.ciena.com/support.htm.

"As networks transition from legacy to new technologies, so too must the
professional training resources, which is why we`ve partnered with Ciena
Learning Solutions to offer this unique Carrier Ethernet Certification Program
to our members," said Dr. Laura Weidner, Dean, Workforce Development, Anne
Arundel Community College and GCC Board Liaison. "With colleges in 12 markets
across the U.S. already signed up to offer the courses, and potentially
expanding up to 100 markets worldwide within the next year, we`re enthusiastic
about the response and the ability to bring in-depth, multi-tier technology
education to our members to help them address the demand for emerging technology
education much faster than if they tried to develop it on their own."

Anne Arundel Community College in Maryland, a founding member of the GCC, has
already begun offering Ciena Learning Solutions courses at its Hanover, Md.
campus. The GCC is currently offering classes in multiple locations, including:
Chicago, Denver and Washington, DC. To register for one of these classes or the
others offered by other GCC members or virtual classes online, please visit:
http://www.ciena.com/support/carrier_ethernet_certification_registration.htm.

About Ciena

Ciena specializes in practical network transition. We offer leading network
infrastructure solutions, intelligent software and a comprehensive services
practice to help our customers use their networks to fundamentally change the
way they compete. With a global presence, Ciena leverages its heritage of
practical innovation to deliver maximum performance and economic value in
communications networks worldwide. We routinely post recent news, financial
results and other important announcements and information about Ciena on our
website. For more information, visit www.ciena.com.

Note to Ciena Investors

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 3, 2009.
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.

Ciena Corporation
Press Contact:
Nicole Anderson, 877-857-7377
pr@ciena.com
or
Investor Contact:
Suzanne DuLong, 888-243-6223
ir@ciena.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009