{{short description|American telecommunications company}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}} {{Infobox company | name = Ciena Corporation | logo = Ciena logo.svg | type = [[Public company|Public]] | traded_as = {{ubl|{{NYSE|CIEN}}|[[S&P 500]] component}} | key_people = {{ubl | Patrick Nettles ([[executive chairman]]) | [[Gary Smith (Ciena CEO)|Gary Smith]] ([[President (corporate title)|president]] & [[Chief executive officer|CEO]])}} | industry = Networking systems & software | products = Networking systems and [[Product (business)|products]] | services = | revenue = {{increase}} {{US$|4.77 billion|link=yes}} (2025) | operating_income = {{increase}} {{US$|198 million}} (2025) | net_income = {{increase}} {{US$|123 million}} (2025) | assets = {{increase}} {{US$|5.86 billion}} (2025) | equity = {{decrease}} {{US$|2.73 billion}} (2025) | num_employees = 9,080 (2025) | caption = | founded = {{Start date and age|1992}} | founder = David Huber, Optelecom (company), and Kevin Kimberlin | location_city = [[Hanover, Maryland]] | location_country = U.S. | website = {{URL|ciena.com}} | footnotes = <ref name=AR>{{cite web |title=Ciena Corporation FY 2025 Annual Report (Form 10-K) |url=https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/936395/000162828025056698/cien-20251101.htm |publisher=[[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]] |date=12 December 2025}}</ref><ref name="Spokane">{{cite news |last1=Bjerken |first1=LeAnn |title=Ciena Corp. to close its Spokane Valley office this fall |url=https://www.spokanejournal.com/local-news/ciena-corp-to-close-its-spokane-valley-office-this-fall/ |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=[[Spokane Journal of Business]] |date=July 19, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Gary B. Smith">{{cite news |title=Gary B. Smith |url=https://thedailyrecord.com/2019/04/02/gary-b-smith/ |accessdate=July 9, 2019 |work=[[Daily Record (Maryland)|Daily Record]] |date=April 2, 2019}}</ref> }}
'''Ciena Corporation''' is an American optical networking systems and software company<ref name="Khan">{{cite news |last1=Khan |first1=Danish |title=Ciena to start local manufacturing in India; says India fastest growing market globally |url=https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/ciena-to-start-local-manufacturing-in-india-says-india-fastest-growing-market-globally/64123861 |accessdate=July 26, 2019 |work=[[The Economic Times]] |date=May 11, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Gallagher">{{cite news |last1=Gallagher |first1=Dan |title=No Optical Illusion at Ciena |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/no-optical-illusion-at-ciena-11544725234 |accessdate=June 19, 2019 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=December 13, 2018}}</ref><ref name=Wariness>{{cite news |last1=La Monica |first1=Paul R. |title=Huawei wariness is helping an American networking company |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/06/investing/ciena-earnings-huawei/index.html |accessdate=June 19, 2019 |work=[[CNN Business]] |date=June 6, 2019}}</ref> based in [[Hanover, Maryland]].<ref name="Eric J.">{{cite news |last1=Savitz |first1=Eric J. |title=Ciena Stock Is Soaring on Strong Earnings and 'Very Good Execution' |url=https://www.barrons.com/articles/ciena-stock-is-soaring-on-strong-earnings-and-upbeat-guidance-51559836170 |accessdate=June 19, 2019 |work=[[Barron's (newspaper)|Barron's]] |date=June 6, 2019}}</ref><ref name=BWProfile>{{cite web|url = http://baltimore.citybizlist.com/article/ciena-corp-moving-hq-station-ridge-hanover|title = Ciena Corp Moving HQ to Station Ridge in Hanover|work = citybizlist Baltimore|publisher = citybizlist|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://archive.today/20130628221537/http://baltimore.citybizlist.com/article/ciena-corp-moving-hq-station-ridge-hanover|archive-date = June 28, 2013|df = dmy-all}}</ref> The company has been described as a vital player in optical connectivity.<ref name="Mirabella">{{cite news |last1=Mirabella |first1=Lorraine |title=As global demand spurs strong results, Hanover-based Ciena could benefit from China tensions |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/anne-arundel/bs-bz-ciena-earnings-20181213-story.html |accessdate=June 19, 2019 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=December 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227174013/https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/anne-arundel/bs-bz-ciena-earnings-20181213-story.html |archive-date=Feb 27, 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The company reported revenues of $4.8 billion<ref name=AR /> and more than 9,000 employees, {{as of|2025|11|lc=y}}.<ref name=AR /> [[Gary Smith (Ciena CEO)|Gary Smith]] serves as [[President (corporate title)|president]] and [[chief executive officer]] (CEO).<ref name="Gary B. Smith">{{cite news |title=Gary B. Smith |url=https://thedailyrecord.com/2019/04/02/gary-b-smith/ |accessdate=July 9, 2019 |work=[[Daily Record (Maryland)|Daily Record]] |date=April 2, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Patel |first=Nilay |date=2025-01-27 |title=How Ciena keeps the internet running, with CEO Gary Smith |url=https://www.theverge.com/24351247/ciena-fiber-optic-internet-subsea-cables-wdm-ai-hyperscale-data-decoder-podcast-interview |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref>
Customers include [[AT&T]], [[Deutsche Telekom]],<ref name=Wariness/> [[KT Corporation]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Company News; Ciera Shares Leap After Company Wins Korea Contract |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/26/business/company-news-ciena-shares-leap-after-company-wins-korea-contract.html |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=September 26, 2000}}</ref> and [[Verizon Communications]].<ref name=Gallagher/><ref name="Bagnall">{{cite news |last1=Bagnall |first1=James |title=Bagnall: Ciena's blowout year — built from the ghost of Nortel |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/business/local-business/bagnall-cienas-blowout-year-built-with-the-ghost-of-nortel |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=[[Ottawa Citizen]] |date=January 2, 2019}}</ref>
==History== Ciena was founded in 1992 under the name '''HydraLite''' by electrical engineer [[David R. Huber]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/03/business/fiber-optic-technology-draws-record-stock-value.html|title=Fiber-Optic Technology Draws Record Stock Value|last=Markoff|first=John|date=March 3, 1997|website=The New York Times}}</ref><ref name="OptelecomHydraLite">{{Cite news|last=Auerweck|first=Steve|date=May 17, 1993|title=Optelecom, HydraLite become partners Optelecom Inc. of Gaithers...|work=The Baltimore Sun}}</ref> [[Optelecom]], an optical networking company and Huber's former employer, provided management assistance and production facilities,<ref name="OptelecomHydraLite"/> and co-founder [[Kevin Kimberlin]] provided initial equity capital during the formation of the company.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Ciena Corp – IPO: 'S-1/A' on 2/7/97|url=https://www.secinfo.com/dsvRq.89x.htm#42it}}</ref> Huber engaged William K. Woodruff & Co. to present the idea to John Bayless at Sevin Rosen in November 1993 which resulted in Sevin Rosen investing $1.25 million in April 1994.<ref name="Ribbing">{{cite news|last1=Ribbing|first1=Mark|date=August 16, 1998|title=Ciena Corp. built on dreams, risks Decision: Shareholders will vote Friday on the sale of the Linthicum telecommunications company, one of the most successful U.S. start-ups.|work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1998-08-16-1998228038-story.html|accessdate=June 14, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Mack">{{cite journal |last1=Mack |first1=Toni |title=Communications:the next wave |journal=[[Forbes]] |date=October 6, 1997 |url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/1997/1006/6007070a.html#463515d41c5f |accessdate=June 14, 2019}}</ref> William K. Woodruff & Co. was a co-manager of Ciena's IPO in February 1997.<ref name=":0" />
Ciena received $40 million in [[venture capital financing]] from [[Charles River Ventures]], Japan Associated Finance Co., Star Ventures, and Vanguard Venture Partners.<ref name="Anders">{{cite news |last1=Anders |first1=George |title=With Ciena, Investors Hit a Jackpot That's One for the Record Books |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB897010328374193000 |accessdate=June 14, 2019 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=June 5, 1998}}</ref> Bayless recruited physicist Patrick Nettles, a former colleague at the telecommunications company Optilink, to serve as Ciena's first CEO, and Lawrence P. Huang, another former colleague, to accept the sales chief role. Huber and Nettles, changed the company's name to Ciena, in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Big Milestones from our 25 Years at Ciena|url=https://www.ciena.com/insights/articles/25-Big-Milestones-from-our-25-Years-at-Ciena.html}}</ref> They began working from an office in [[Dallas]] in February 1994; Huber would remain with Ciena until 1995.<ref name=Ribbing/><ref name=Mack/>
The company's first products were introduced in May 1996 to Sprint Corporation.<ref name="Mack" /><ref name="25Years">{{Cite web|title=25 Big Milestones from our 25 Years at Ciena|url=http://www.ciena.com/insights/articles/25-Big-Milestones-from-our-25-Years-at-Ciena.html|access-date=May 25, 2020|website=www.ciena.com|language=en-US}}</ref> At $195 million, the company's first-year sales were the highest ever recorded by a startup at the time.<ref name=Ribbing/> [[WorldCom]] also became an early customer. As of early 1997, Sprint and WorldCom accounted for 97 percent of Ciena's revenue. Ciena began diversifying its clientele and acquiring smaller contracts in 1997.<ref name=Ribbing/>
Ciena went public on [[NASDAQ]] in February 1997 with the largest [[initial public offering]] by a [[startup company]] to date, with a valuation of $3.4 billion.<ref name=Mack/><ref name=Anders/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Markoff |first1=John |title=Fiber-Optic Technology Draws Record Stock Value |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/03/business/fiber-optic-technology-draws-record-stock-value.html |accessdate=June 24, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=March 3, 1997}}</ref> The company's headquarters were relocated to Maryland in March 1997.<ref name=Ribbing/> Ciena earned approximately $370 million in revenue and profits of $110 million for the fiscal year ending in October 1997.<ref name=Mack/> Customers at the time included [[AT&T]], [[Bell Atlantic]], and Digital Teleport.<ref name=Ribbing/>
In March 1998, Nettles and [[Michael Birck]] of [[Tellabs]] began discussing a possible merger. Tellabs announced the purchase of Ciena for $7.1 billion in June. Revenue surpassed $700 million by August 1998,<ref name=Ribbing/> and Ciena had approximately 1,300 employees at the time.<ref name=Anders/> The merger was called off.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Holseon |first1=Laura M. |title=The Story of a Failed Merger Proves to Be a Page Turner |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/21/business/the-story-of-a-failed-merger-proves-to-be-a-page-turner.html |accessdate=June 21, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=September 21, 1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Lawrence M. |first1=Fisher |title=Outlook Brightens for Ciena After Catastrophic '98 Drop |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/22/business/outlook-brightens-for-ciena-after-catastrophic-98-drop.html |accessdate=June 21, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=February 22, 1999}}</ref><ref name="Feder">{{cite news |last1=Feder |first1=Barnaby J. |title=The Markets: Market Place; Despite Soaring Profits and Sales, Ciena Is Tarred by Nasdaq Brush |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/19/business/markets-market-place-despite-soaring-profits-sales-ciena-tarred-nasdaq-brush.html |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=March 19, 2001}}</ref> in September 1998<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fisher |first1=Lawrence M. |title=Let's Call the Whole Thing Off: Tellabs Drops Acquisition of Ciena |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/15/business/let-s-call-the-whole-thing-off-tellabs-drops-acquisition-of-ciena.html |accessdate=June 24, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=September 15, 1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Business: Diary; Turning Tides Sink A Big Technology Deal |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/20/business/business-diary-turning-tides-sink-a-big-technology-deal.html |accessdate=June 24, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=September 20, 1998}}</ref> with financial performance and shareholder disapproval cited in the media as reasons. [[File:Ciena 3903.svg|alt=Ciena 3903 in SVG format|thumb|441x441px|Ciena 3903 in SVG format]]
===Since 2000s=== During the [[telecoms crash]], Ciena's annual sales decreased from $1.6 billion to approximately $300 million.<ref name="Odds">{{cite news |last1=Bagnall |first1=James |title=Against all odds: How Ciena and its Nortel engineers won optical |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/technology/tech-biz/against-all-odds-how-ciena-and-its-nortel-engineers-won-optical |accessdate=July 24, 2019 |work=Ottawa Citizen |date=June 24, 2016}}</ref> To address the company's challenges this presented, Gary Smith replaced Nettles as the company's CEO in 2001, and Nettles became executive chairman. The company raised $1.52 billion by selling 11 million shares of stock and $600 million in [[convertible bond]]s in 2001.<ref name="Odds" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Feder |first1=Barnaby J. |date=February 7, 2001 |title=Technology Briefing: Telecommunications; Ciena Raises $1.5 Billion |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/07/business/technology-briefing-telecommunications-ciena-raises-1.5-billion.html |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> Ciena was the second largest fiber optic networking equipment producer in the U.S. at the time.<ref>{{cite news |title=Technology; Ciena, Fiber Optic Company, Reports a Loss |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/18/business/technology-ciena-fiber-optic-company-reports-a-loss.html |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=May 18, 2001 |via=Bloomberg News}}</ref><ref name=Hardware>{{cite news |title=Technology Briefing : Hardware: Ciena Wins First AT&T Order |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/23/business/technology-briefing-hardware-ciena-wins-first-at-t-order.html |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=May 23, 2001 |via=Bloomberg News}}</ref>
While many telecommunications companies experienced downturns during the early 2000s, Ciena's cash influx provided flexibility and allowed the company to expand its product portfolio to include a broader range of advanced networking solutions and other technologies.<ref name=Odds/> Ciena also completed a series of strategic acquisitions, buying 11 companies between 1997 and early 2004,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reardon |first1=Marguerite |title=Ciena scoops up start-ups |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/ciena-scoops-up-start-ups/ |accessdate=July 31, 2019 |work=CNET |date=February 19, 2004}}</ref> spending more than $2 billion to purchase five networking technology companies during 2001 to 2004.<ref name=Odds/>
AT&T, which previously tested select Ciena equipment, signed a supply agreement in 2001.<ref name=Hardware/> In 2002, Ciena reported $361.1 million in sales and a loss of $1.59 billion,<ref name=Infringed>{{cite news |title=Technology Briefing : Telecommunications: Corvis Infringed Ciena Patent, Jury Says |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/29/business/technology-briefing-telecommunications-corvis-infringed-ciena-patent-jury-says.html |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=April 29, 2003 |via=Bloomberg News}}</ref> and had approximately 3,500 employees.<ref name=Merger>{{cite news |title=In a Merger Of Networkers, Ciena Will Buy ONI Systems |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/19/business/in-a-merger-of-networkers-ciena-will-buy-oni-systems.html |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=February 19, 2002 |first1=Mary Williams |last1=Walsh |first2=Simon |last2=Romero}}</ref> The company was the fourth largest producer of fiber optic equipment in the U.S. by 2003.<ref name=Widens>{{cite news |title=Technology Briefing : Hardware: Ciena Loss Widens On Costs To Retire Debt |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/21/business/technology-briefing-hardware-ciena-loss-widens-on-costs-to-retire-debt.html |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=February 21, 2003 |via=Bloomberg News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Technology Briefing: Hardware: Ciena Posts Higher-Than-Expected Loss |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/04/business/technology-briefing-hardware-ciena-posts-higher-than-expected-loss.html |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=February 4, 2004 |via=Bloomberg News}}</ref>
In 2003, a federal court jury determined that Corvis Corporation, another fiber optic telecommunications equipment provider established by Huber in 1997, infringed a patent owned by Ciena.<ref name=Infringed/>
In 2008, Ciena earned $902 million and reported a profit of $39 million.<ref name=Odds/> The company earned $653 million and reported a loss of $580 million in 2009; Ciena was generating approximately two-thirds of its revenue in the U.S. at the time.<ref name=Odds/><ref>{{cite news |title=$521 Million Bid for Nortel Unit |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/08/technology/companies/08nortel.html |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=October 7, 2009}}</ref> Ciena had net losses until 2015, when the company earned $2.4 billion in sales and posted a $12 million profit.<ref name=Odds/> Ciena's global workforce increased from 4,300 in 2011 to 5,345 by October 2015.<ref name=Odds/> The company's research and development budget for its Ottawa facilities was approximately $180 million per year, as of 2015.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sali |first1=David |title=Ciena to move to new Kanata North campus |url=https://obj.ca/article/ciena-move-new-kanata-north-campus |accessdate=August 1, 2019 |work=[[Ottawa Business Journal]] |date=May 8, 2015 |archive-date=June 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625195258/https://obj.ca/article/ciena-move-new-kanata-north-campus |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Ciena earned $2.8 billion in revenue in 2017,<ref name=Bagnall/> and reported annual sales of approximately $3.09 billion in 2018.<ref name=Mirabella/>It crossed the 4 billion mark by 2024. The company ranked number 770 and number 744 on the [[Fortune 1000|''Fortune'' 1000]] in 2017 and 2018, respectively and ranked 699 in 2024.<ref name=Fortune>{{cite journal |title=Ciena |journal=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] |url=http://fortune.com/fortune500/ciena/ |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |archive-date=February 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227171019/https://fortune.com/fortune500/ciena/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
===Acquisitions=== {| class="wikitable floatright" |- ! Company acquired !! Year |- | AstraCom Inc. | 1997 |- | ATI Telecom International Ltd. | 1998 |- | Terabit Technology Inc. | 1998 |- | Lightera Networks Inc. | 1999 |- | Omnia Communications Inc. | 1999 |- | Cyras Corp. | 2001 |- | ONI Systems | 2002 |- | WaveSmith Networks Inc. | 2003 |- | Akara Corp. | 2003 |- | Catena Networks | 2004 |- | Internet Photonics | 2004 |- | World Wide Packets Inc. | 2008 |- | Nortel Metro Ethernet Networks | 2010 |- | Cyan | 2015 |- | TeraXion Inc. | 2016 |- | [[Packet Design]] | 2016 |- | DonRiver | 2018 |- | Centina Systems | 2019 |- | Nubis Communications | 2025 |- |}
Ciena acquired the telecommunications company AstraCom Inc. in 1997 for $13.1 million. Fourteen of AstraCom's engineers signed four-year contracts with Ciena, and joined the company's new [[research and development]] team in [[Alpharetta, Georgia]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lundegaard |first1=Karen |title=Georgia Tech Firms Seem, At Last, Worth Watching |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB887742498343158500 |accessdate=June 24, 2019 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=February 18, 1998}}</ref> In early 1998, the company acquired [[Norcross, Georgia]]–based ATI Telecom International Ltd. and its subsidiary Alta Telecom in a transaction worth $52.5 million. Alta's engineering and installation products were used by service providers for switching, transport, and [[wireless]] communications; the company continued to operate as a subsidiary of Ciena.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Ciena expands service offerings with acquisition of ATI Telecom International Ltd. |journal=Baltimore Business Journal |date=January 26, 1998 |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/1998/01/26/daily3.html |accessdate=June 24, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ribbing |first1=Mark |title=Ciena to buy equipment installer ATI Telecom would enable acquirer to do 'the whole package' |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1998-01-27-1998027069-story.html |accessdate=June 24, 2019 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=January 27, 1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Company News; Ciena in $52.4 Million Stock Deal for ATI Telecom |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/27/business/company-news-ciena-in-52.4-million-stock-deal-for-ati-telecom.html |accessdate=June 24, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=January 27, 1998 |via=Bloomberg News}}</ref> Ciena purchased Terabit Technology Inc., a producer of detectors for data transmission based in [[Santa Barbara, California]],<ref>{{cite book |title=Public Universities and Regional Growth: Insights from the University of California |date=June 18, 2014 |publisher=Stanford University Press |page=65 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KjeOAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA65 |accessdate=July 30, 2019 |first1=Martin |last1=Kenney |first2=David C. |last2=Mowery|isbn=9780804791427 }}</ref> for $11.7 million in April 1998.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ribbing |first1=Mark |title=Ciena may lose its name and keep a bit of dazzle After 'joining forces' with Tellabs, firm sees more Md. growth |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1998-06-04-1998155049-story.html |accessdate=June 24, 2019 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=June 4, 1998}}</ref> The company acquired [[Cupertino, California]]–based Lightera Networks Inc. and [[Marlborough, Massachusetts]]–based Omnia Communications Inc. for $980 million in stock in 1999.<ref name="LAT">{{cite news |title=Ciena to Acquire Lightera and Omnia |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-mar-16-nc-17687-story.html |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=March 16, 1999 |via=Bloomberg News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Company News; Ciena in Two Acquisitions for $980 Million |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/16/business/company-news-ciena-in-two-acquisitions-for-980-million.html |accessdate=June 21, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=March 16, 1999 |via=Bloomberg News}}</ref>
The company purchased Cyras Corp. of [[Fremont, California]], during 2000 to 2001 for $2 billion in stock.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sorkin |first1=Andrew Ross |title=Technology Briefing: Hardware; Ciena Buying Cyras for $2 Billion |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/20/business/technology-briefing-hardware-ciena-buying-cyras-for-2-billion.html |accessdate=June 24, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=December 20, 2000 |author-link=Andrew Ross Sorkin}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Orman |first1=Neil |title=Cyras buy gives Ciena stronger hand in optical competition |journal=Silicon Valley Business Journal |date=January 7, 2001 |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2001/01/08/smallb3.html |accessdate=June 24, 2019}}</ref> ONI Systems, a [[San Jose, California]]–based producer of phone and computer data equipment, was acquired by Ciena for $900 million in stock in June 2002.<ref name=Merger/><ref name=Widens/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Santiago |first1=William |title=Executive Life; Squeezing Yourself Out (for the Company) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/01/business/executive-life-squeezing-yourself-out-for-the-company.html |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=September 1, 2002}}</ref> The acquisitions of Cyras, which produced [[optical switch]] systems, and ONI, which made transport equipment for data transfer, allowed Ciena to focus on networks in metropolitan areas.<ref name="Hirsh"/>
Ciena purchased WaveSmith Networks Inc., an optical-networking equipment manufacturer based in [[Acton, Massachusetts]], for $158 million in stock in 2003.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Yuki |last1=Noguchi |first2=Ellen |last2=McCarthy |title=Ciena to Acquire WaveSmith Networks |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/2003/04/10/ciena-to-acquire-wavesmith-networks/6ae2efe1-f4ab-4e5b-989a-df4d3f548f72/ |accessdate=June 24, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 10, 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Ciena expands WaveSmith investment to buyout |journal=EE Times |date=April 10, 2003 |url=https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1202100# |accessdate=June 24, 2019}}</ref> Ciena acquired the [[Ottawa]]-based data storage networking company Akara Corp. for $45 million in 2003. Akara expanded Ciena's product line and storage networking capabilities, and continued to operate as a subsidiary.<ref name="Hirsh"/><ref>{{cite journal |title=Ciena pays $45 million for storage networking specialist Akara |journal=EE Times |date=August 21, 2003 |url=https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1202773 |accessdate=June 24, 2019}}</ref> Catena Networks and [[New Jersey]]–based Internet Photonics were purchased by Ciena in 2004.<ref name="Hirsh">{{cite news |last1=Hirsh |first1=Stacey |title=Ciena staging comeback by diversifying |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2006-03-02-0603020025-story.html |accessdate=June 25, 2019 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=March 2, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Ciena buys Catena, Internet Photonics in deals worth $636 million |journal=EE Times |date=February 19, 2004 |url=https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1207023# |accessdate=June 25, 2019}}</ref> The stock transactions were valued at $486.7 million and $150 million, respectively. Catena had approximately 220 employees at the time,<ref>{{cite news |title=Ciena buying Ottawa's Catena |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/ciena-buying-ottawas-catena/article20428409/ |accessdate=June 25, 2019 |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |date=February 19, 2004}}</ref> and the purchase of Internet Photonics marked Ciena's entrance into the cable industry.<ref name=IP>{{cite journal |title=Ciena to acquire Internet Photonics |journal=Electronic Component News |date=March 31, 2004 |url=https://www.ecnmag.com/news/2004/03/ciena-acquire-internet-photonics |accessdate=July 30, 2019 |publisher=[[Advantage Business Media]] }}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
In 2008, Ciena acquired World Wide Packets Inc. (WWP), a [[Spokane Valley, Washington]]–based producer of switches and software for Ethernet services, for approximately $296 million. WWP offered the LightningEdge [[operating system]] and network management tools, and had more than 100 customers in 25 countries at the time. WWP became a whole owned subsidiary, and the company's office and 65 employees in [[Spokane, Washington]] were used by Ciena until mid 2018.<ref name="Spokane">{{cite news |last1=Bjerken |first1=LeAnn |title=Ciena Corp. to close its Spokane Valley office this fall |url=https://www.spokanejournal.com/local-news/ciena-corp-to-close-its-spokane-valley-office-this-fall/ |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=[[Spokane Journal of Business]] |date=July 19, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lawson |first1=Stephen |title=Carrier Gear Vendor Ciena Buys World Wide Packets |journal=[[PC World]] |date=January 23, 2008 |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/141686/article.html |accessdate=July 30, 2019 |archive-date=December 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203081439/https://www.pcworld.com/article/141686/article.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Ciena acquired [[Nortel]]'s optical technology and [[Carrier Ethernet]] division for approximately $770 million during 2009 to 2010.<ref name=Bagnall/><ref>{{cite news |title=Ciena Said to Win Nortel Unit for $769 Million |url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2009/11/23/ciena-said-to-win-nortel-unit-for-769-million/ |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=November 23, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ciena Beats Nokia-Siemens to Nortel Unit |url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/ciena-beats-nokia-siemens-to-nortel-unit/ |accessdate=June 20, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=December 3, 2009}}</ref> Nortel's Metro Ethernet Networks business developed next-generation optical-transmission equipment and had more than 1,000 customers in 65 countries at the time.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dummett |first1=Ben |title=Ciena Buys Nortel Assets for $769 Million |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704779704574553153736207362 |accessdate=July 30, 2019 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=November 24, 2009}}</ref> The business had approximately 1,400 employees in Canada, including 1,125 in Ottawa and 250 in [[Montreal]]. In 2017, Ciena's 1,600 Ottawa personnel were relocated to a new campus in [[Kanata, Ontario]], along with employees of Catena. These 1,600, many of whom worked for Nortel, comprise less than 30 percent of Ciena's workforce, but represent the company's largest operational hub and complete half of its research and development work.<ref name=Bagnall/>
Ciena acquired Cyan, which offers platforms and software systems for network operators, for approximately $400 million in 2015.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dulaney |first1=Chelsey |title=Ciena to Buy Cyan for $400 Million |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/ciena-to-buy-cyan-for-400-million-1430739896 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=May 4, 2015 |accessdate=July 9, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Dance |first1=Scott |title=Ciena to buy software firm Cyan for $400M |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-ciena-acquires-cyan-20150504-story.html |accessdate=June 25, 2019 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=May 4, 2015}}</ref> The assets of TeraXion Inc., a network management system company based in [[Quebec City]], were purchased for $32 million in 2016.<ref name="Wells">{{cite news |last1=Wells |first1=Carrie |title=Ciena Corp. to buy TeraXion Inc.'s assets for $32 million |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-ciena-acquisition-20160119-story.html |accessdate=June 25, 2019 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=January 19, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Burt |first1=Jeff |title=Ciena Buys TeraXion Assets to Bolster Optical Networking Lineup |url=https://www.eweek.com/blogs/first-read/ciena-buys-teraxion-assets-to-bolster-optical-networking-lineup |accessdate=July 26, 2019 |work=[[eWeek]] |date=January 22, 2016}}</ref> Ciena acquired [[Packet Design]], an [[Austin, Texas|Austin]]-based network performance management software company specializing in network optimization, [[route analytics]], and [[topology]], in 2016.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ciena to Acquire Lone Rock-Backed Packet Design |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/ciena-to-acquire-lone-rock-backed-packet-design-1527793894 |accessdate=June 25, 2019 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=May 31, 2018}}</ref> In 2018, Ciena purchased software and services company DonRiver for an undisclosed amount.<ref name="Haranas">{{cite journal |last1=Haranas |first1=Mark |title=Ciena Buying DonRiver to Boost 'Adaptive Network' Automation Strategy |journal=[[CRN (magazine)|CRN]] |date=September 5, 2018 |url=https://www.crn.com/news/networking/ciena-buying-donriver-to-boost-adaptive-network-automation-strategy |accessdate=June 25, 2019}}</ref>
===Operations in India=== Ciena opened a campus in [[Gurgaon]], India, in 2006. The campus focuses on research and development,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rajendran |first1=M. |title=US-based Ciena to make India top hub for R&D |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/business/us-based-ciena-to-make-india-top-hub-for-r-d/story-QVAEkaECvv5tXn4nm43MfJ.html |accessdate=July 26, 2019 |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=July 20, 2007}}</ref> and was further expanded in 2018 to begin manufacturing products for local markets. There were approximately 1,500 employees on site, representing 20 percent of the company's global workforce, as of May 2018.<ref name=Khan/>
Ciena and [[Sify]] partnered in mid 2018 to increase the [[information and communications technology]] company's network capacity from 100G to 400G. Ciena's converged packet optical products support [[big data]] analysis, [[cloud computing]], and the [[Internet of things]] across 40 of Sify's data centers in India.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sify partners with Ciena to upgrade network capacity from 100G to 400G |url=https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/sify-partners-with-ciena-to-upgrade-network-capacity-from-100g-to-400g/64779553 |accessdate=July 31, 2019 |work=The Economic Times |date=June 28, 2018}}</ref> In 2019, [[Bharti Airtel]] used Ciena equipment to build a 130,000 km photonic control plane network, connecting more than 4,000 locations in India.<ref>{{cite news |title=Airtel, Ciena to build photonic control plane networks |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/airtel-ciena-to-build-photonic-control-plane-networks/article26366359.ece |accessdate=July 26, 2019 |work=[[Business Line]] |date=February 25, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Saurbh |first1=Utkarsh |title=Airtel and Ciena to build one of the world's largest photonics control plane networks in India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gadgets-news/airtel-and-ciena-to-build-one-of-the-worlds-largest-photonic-control-plane-networks-in-india/articleshow/68153487.cms |accessdate=July 30, 2019 |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=February 25, 2019}}</ref> Ciena provides converged packet optical and Ethernet services to Bharti Airtel, [[Jio]], and [[Vodafone Idea Limited]], and supplies equipment to the [[Government of India]], as of mid 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Khan |first1=Danish |title=Ciena says to play a bigger role in India's 5G journey; ups focus on govt vertical |url=https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/ciena-says-will-play-a-bigger-role-in-indias-5g-journey-ups-focus-on-govt-vertical/70394955 |accessdate=August 1, 2019 |work=The Economic Times |date=July 27, 2019}}</ref>
Rajesh Nambiar was named the chairman and president of Ciena India in mid 2019 until October 2020.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ciena appoints Rajesh Nambiar as chairman and president of Ciena India |url=https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/ciena-appoints-rajesh-nambiar-as-chairman-and-president-of-ciena-india/70024864 |accessdate=July 30, 2019 |work=The Economic Times |date=July 1, 2019}}</ref>
==Products== Ciena develops and markets equipment, software and services, primarily for the telecommunications industry and large cloud service firms. Their products and services support the transport and management of voice and data traffic on communications networks.<ref name=LR2020>{{cite news |title=COVID-19-driven network traffic shows signs of stabilizing |author=Mike Dano |url=https://www.lightreading.com/optical-ip/covid-19-driven-network-traffic-shows-signs-of-stabilizing/d/d-id/758644 |work=LightReading |date=April 2, 2020 |accessdate=May 5, 2020}}</ref><ref name=LeMaistre2019>{{cite news |title=Web-Scale Business Fuels Ciena's Growth but Stock Takes a Hit |author=Ray Le Maistre |url=https://www.lightreading.com/optical-ip/dwdm/web-scale-business-fuels-cienas-growth-but-stock-takes-a-hit/d/d-id/753910 |work=LightReading |date=September 5, 2019 |accessdate=May 6, 2020}}</ref>
===Network infrastructure=== Ciena's network equipment includes optical network switches and routing platforms to manage data load on telecommunications networks.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ciena expects strong demand from cloud, mobile computing |url=https://www.telecomengine.com/ciena-expects-strong-demand-from-cloud-mobile-computing/ |work=TelecomEngine.com |date=June 10, 2013 |accessdate=May 7, 2020 |archive-date=October 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021180141/https://www.telecomengine.com/ciena-expects-strong-demand-from-cloud-mobile-computing/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hardy |first1=Stephen |title=Ciena offers 5168, 5166, and 5164 routers for 5G mobile network support |url=https://www.lightwaveonline.com/5g-mobile/article/14168457/ciena-offers-5168-5166-and-5164-routers-for-5g-mobile-network-support |accessdate=July 28, 2020 |work=Lightwave |date=February 24, 2020}}</ref> The company launched its WaveLogic 5 modem platform in 2019. The platform provides network capacity up to 800G.<ref name=Ziser19>{{cite news |title=As Sales Boom, Ciena Hits the 800G Transmission Mark |author=Kelsey Ziser |url=https://www.lightreading.com/optical-ip/400g-terabit/as-sales-boom-ciena-hits-the-800g-transmission-mark/d/d-id/749932 |work=LightReading |date=March 5, 2019 |accessdate=May 7, 2020}}</ref> Ciena also provides technology and equipment for undersea cable networks.<ref>{{cite news |title=Telstra Launches Continuous Connection on its Subsea Infrastructure |url=https://www.telecomengine.com/article/telstra-launches-continuous-connection-on-its-subsea-infrastructure/ |work=TelecomEngine.com |date=January 21, 2019 |accessdate=May 7, 2020 |archive-date=October 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021074650/https://www.telecomengine.com/article/telstra-launches-continuous-connection-on-its-subsea-infrastructure/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
===Software and analytics=== The company's Blue Planet software platform is used by telecoms companies for programming communications networks, including for network automation.<ref name=LeMaistre2019/> It includes a service that uses [[machine learning]] algorithms that analyze anomalies in a network to predict issues, and identify actions for the network operators to take in order to prevent network outages and further disruptions.<ref name=Ziser>{{cite news |title=Ciena: We'll Stop 95% of Network Outages |author=Kelsey Ziser |url=https://www.lightreading.com/artificial-intelligence-machine-learning/ciena-well-stop-95--of-network-outages/d/d-id/751433 |work=LightReading |date=May 14, 2019 |accessdate=May 7, 2020}}</ref>
==See also== *[[Ciena Optical Multiservice Edge 6500]]
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website|https://www.ciena.com}} {{Finance links | name = Ciena Corporation | symbol = CIEN | sec_cik = 936395 | yahoo = CIEN | google = CIEN:NYSE }}
{{Maryland Corporations}} {{S&P 500 companies}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Ciena| ]] [[Category:Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange]] [[Category:Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq]] [[Category:Companies based in Anne Arundel County, Maryland]] [[Category:Networking companies of the United States]] [[Category:Networking hardware companies]] [[Category:Telecommunications equipment vendors]] [[Category:American companies established in 1992]] [[Category:Telecommunications companies established in 1992]] [[Category:1992 establishments in Maryland]] [[Category:1997 initial public offerings]] [[Category:Computer companies of the United States]] [[Category:Computer hardware companies]] [[Category:Software companies of the United States]]