PRESS RELEASE

LINTHICUM, Md. – March 27, 2012 – Ciena® Corporation (NASDAQ: CIEN), the network specialist, and SafeNet, a global leader in data protection, today announced a partnership to jointly sell high-speed, low-latency Ethernet link encryption services for commercial and government networks. Ciena’s Carrier Ethernet and Packet-Optical platforms, and SafeNet’s Ethernet Encryptor solutions, have been extensively tested for interoperability and provide assured, optimized and secure Layer 2 encryption services at speeds of up to 10 Gb/s, reducing the cost and complexity of protecting critical business information and intellectual property.

Key Facts:

· According to a recent study from the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), 44 percent of the publicly disclosed data breaches in the U.S. during 2011 affected the Government and Armed Services sector.

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· The combined Ciena and SafeNet solutions serve to secure commercial and government networks by mitigating the threat of security breaches and data theft. Powered by advanced encryption technology that is specifically designed to work at Layer 2, the solutions offer assured service delivery with the economics, determinism and low-latency of a switched Ethernet infrastructure.

· SafeNet is a Technology Partner in Ciena’s BizConnect partner program.

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· Ciena subject matter experts will discuss the new encryption services and SafeNet alliance at the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) TechNet Land Forces, Southwest 2012 conference, March 27-29 in Tucson, Ariz.

Executive Comments:

· “Encryption, which has long been the preferred method for securing the most critical data assets, is in ever-increasing demand as a result of today’s compliance regulations, data breach notification requirements, and increased dependence on cloud computing. The combination of SafeNet’s encryption with Ciena’s Packet-Optical technology can help organizations process this increased volume of cryptographic data with the highest degree of security and the lowest latency possible.”

­ - Jim Summers, corporate vice president and general manager of SafeNet Government Solutions

· “With network attacks and security risks increasing, commercial and government organizations need to re-evaluate how best to protect their networks and the information they carry. By partnering with SafeNet to deliver Ethernet link encryption, we are providing our customers with a standards-based solution that reduces the cost and complexity of protecting mission-critical data and helps keep networks secure.”

­ - Dave Peed, vice president and general manager of Ciena Government Solutions, Inc.

Technology Background:

· Ciena’s Carrier Ethernet and Packet-Optical solutions form the foundation for assured networks that serve at the heart of operations for telecommunications service providers, enterprises, research and education institutions, national defense and security agencies, public utilities and transportation organizations.

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· SafeNet’s Ethernet Encryptor solutions, including its 10 MB to 10GB Ethernet Encryptors, and High Assurance Ethernet Encryptor for government applications, dramatically reduce the burden of network security and lower management costs by simplifying network architectures, streamlining security policy management, and eliminating the data throughput inefficiencies associated with conventional Layer 3 security management.

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· The Ciena and SafeNet offerings have been Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) validated.

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· Ciena also offers wire-speed bulk encryption solutions that allow secure and transparent managed service delivery at Layer 1. Protocol-agnostic with integrated DWDM, Ciena’s encryption solutions allow commercial and government customers to run multiple protocols, including Ethernet, Fibre Channel, InfiniBand, SONET/SDH, and OTN, over the same encrypted link with ultra-low latency, reducing the number of protocol-specific encryption appliances needed in a customer’s network and lowering their operating costs.

· SafeNet has nearly three decades of experience in protecting the world's most critical data assets, including government, military and financial data. SafeNet protects more than 80 percent of the world's intra-bank fund transfers and nearly $1 trillion per day; protects the most classified information with products found in every vehicle, aircraft, and ship in the U.S. military; and employs more cryptographic engineers than any other security vendor in the world.

Supporting Resources:

· Application Note: Wire-Speed Encryption Solution

· Whitepaper: Putting Assured Networking to Work for Government

· Whitepaper: Building an Assured Network

· Webinar: Assured Networking: The Spy Buster

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About SafeNet, Inc. Founded in 1983, SafeNet, Inc. is one of the largest information security companies in the world, and is trusted to protect the most sensitive data for market-leading organizations around the globe. SafeNet’s data-centric approach focuses on the protection of high-value information throughout its lifecycle, from the data center to the cloud. More than 25,000 customers across commercial enterprises and government agencies trust SafeNet to protect and control access to sensitive data, manage risk, ensure compliance, and secure virtual and cloud environments.

About Ciena Ciena is the network specialist. We collaborate with customers worldwide to unlock the strategic potential of their networks and fundamentally change the way they compete. With focused innovation, Ciena brings together the reliability and capacity of optical networking with the flexibility and economics of Ethernet, unified by a software suite that delivers the industry’s leading network automation. 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.