UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                             CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT
                          TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


     Date of report (Date of earliest event reported)    February 23, 2005
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                                Ciena Corporation
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             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

                                    Delaware
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                 (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

                          0-21969                        23-2725311
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                 (Commission File Number)     (IRS Employer Identification No.)


            1201 Winterson Road, Linthicum, MD                  21090
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         (Address of Principal Executive Offices)            (Zip Code)

                                 (410) 865-8500
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              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)


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          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)


     Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

|_|  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act 
     (17 CFR 230.425)

|_|  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act
     (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

|_|  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

|_|  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))








ITEM 2.02 - RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION

         On February 23, 2005, Ciena Corporation issued a press release
announcing its financial results for the first quarter ended January 31, 2005.
The text of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Report. The
information in this Report shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section
18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to
the liabilities of that section, and shall not be incorporated by reference into
any registration statement pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.



ITEM 9.01 - FINANANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS 


(c) The following exhibit is being filed herewith:



Exhibit Number      Description of Document
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Exhibit 99.1        Text of Press Release dated February 23, 2005, issued by
                    Ciena Corporation, reporting its results of operations for
                    the first quarter ended January 31, 2005









                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                             Ciena Corporation


Date: February 23, 2005      By:   /S/ Russell B. Stevenson, Jr.              
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                                   Russell B. Stevenson, Jr.
                                   Senior Vice President, General Counsel and
                                   Secretary