Exhibit 99.1

           Michael J. Rowny Joins CIENA Board of Directors

    LINTHICUM, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 19, 2004--CIENA(R)
Corporation (NASDAQ:CIEN) today announced that Michael J. Rowny,
chairman of Rowny Capital and former president and CEO of MCI's
International Ventures, Alliances and Correspondent group, has joined
CIENA's board of directors as its tenth member and eighth independent
director.
    "Michael's vast business and leadership experience will be a solid
addition to CIENA's board as the company works through the challenges
associated with its ongoing business transformation, recent portfolio
expansion and resulting market repositioning," said Patrick Nettles,
CIENA's executive chairman.
    Since 1999, Rowny, 54, has served as chairman of Rowny Capital, a
private equity company focusing on broadband, Internet, electronic
commerce and related businesses. From 1994 to 1999, he was CEO of MCI
Communications Corporation's International Ventures, Alliances and
Correspondent group. In this role, Rowny led MCI's international
operations and managed business development for the corporation
worldwide, including acquisitions and divestitures. He also served as
MCI's acting CFO; senior vice president, finance; and treasurer.
    His extensive career has included positions as executive vice
president, CFO and Director of ICF Kaiser International; Chairman and
CEO of Ransohoff Company; CEO of Hermitage Holding Company; Vice
President, Strategic Planning and Ventures of The Bendix Corporation;
Deputy Staff Director for The White House; Assistant to the Ambassador
for U.S. Trade Negotiations and Professional Staff Member for the U.S.
Senate Finance Committee.
    "CIENA is a great company with an excellent leadership team.
While, along with most of its competitors, CIENA has suffered the
effects of the extraordinarily challenging conditions in the
telecommunications industry, it has taken significant steps to deal
with those conditions and to set the stage for a return to
profitability," said Rowny. "I am pleased to join CIENA's board of
directors, and I look forward to being a part of CIENA's future as an
industry leader."
    Rowny currently serves as Chairman of the board of directors for
Step 9 Software Corporation and as a member of the board of directors
of Intelliden.
    Mr. Rowny earned a Bachelor of Science degree in management from
the Sloan School at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also
holds a J.D. in corporate law from Georgetown University and remains a
member of the District of Columbia Bar Association.

    ABOUT CIENA

    CIENA Corporation delivers innovative network solutions to the
world's largest service providers, cable operators and enterprises,
increasing the cost-efficiency of current services while enabling the
creation of new carrier-class data services built upon the existing
network infrastructure. Additional information about CIENA can be
found at www.ciena.com.


    CONTACT: CIENA Corporation
             Investor Contacts:
             Suzanne DuLong or Jessica Towns
             (888) 243-6223
             email: ir@ciena.com
                 or
             Press Contacts:
             Aaron Graham or Nicole Anderson
             (877) 857-7377
             email: pr@ciena.com