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)     March 2, 2006
                                                          ----------------------

                                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 March 2, 2006, Ciena Corporation issued a press release announcing its
financial results for the first quarter ended January 31, 2006. 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 - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

  (c) The following exhibit is being filed herewith:

      Exhibit Number    Description of Document
      --------------    -----------------------

      Exhibit 99.1      Text of Press Release dated March 2, 2006, issued by
                        Ciena Corporation, reporting its results of operations
                        for the first quarter ended January 31, 2006.










                                   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: March 2, 2006                     By: /S/ Russell B. Stevenson, Jr.
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                                            Russell B. Stevenson, Jr.
                                            Senior Vice President, General
                                            Counsel and Secretary