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)  December 9, 2004
                                                       -------------------------

                                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 December 9, 2004, Ciena Corporation issued a press release announcing
its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended October 31,
2004. 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
       --------------      -----------------------

       Exhibit 99.1        Text of Press Release dated December 9, 2004, issued
                           by Ciena Corporation, reporting its results of
                           operations for the fourth quarter and fiscal year
                           ended October 31, 2004.







                                   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: December 9, 2004                By: /s/ Russell B. Stevenson, Jr.
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Russell B. Stevenson, Jr.
                                          Senior Vice President, General Counsel
                                          and Secretary