NASA Kennedy Space Center’s IT Network Reaches New Frontier

LINTHICUM, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ciena^® Corporation (NASDAQ: CIEN), the network specialist, today announced a new partnership with Abacus Technology Corporation to upgrade the expansive campus IT network at NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The enhanced network, which supports activities that range from managing NASA’s space launch program to hosting millions of visitors from around the world, will leverage Optical Transport Network (OTN) technology from Ciena to consolidate the Center’s Ethernet, video and legacy ATM and TDM traffic.

Key Facts:

NASA’s KSC, large enough to have its own zip code, is comprised of more than 200 facilities spread across a 144,000 acre complex.
With an aging and fragmented campus network bearing the weight of growing bandwidth demands, the Center is turning to Ciena and Abacus Technology to create a robust, converged telecommunications infrastructure.
Abacus Technology, which is contracted to provide support for all information management and communications services related to launch operations at KSC, is leading the design and installation of the new campus network, with completion of the campus upgrade expected in March.
The new intelligent network is connecting major campus facilities via a fiber optic infrastructure using Ciena’s 4200 Advanced Services Platform. The OTN-enabled network will support the transport of Ethernet, SONET and video traffic and will facilitate the consolidation of the campus’s aging technology backbones – such as ATM and SONET – onto a common infrastructure.
KSC is also leveraging Ciena’s leading-edge network management solution for efficient service deployment and proactive network management of its next-generation architecture.

Executive Quotes:

“Here at KSC we are upgrading our communications infrastructure as part of our center transformation from the Shuttle Program to provide launch capability for NASA’s next generation Heavy Lift Vehicle and commercial launch vehicles. Ciena’s OTN solution will enable telemetry, data, voice and video convergence onto a common transport and allow us to seamlessly migrate off multiple independent and obsolete legacy transport systems. The OTN implementation will simplify our network and streamline operations, and enables KSC to provision reliable, high speed/high bandwidth communication services to commercial launch operations in a more cost effective manner.”
– Kerry Stinson, director communication services, Abacus Technology Corp.

“The use of OTN technology provides an elegant solution for complex networks like the one at Kennedy Space Center that support many types of legacy, Ethernet and real-time applications. Ciena’s solution can more efficiently carry this multiservice traffic over a single infrastructure, and easily add new types of applications to the network as NASA’s Kennedy Space Center continues to push the boundaries of exploration.”
– David Peed, vice president & general manager, Ciena Government Solutions, Inc.

Supporting Resources and Multimedia:

Product Brochure: 4200: Redefining the Service-Enabled Optical Network
3D Demo: 4200 Advanced Services Platform
White paper: The Value of OTN for Network Convergence and IP/Ethernet Migration

About Abacus Technology Corporation

Abacus Technology has a broad range of government and commercial expertise in Network Solutions, Information Assurance, Software Development, Program Management Office Support, Physical Security, and special studies. We are a Microsoft Gold Certified Provider, and operate a test-bed to simulate our clients' network environments and troubleshoot application software and system installation problems prior to delivery. Many of our employees hold engineering and management certifications and meet eligibility requirements for classified contracts. Our reputation for producing and delivering value-added products and services on time and within budget is widely recognized throughout government and industry, Visit www.abacustech.com.

About Ciena

Ciena specializes in practical network transition. We offer leading network infrastructure solutions, intelligent software and a comprehensive services practice to help our customers use their networks to fundamentally change the way they compete. With a global presence, Ciena leverages its heritage of practical innovation to deliver maximum performance and economic value in communications networks worldwide. 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.

Note to Ciena Investors

Forward-looking statements. This press release contains certain forward-looking statements based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof; and Ciena's actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied, due to risks and uncertainties associated with its business, which include the risk factors disclosed in its Report on Form 10-K, which Ciena filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 22, 2011. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding Ciena's expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future and can be identified by forward-looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "should," "will," and "would" or similar words. Ciena assumes no obligation to update the information included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.