Ciena Brings AI Networking Expertise to OFC 2026

Demos and speaking sessions highlight how Ciena solutions improve network performance, scalability, and readiness for AI workloads

HANOVER, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At OFC 2026, taking place March 15-19 in Los Angeles, Ciena’s (NYSE: CIEN) booth (#1927) will feature innovations that redefine what’s possible in modern networking across data center networks, quantum-safe communications, network automation, and AI operations (AIOps). Through technology demonstrations and speaking sessions, OFC attendees will learn how Ciena helps operators elevate network performance through cutting-edge innovations, including 1.6T coherent optics and hyper-rail photonics. Ciena will also highlight how the company is creating scalable data center architectures for scale up, scale out, and scale across—using next-gen optical and electrical interconnects.

Demonstrations

• Optical:
  • Programmable Photonics – Highlighting 6500 Reconfigurable Line System (RLS) configurations that power scale across applications and extend network capability to the metro/edge. Featuring RLS C&L-band protected point-to-point configuration for scalable, ultra-reliable transport and RLS Hyper-Rail configurations that dramatically improve density, power, and space to support extreme capacity growth for the next phase of AI connectivity.
  • Waveserver Innovations – Featuring the Waveserver platform, protecting critical data at scale with the industry’s first WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) 1.6T quantum-safe encryption solution. The platform also delivers simple, scalable transport connectivity with flexible aggregation capabilities, support for WaveLogic 6 Nano (WL6n) 800G coherent pluggables, and integrated photonics for wavelength add/drop and amplification.
  • Waveserver E-Series – Showcasing the compact, energy-efficient Waveserver E-Series (E10, E200, and E400) platforms that extend services to the edge using flexible configurations, which are ideal for aggregating multi-rate services across metro locations.
  • Full Spectrum Transponders (FST) – Demonstrating two design concepts for FST which evolve networks from wavelength to full-fiber deployments to support massive AI-driven capacity demands.
• Innovations in and around the data center:
  • Coherent pluggable transceiver innovations – Enabling expanded 800G pluggable connectivity with WaveLogic 6 Nano (WL6n) 800G PKT-MAX at 135GBaud, and showcasing ultra-high bandwidth building blocks enabling future 1600ZR/1600ZR+ solutions.
  • Scale Up and Scale Out Interconnect – Highlighting fully optimized Nitro 2004 copper cable extender for massive-volume scale-up networks; Vesta co-packaged optical (CPO) solutions delivering low power, high density, and flexibility; and next-generation integrated liquid cooling solutions for the 3.2T+ generation of transceivers.
• Routing & Switching:
  • Data Center Out-of-Band Management (DCOM) – Featuring ORv3 (Canopy) and ORv2 (1RU) chassis which provide secure, dedicated management access for AI data centers, ensuring operational control, resilience, and uptime independent of the production network.
  • IP Optical Convergence – Highlighting WaveRouter WL6e 1.6T sleds and advanced performance monitoring with Navigator and Service-Aware Operating System (SAOS), putting coherent optics in full view.
  • Access-to-Edge Infrastructure – Featuring intelligent, distributed networking with an interactive tour of the 5131 Coherent Access Platform utilizing 100ZR coherent pluggables.
• Network Management:
  • Navigator Network Control Suite – Featuring AIOps network troubleshooting through Navigator’s AI Assistant. Also showing Network Digital Twin, which validates the performance of potential optical routes to build confidence in operational changes and Automated Deployment Optimizer, which automates commissioning, calibration, and optimization to accelerate optical deployments for both submarine and terrestrial networks.
• OIF (booth #2017):
  • Supporting OIF’s 800ZR, OpenROADM 800G, 400ZR, OpenZR+, and Multi-Span Optics and Common Management Interface Specification (CMIS) interoperability demos with Ciena’s 8192 coherent router, WL6n C- and L-band 800G and WaveLogic 5 Nano (WL5n) 400G coherent pluggable transceivers, RLS C&L-band photonic line system, and Navigator NCS. Ciena is also participating in the Common Electrical I/O demos, showing live 448Gb/s PAM4 and PAM6 multivendor interoperable transmission, helping drive industry direction toward optimal rate adoption for 448G SerDes.
• Quantum Secure Communications (Village Meeting Room #5355):
  • Showcasing how network operators can ensure in-flight data confidentiality in the quantum era with quantum-secured 1.6Tb/s optical channels powered by Waveserver’s AES-256-GCM wire-speed encryption solution with Quantum Computing Inc. time-frequency entanglement-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and previewing protection enabled by Quantum Identity Authentication (QIA) systems.

Speaking Sessions

Monday, March 16

• 4:30 p.m. – Peter Winzer, Vice President, Systems Architecture, will present during the “Scale-Up Data Center Networks” session at the Optica Executive Forum at OFC 2026.

Tuesday, March 17

• 12:30 p.m. – Robert Keys, Vice President, Systems Architecture, will participate in the “Market Status and Enabling Technologies of 1.6 Tb/s and Beyond” Market Watch panel in Expo Theater I.
  
• 4:00 p.m. – Karen Liu, Senior Advisor, Product Line Management, will participate in the “Future photonics for AI - From PICS to pods to factories” Market Watch panel in Expo Theater 1.

Wednesday, March 18

• 2:00 p.m. – Reza Rokui, SDN Application Architect, will present during the “From Automation to Autonomy: AI Multi-Agents Dynamic Workflow Powering Next-Gen IP/Optical Operations” symposium in Room 515A.

Thursday, March 19

• 10:45 a.m. – Bilal Riaz, Senior Director, Interconnects Product Line Management, will present during the “Designing for Density: Direct-to-Plug Liquid Cooling for Next-Generation Pluggable Optics” Technology Showcase session in Expo Theater III.

Ciena’s subject matter experts will take part in multiple speaking sessions and panel discussions during the conference. See full agenda here. For more information about Ciena’s participation at OFC or to schedule a meeting visit: https://www.ciena.com/events/ofc or contact [e-mail].

OIF Demonstrates Industry-Wide Interoperability at Scale at OFC 2026, Advancing Energy Efficiency, Performance and Capacity for AI-Era Data Center Networks

OIF returns to OFC 2026 with a live, multi-vendor Interoperability Demonstration featuring 40 member companies showcasing how OIF-driven interoperable networking solutions enable scalable, energy-efficient networks for AI-era data center environments. The Demo highlights interoperability across 400ZR, 800ZR, Multi-Span Coherent Optics, Multi-Core Fiber (MCF) and IP/Optical Controllers; Common Electrical I/O (CEI) CEI-448G and CEI-224G; Co-Packaging; Common Management Interface Specification (CMIS) and Energy Efficient Interfaces (EEI). Visit OIF at booth #2017. Learn more: https://www.oiforum.com/meetings-events/oif-ofc-2026/

About Ciena

Ciena is the global leader in high-speed connectivity. We build the world’s most adaptive networks to support exponential growth in bandwidth demand. By harnessing the power of our networking systems, interconnects, automation software, and services, Ciena revolutionizes data transmission and network management. With unparalleled expertise and innovation, we empower our customers, partners, and communities to thrive in the AI era. For updates on Ciena, follow us on LinkedIn and X, or visit the Ciena Insights webpage and Ciena website.

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