Ownership Submission
FORM 3
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  FRODSHAM JAMES
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
12/15/2009
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
CIENA CORP [CIEN]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O CIENA CORPORATION, 1201 WINTERSON ROAD
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
SR. VP, Chief Strategy Officer
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

LINTHICUM,, MD 21090
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)
3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 123,576 (1)
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (2) 11/02/2015 Common Stock 12,723 $ 16.52 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (3) 12/18/2016 Common Stock 20,000 $ 27.88 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (2) 03/29/2014 Common Stock 35,714 $ 34.65 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (4) 12/18/2017 Common Stock 26,000 $ 35.21 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
FRODSHAM JAMES
C/O CIENA CORPORATION
1201 WINTERSON ROAD
LINTHICUM,, MD 21090
      SR. VP, Chief Strategy Officer  

Signatures

By: Erik J. Lichter For: James A. Frodsham 12/17/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Shares reported include 80,062 shares underlying restricted stock units (RSUs) and 34,334 shares underlying performance accelarated restricted stock units (PARSUs) previously granted that remain unvested as of the date of this report. RSUs subject to these awards vest in equal increments over a three or four-year period from the date of grant with vesting on March 20, June 20, September 20, and December 20 of each year. PARSUs vest in their entirety four years from the date of grant, subject to accelaration of vesting upon the achievement of performance-based conditions established by the Compensation Committee.
(2) Option is fully vested.
(3) The remaining 5,000 unvested options vest in equal monthly amounts on the first day of each month through 12/1/2010.
(4) The remaining 13,000 unvested options vest in equal monthly amounts on the first day of each month through 12/1/2011.

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