Ciena gets cozy with Laurel Networks

Ciena has signed on as a global reseller of edge routers for Laurel Networks. Laurel’s ST200 service edge router adds layer-three IP/MPLS capabilities to Ciena’s own layer-two switching products, Ciena said. Ciena also will integrate Laurel’s ST200 edge router with its own LightWorks management system.

As part of the partnership, Ciena also contributed to Laurel’s recent funding round, a $20 million package announced today that included New Enterprise Associates, Trinity Ventures and Worldview Technology Partners. The round raised the total funding level for the four-year-old company to $102.3 million.

The reseller agreement is not entirely exclusive. Marconi already resells Laurel equipment to the U.S. government, said Ciena vice president of marketing Francois Locoh-Donou. And Ciena will only have exclusivity regarding a set of potential customers that Ciena has either "made inroads with" or has a strategic interest in. Ciena has already applied Laurel's gear to a few requests for proposals, said Locoh-Donou, at least one of which is in the U.S.

The reseller agreement with Laurel is only the latest example of Ciena’s push toward the network’s edge. Aside from its August acquisition of storage-area-networking equipment vendor Akara, Ciena purchased multiservice equipment vendor WaveSmith networks in April.

Ciena’s relationship with WaveSmith began with an investment and became an acquisition. Ciena’s executives weren’t immediately available to comment on whether the company has plans to eventually acquire Laurel.

Laurel has announced two customers to date: Level 3 Communications and South Korean service provider Dacom.