Pros
The tech people are all pretty decent. The management team is fairly decent as well. Good place to learn new technologies. There are a lot of employees who have been there for a long time. They do treat their people well.
Cons
The real motto of the company is "Do More with Less". Any downturn in the economy and they start dumping people regardless of the effect on Ciena. The moral is not the greatest. and they dump people and spread their duties between the people remaining. This had been going on for the entire time I was there roughly 5 years.. From what I understand from former colleagues this practice continues. Layoffs seem to be driven by salaries instead of value (or lack of) to the company. Small company so limited advancement, usually by attrition.