Ciena purchased WaveSmith Networks Inc., an optical-networking equipment manufacturer based in Acton, Massachusetts, for $158 million in stock in 2003. Ciena acquired the Ottawa-based data storage networking company Akara Corp. for $45 million in 2003. Akara expanded Ciena's product line and storage networking capabilities, and continued to operate as a subsidiary. Catena Networks and New Jersey-based Internet Photonics were purchased by Ciena in 2004. The stock transactions were valued at $486.7 million and $150 million, respectively. Catena had approximately 220 employees at the time, and the purchase of Internet Photonics marked Ciena's entrance into the cable industry.