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                                                                    Exhibit 10.8


                               AVANEX CORPORATION

                                 1998 STOCK PLAN

                             STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

      Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms defined in the 1998 Stock Plan,
as amended (the "Plan") shall have the same defined meanings in this Option
Agreement.

I.    NOTICE OF STOCK OPTION GRANT

      You have been granted an Option to purchase Common Stock of the Company,
subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Option Agreement, as
follows:

      Date of Grant

      Vesting Commencement Date

      Exercise Price per Share

      Total Number of Shares Granted

      Total Exercise Price

      Type of Option                        ____ Incentive Stock Option

                                            ____ Nonstatutory Stock Option

      Term/Expiration Date:


      Exercise and Vesting Schedule:

      Subject to accelerated vesting as set forth below, this Option may be
exercised, in whole or in part, in accordance to the following vesting schedule:

      25% of the Shares subject to the Option shall vest twelve months after the
Vesting Commencement Date, and 1/48 of the Shares subject to the Option shall
vest each month thereafter on the same day of the month as the Vesting
Commencement Date, subject to the Optionee continuing to be a Service Provider
on such dates.

      Acceleration Upon a Change of Control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon
a Change of Control, as defined below, that occurs while Optionee provides
services to the Company, this Option shall become vested and exercisable as to
fifty percent (50%) of the shares subject to this Option on the date the event
constituting a Change of Control is consummated. The balance of the shares
subject to this Option shall continue to vest on the same schedule (i.e., the
same number of shares

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shall vest each month) as existed prior to the Change of Control. For example,
if a Change of Control occurs on a date when 25% of Optionee's shares have
vested, then an additional 25% of the shares shall be vested pursuant to this
paragraph. The remaining 50% of the shares subject to this Option shall vest at
the rate of 1/48th of the shares per month thereafter, such that all shares are
fully vested after an additional 24-month period. If a Change of Control occurs
on a date where more than 50% of Optionee's shares have already vested, then no
additional Shares shall vest pursuant to this paragraph.

      Acceleration Upon a Change of Control and Termination of Employment.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the Optionee's employment with the
Company terminates as a result of an Involuntary Termination other than for
Cause upon or within 12 months after a Change of Control, this Option shall be
fully (i.e. 100%) vested and this Option may be exercised, in whole or in part,
upon the date of such termination.

      Acceleration Following Involuntary Termination without Cause.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the Optionee's employment with the
Company terminates as a result of an Involuntary Termination without Cause upon
or within 12 months after the commencement of Optionee's employment with the
Company, but prior to a Change of Control, this Option shall vest as to 1/48th
of the Shares subject to the Option for each full month from the Vesting
Commencement Date until the date of Optionee's Involuntary Termination.

      The following terms referred to in this Agreement shall have the following
meanings:

            (i) Cause. "Cause" shall mean (i) any act of personal dishonesty
taken by the Optionee in connection with his responsibilities as an employee and
intended to result in substantial personal enrichment of the Optionee, (ii)
conviction of a felony that is injurious to the Company, and (iii) a willful act
by the Optionee which constitutes gross misconduct and which is injurious to the
Company.

            (ii) Change of Control. "Change of Control" shall mean the
occurrence of any of the following events:

            Any "person" (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of
            the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) is or becomes the
            "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under said Act),
            directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing
            50% or more of the total voting power represented by the Company's
            then outstanding voting securities other than in a private financing
            transaction approved by the Board of Directors;

            the direct or indirect sale or exchange by the stockholders of the
            Company of all or substantially all of the stock of the Company;

            a merger or consolidation in which the Company is a party and in
            which the stockholders of the Company before such merger or
            consolidation do not retain, directly or indirectly, at a least
            majority of the beneficial interest in the voting stock of the
            Company after such transaction; or

            the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all
            the Company's assets.

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            (iii) Disability. "Disability" shall mean that the Optionee has been
unable to substantially perform his duties as the result of his incapacity due
to physical or mental illness, and such inability, at least 26 weeks after its
commencement, is determined to be total and permanent by a physician selected by
the Company or its insurers and acceptable to the Optionee or the Optionee's
legal representative (such agreement as to acceptability not to be unreasonably
withheld).

            (iv) Involuntary Termination. "Involuntary Termination" shall mean
(i) without the Optionee's express written consent, the significant reduction of
the Optionee's duties or responsibilities relative to the Optionee's duties or
responsibilities in effect immediately prior to such reduction; provided,
however, that a reduction in duties or responsibilities solely by virtue of the
Company being acquired and made part of a larger entity (as, for example, when
the Chief Financial Officer of Company remains as such following a Change of
Control and is not made the Chief Financial Officer of the acquiring
corporation) shall not constitute an "Involuntary Termination"; (ii) without the
Optionee's express written consent, a substantial reduction, without good
business reasons, of the facilities and perquisites (including office space and
location) available to the Optionee immediately prior to such reduction; (iii)
without the Optionee's express written consent, a material reduction by the
Company in the base compensation of the Optionee as in effect immediately prior
to such reduction, or the ineligibility of the Optionee to continue to
participate in any long-term incentive plan of the Company; (iv) a material
reduction by the Company in the kind or level of employee benefits to which the
Optionee is entitled immediately prior to such reduction with the result that
the Optionee's overall benefits package is significantly reduced; (v) the
relocation of the Optionee to a facility or a location more than 50 miles from
the Optionee's then present location, without the Optionee's express written
consent; (vi) any purported termination of the Optionee by the Company which is
not effected for death or Disability or for Cause, or any purported termination
for which the grounds relied upon are not valid; or (vii) the failure of the
Company to obtain the assumption of this agreement by any successors
contemplated in Section I.(ii) above.

      Termination Period:

      This Option may be exercised for three months after Optionee ceases to be
a Service Provider. Upon the death or Disability of the Optionee, this Option
may be exercised for twelve months after Optionee ceases to be a Service
Provider. In no event shall this Option be exercised later than the
Term/Expiration Date as provided above.

      In addition, upon an Involuntary Termination of the Optionee's employement
other than for Cause upon or within 12 months after a Change of Control, this
Option may be exercised for twenty-four months after Optionee ceases to be a
Service Provider.

II.   AGREEMENT

      A.    Grant of Option.

            The Plan Administrator of the Company hereby grants to the Optionee
named in the Notice of Grant attached as Part I of this Agreement (the
"Optionee") an option (the "Option") to purchase the number of Shares, as set
forth in the Notice of Grant, at the exercise price per share set

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forth in the Notice of Grant (the "Exercise Price"), subject to the terms and
conditions of the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. Subject to
Section 15(c) of the Plan, in the event of a conflict between the terms and
conditions of the Plan and the terms and conditions of this Option Agreement,
the terms and conditions of the Plan shall prevail.

            If designated in the Notice of Grant as an Incentive Stock Option
("ISO"), this Option is intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option under
Section 422 of the Code. However, if this Option is intended to be an Incentive
Stock Option, to the extent that it exceeds the $100,000 rule of Code Section
422(d) it shall be treated as a Nonstatutory Stock Option ("NSO").

      B.    Exercise of Option.

            (a) Right to Exercise. This Option is exercisable during its term in
accordance with the Vesting Schedule set out in the Notice of Grant and the
applicable provisions of the Plan and this Option Agreement.

            (b) Method of Exercise. This Option is exercisable by delivery of an
exercise notice, in the form attached as Exhibit A (the "Exercise Notice"),
which shall state the election to exercise the Option, the number of Shares in
respect of which the Option is being exercised (the "Exercised Shares"), and
such other representations and agreements as may be required by the Company
pursuant to the provisions of the Plan. The Exercise Notice shall be completed
by the Optionee and delivered to the Company. The Exercise Notice shall be
accompanied by payment of the aggregate Exercise Price as to all Exercised
Shares. This Option shall be deemed to be exercised upon receipt by the Company
of such fully executed Exercise Notice accompanied by such aggregate Exercise
Price.

                        No Shares shall be issued pursuant to the exercise of
this Option unless such issuance and exercise complies with Applicable Laws.
Assuming such compliance, for income tax purposes the Exercised Shares shall be
considered transferred to the Optionee on the date the Option is exercised with
respect to such Exercised Shares.

      C.    Method of Payment.

            Payment of the aggregate Exercise Price shall be by any of the
following, or a combination thereof, at the election of the Optionee:

            1. cash; or

            2. check; or

            3. consideration received by the Company under a cashless exercise
program implemented by the Company in connection with the Plan; or

            4. surrender of other Shares which (i) in the case of Shares
acquired upon exercise of an option, have been owned by the Optionee for more
than six (6) months on the date of surrender, and (ii) have a Fair Market Value
on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate Exercise Price of the Exercised
Shares.

      D.    Non-Transferability of Option.

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            This Option may not be transferred in any manner otherwise than by
will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised during the
lifetime of Optionee only by the Optionee. The terms of the Plan and this Option
Agreement shall be binding upon the executors, administrators, heirs, successors
and assigns of the Optionee.

      E.    Term of Option.

            This Option may be exercised only within the term set out in the
Notice of Grant, and may be exercised during such term only in accordance with
the Plan and the terms of this Option Agreement.

      F.    Tax Consequences.

            Some of the federal tax consequences relating to this Option, as of
the date of this Option, are set forth below. THIS SUMMARY IS NECESSARILY
INCOMPLETE, AND THE TAX LAWS AND REGULATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. THE OPTIONEE
SHOULD CONSULT A TAX ADVISER BEFORE EXERCISING THIS OPTION OR DISPOSING OF THE
SHARES.

      G.    Exercising the Option.

            1. Nonstatutory Stock Option. The Optionee may incur regular federal
income tax liability upon exercise of a NSO. The Optionee will be treated as
having received compensation income (taxable at ordinary income tax rates) equal
to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the Exercised Shares on the
date of exercise over their aggregate Exercise Price. If the Optionee is an
Employee or a former Employee, the Company will be required to withhold from his
or her compensation or collect from Optionee and pay to the applicable taxing
authorities an amount in cash equal to a percentage of this compensation income
at the time of exercise, and may refuse to honor the exercise and refuse to
deliver Shares if such withholding amounts are not delivered at the time of
exercise.

            2. Incentive Stock Option. If this Option qualifies as an ISO, the
Optionee will have no regular federal income tax liability upon its exercise,
although the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the Exercised Shares on
the date of exercise over their aggregate Exercise Price will be treated as an
adjustment to alternative minimum taxable income for federal tax purposes and
may subject the Optionee to alternative minimum tax in the year of exercise. In
the event that the Optionee ceases to be an Employee but remains a Service
Provider, any Incentive Stock Option of the Optionee that remains unexercised
shall cease to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option and will be treated for tax
purposes as a Nonstatutory Stock Option on the date three (3) months and one (1)
day following such change of status.

            3. Disposition of Shares.

                        (a) NSO. If the Optionee holds NSO Shares for at least
one year, any gain realized on disposition of the Shares will be treated as
long-term capital gain for federal income tax purposes.

                        (b) ISO. If the Optionee holds ISO Shares for at least
one year after exercise and two years after the grant date, any gain realized on
disposition of the Shares will be

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treated as long-term capital gain for federal income tax purposes. If the
Optionee disposes of ISO Shares within one year after exercise or two years
after the grant date, any gain realized on such disposition will be treated as
compensation income (taxable at ordinary income rates) to the extent of the
excess, if any, of the lesser of (A) the difference between the Fair Market
Value of the Shares acquired on the date of exercise and the aggregate Exercise
Price, or (B) the difference between the sale price of such Shares and the
aggregate Exercise Price. Any additional gain will be taxed as capital gain,
short-term or long-term depending on the period that the ISO Shares were held.

                        (c) Notice of Disqualifying Disposition of ISO Shares.
If the Optionee sells or otherwise disposes of any of the Shares acquired
pursuant to an ISO on or before the later of (i) two years after the grant date,
or (ii) one year after the exercise date, the Optionee shall immediately notify
the Company in writing of such disposition. The Optionee agrees that he or she
may be subject to income tax withholding by the Company on the compensation
income recognized from such early disposition of ISO Shares by payment in cash
or out of the current earnings paid to the Optionee.

      H.    Entire Agreement; Governing Law.

            The Plan is incorporated herein by reference. The Plan and this
Option Agreement constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to
the subject matter hereof and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings
and agreements of the Company and Optionee with respect to the subject matter
hereof, and may not be modified adversely to the Optionee's interest except by
means of a writing signed by the Company and Optionee. This agreement is
governed by the internal substantive laws, but not the choice of law rules, of
California.

      I.    NO GUARANTEE OF CONTINUED SERVICE.

            OPTIONEE ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE VESTING OF SHARES PURSUANT
TO THE VESTING SCHEDULE HEREOF IS EARNED ONLY BY CONTINUING AS A SERVICE
PROVIDER AT THE WILL OF THE COMPANY (AND NOT THROUGH THE ACT OF BEING HIRED,
BEING GRANTED AN OPTION OR PURCHASING SHARES HEREUNDER). OPTIONEE FURTHER
ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THIS AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED
HEREUNDER AND THE VESTING SCHEDULE SET FORTH HEREIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESS
OR IMPLIED PROMISE OF CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AS A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE VESTING
PERIOD, FOR ANY PERIOD, OR AT ALL, AND SHALL NOT INTERFERE WITH OPTIONEE'S RIGHT
OR THE COMPANY'S RIGHT TO TERMINATE OPTIONEE'S RELATIONSHIP AS A SERVICE
PROVIDER AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE.

            By your signature and the signature of the Company's representative
below, you and the Company agree that this Option is granted under and governed
by the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Option Agreement. Optionee has
reviewed the Plan and this Option Agreement in their entirety, has had an
opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Option
Agreement and fully understands all provisions of the Plan and Option Agreement.
Optionee hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions
or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions relating to the Plan
and Option Agreement. Optionee further agrees to notify the Company upon any
change in the residence address indicated below.

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OPTIONEE:                           AVANEX CORPORATION

_____________________________       By__________________________________
Signature

_____________________________       ____________________________________
Print Name                          Title

_____________________________
Residence Address

_____________________________


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                                    EXHIBIT A

                               AVANEX CORPORATION

                                 1998 STOCK PLAN

                                 EXERCISE NOTICE

Avanex Corporation
40919 Encyclopedia Circle
Fremont, CA 94538

Attention:  Secretary

      1. Exercise of Option. Effective as of today, ________________, _____, the
undersigned ("Purchaser") hereby elects to purchase ______________ shares (the
"Shares") of the Common Stock of Avanex Corporation (the "Company") under and
pursuant to the 1998 Stock Plan (the "Plan") and the Stock Option Agreement
dated, _____ (the "Option Agreement"). The purchase price for the Shares shall
be $_____, as required by the Option Agreement.

      2. Delivery of Payment. Purchaser herewith delivers to the Company the
full purchase price for the Shares.

      3. Representations of Purchaser. Purchaser acknowledges that Purchaser has
received, read and understood the Plan and the Option Agreement and agrees to
abide by and be bound by their terms and conditions.

      4. Rights as Stockholder. Until the issuance (as evidenced by the
appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer
agent of the Company) of the Shares, no right to vote or receive dividends or
any other rights as a stockholder shall exist with respect to the Optioned
Stock, notwithstanding the exercise of the Option. The Shares so acquired shall
be issued to the Optionee as soon as practicable after exercise of the Option.
No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record
date is prior to the date of issuance, except as provided in Section 13 of the
Plan.

      5. Tax Consultation. Purchaser understands that Purchaser may suffer
adverse tax consequences as a result of Purchaser's purchase or disposition of
the Shares. Purchaser represents that Purchaser has consulted with any tax
consultants Purchaser deems advisable in connection with the purchase or
disposition of the Shares and that Purchaser is not relying on the Company for
any tax advice.

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      6. Entire Agreement; Governing Law. The Plan and Option Agreement are
incorporated herein by reference. This Agreement, the Plan and the Option
Agreement constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the
subject matter hereof and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and
agreements of the Company and Purchaser with respect to the subject matter
hereof, and may not be modified adversely to the Purchaser's interest except by
means of a writing signed by the Company and Purchaser. This agreement is
governed by the internal substantive laws, but not the choice of law rules, of
California.

Submitted by:                         Accepted by:
PURCHASER:                            AVANEX CORPORATION


______________________________        ______________________________________
Signature                             By

______________________________        ______________________________________
Print Name

Address:                              Address:

______________________________        AVANEX CORPORATION

______________________________        40919 Encyclopedia Circle
                                      Fremont, CA 94538

                                      _____________________________________
                                      Date Received

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