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 *
  Salmon Robert E
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
12/07/2005
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
NETWORK APPLIANCE INC [NTAP]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
495 E. JAVA DRIVE
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Executive VP, Field Operations
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

SUNNYVALE, CA 94089
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 10,256
D
 
Common Stock 100,360
I
by Trust (1)
Common Stock 240
I
by Trust (2)

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
Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)   (5) 11/01/2009 Common Stock 1,320 $ 18.5 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (5) 11/01/2009 Common Stock 22,680 $ 18.5 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (7) 01/02/2010 Common Stock 2,648 $ 14.167 D  
Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)   (6) 01/31/2010 Common Stock 1,854 $ 53.907 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (6) 01/31/2010 Common Stock 148,146 $ 53.907 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (8) 01/01/2011 Common Stock 2,187 $ 17.146 D  
Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)   (5) 04/25/2011 Common Stock 4,965 $ 20.16 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (5) 04/25/2011 Common Stock 95,035 $ 20.16 D  
Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)   (5) 02/06/2012 Common Stock 1,250 $ 15.32 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (5) 02/06/2012 Common Stock 28,750 $ 15.32 D  
Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)   (3) 02/06/2012 Common Stock 2,083 $ 15.32 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (3) 02/06/2012 Common Stock 22,917 $ 15.32 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (4) 10/31/2012 Common Stock 12,500 $ 9.99 D  
Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)   (4) 05/08/2013 Common Stock 9,478 $ 15.711 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (4) 05/08/2013 Common Stock 65,522 $ 15.711 D  
Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)   (4) 05/02/2014 Common Stock 5,216 $ 19.17 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (4) 05/02/2014 Common Stock 114,784 $ 19.17 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (5) 09/01/2014 Common Stock 50,000 $ 20.61 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)   (4) 05/31/2015 Common Stock 70,000 $ 29.24 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Salmon Robert E
495 E. JAVA DRIVE
SUNNYVALE, CA 94089
      Executive VP, Field Operations  

Signatures

Janice Mahoney by Power of Attorney for Robert E. Salmon 12/09/2005
**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 held in trust by Robert Salmon and Patricia Mertens-Salmon, trustees to the Salmon Trust UDT 10/6/2000
(2) Shares held in trust by Patricia Mertens-Salmon, Custodian for Michael T. Salmon UTMA CA
(3) Option vests with respect to 20% of the shares in equal monthly installments over the 12 months of service measured from the first anniversary of the option date; 30% of the shares in equal monthly installments over the following 12 months of service; and 50% of the shares in equal monthly installments over the final 12 months of service.
(4) Option vests in a series of equal monthly installments over 48 months of service beginning with the one-month anniversary of the grant date.
(5) Option vests with respect to 25% of the option shares on the first anniversary of the grant date and the balance in a series of equal monthly installments over the next 36 month of service thereafter.
(6) Option vests with respect to 10% of the option shares on the first anniversary of the grant date; 20% of the shares in equal monthly installments over the next 12 months of service; 30% of the shares in equal monthly installments over the following 12 months of service; and 40% of the shares in equal monthly installments over the final 12 months of service.
(7) Option vests with respect to 1/12th of the option shares on January 31, 2000; and the balance in a series of equal monthly installments over the next 11 months of service thereafter.
(8) Option vests with respect to 1/12th of the option shares on January 31, 2001; and the balance in a series of equal monthly installments over the next 11 months of service thereafter.

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