Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN 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 *
WARMENHOVEN DANIEL J
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
NETWORK APPLIANCE INC [NTAP]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chief Executive Officer
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
495 EAST JAVA DRIVE
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
12/06/2004
(Street)

SUNNYVALE, CA 94089
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
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 Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 12/06/2004   M   250,000 A $ 4.508 4,312,301 I by Trust (1)
Common Stock 12/06/2004   S   250,000 D $ 32.558 4,062,301 I by Trust (1)
Common Stock               42,490 D  
Common Stock               110,000 I by Lmtd Ptnrshp (2)
Common Stock               970,000 I by Lmtd Ptnrshp2 (3)
Common Stock               170 I by Spouse (4)
Common Stock               1,806,500 I by Trust1 (5)
Common Stock               85,800 I by Trust2 (6)
Common Stock               9,567 I by Trust3 (7)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) $ 4.508 12/06/2004   M     250,000   (8) 04/30/2008 Common Stock 250,000 $ 0 1,555,648 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
WARMENHOVEN DANIEL J
495 EAST JAVA DRIVE
SUNNYVALE, CA 94089
      Chief Executive Officer  

Signatures

 By: Janice Mahoney by Power of Attorney For: Daniel J. Warmenhoven   12/07/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(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 Daniel J. Warmenhoven & Charmaine A. Warmenhoven, trustees to The Warmenhoven 1987 Revocable Trust UTA dated 12/16/87, as amended.
(2) Shares held by Warmenhoven Enterprises LP, a limited partnership of which the Warmenhoven Management Trust is the general partner, of which the reporting person and his wife are the trustees. Reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
(3) Shares held by Warmenhoven Ventures LP, a limited partnership of which the Warmenhoven Management Trust is the general partner, of which the reporting person and his wife are the trustees. Reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
(4) Shares held by Charmaine A. Warmenhoven, Mr. Warmenhoven's spouse, as separate property. Reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares.
(5) Shares held in trust by Richard A. Andre, trustee to The Warmenhoven 1995 Children's Trust, under trust agreement dated 5/1/95. Reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares.
(6) Shares held in trust by Richard A. Andre, trustee to The Daniel J. Warmenhoven 1991 Children's Trust. Reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares.
(7) Shares held in trust by Curtis Burr and Richard A. Andre, trustees of The Warmenhoven Family Irrevocable Trust, under trust agreement dated 4/10/00. Reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares.
(8) Option vests in equal monthly installments over the 36 months of services beginning with the second yearly anniversay of the grant date.

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