UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                 ---------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

         Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): August 4, 2005

                                 ---------------

                             Network Appliance, Inc.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

            Delaware                     0-27130               77-0307520
(State or other jurisdiction of        (Commission           (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)        File Number)       Identification Number)

                               495 East Java Drive
                               Sunnyvale, CA 94089
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

                                 (408) 822-6000
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

================================================================================





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Item 2.02.

     On August 4, 2005, Network Appliance, Inc. issued a press release
announcing its preliminary earnings for the first quarter of its fiscal year
2006. The press release is attached as an exhibit to this Form 8-K, and the
information set forth therein is hereby incorporated by reference into this Item
2.02.

Item 9.01(c).

     Network Appliance, Inc.'s August 4, 2005 press release is hereby furnished
as Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 8-K in connection with the disclosures under Item
2.02 of this Form 8-K.


                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.


August 4, 2005                                 By:       /s/    Steven Gomo
                                                   -----------------------------
                                                           Steven J. Gomo
                                                       Chief Financial Officer