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 17, 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)


                                       NA
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         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

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     CFR 230.425)

[_]  Soliciting  material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
     240.14a-12)

[_]  Pre-commencement   communications  pursuant  to  Rule  14d-2(b)  under  the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[_]  Pre-commencement   communications  pursuant  to  Rule  13e-4(c)  under  the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))



Item 2.02.
 
      On August 17, 2005, Network Appliance, Inc. issued a press release
announcing its 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 17, 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 17, 2005               By:  /s/    Steven Gomo        
                              -------------------------------
                                          Steven J. Gomo
                                     Chief Financial Officer




                                Index to Exhibits
 
Exhibit     Description
---------   -----------
  99.1     Press release of Network Appliance, Inc. issued on August 17, 2005.