SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC  20549




                                  SCHEDULE 13G
                                 (Rule 13d-102)

             INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT
           TO RULES 13d-1(b)(c), AND (d) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED
                            PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-2(b)
                              (Amendment No.   )(1)


                             Network Appliance, Inc.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)

                                  Common Stock
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    64120L104
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                                   12/31/2001
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

     /X/  Rule 13d-1(b)

     / /  Rule 13d-1(c)

     / /  Rule 13d-1(d)


- -----------------------------
(1) The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of
securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would
alter the  disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but
shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, SEE the NOTES).


- --------------------                                       --------------------
CUSIP No. 64120L104                    13G                  Page 2 of 8 Pages
- --------------------                                       --------------------

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
   I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)

         The TCW Group, Inc., on behalf of the TCW Business Unit
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                                      (a)   / /
                                                                      (b)   /X/
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. SEC USE ONLY

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

          Nevada corporation
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           NUMBER OF      5. SOLE VOTING POWER
            SHARES                                                  -0-
         BENEFICIALLY     -----------------------------------------------------
           OWNED BY       6. SHARED VOTING POWER
             EACH                                                   26,315,902
          REPORTING       -----------------------------------------------------
            PERSON        7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
             WITH                                                   -0-
                          -----------------------------------------------------
                          8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                                                                    26,315,902
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
          26,315,902
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
                                                                    / /
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
          8.0%(see response to Item 4)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
         HC/CO
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT



                                                              Page 3 of 8 Pages

Item 1(a).   Name of Issuer:

             Network Appliance, Inc.

Item 1(b).   Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

             495 East Java Drive
             Sunnyvale, CA 94089

Item 2(a).   Name of Persons Filing:
Item 2(b).   Address of Principal Business Office, or if None, Residence:
Item 2(c).   Citizenship:

             The TCW Group, Inc., on behalf of the TCW Business Unit
             865 South Figueroa Street
             Los Angeles, CA 90017
             (Nevada Corporation)

Item 2(d).   Title of Class of Securities:

             Common Stock

Item 2(e).   CUSIP Number:

             64120L104



                                                              Page 4 of 8 Pages


Item 3. If This Statement Is Filed Pursuant to Sections 240.13d-1(b), or
        240.13d-2(b) or (c), Check Whether the Person Filing is a:

        (a)  / /  Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the
                  Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78o).
        (b)  / /  Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act
                  (15 U.S.C. 78c).
        (c)  / /  Insurance company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the
                  Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78c).
        (d)  / /  Investment company registered under Section 8 of the
                  Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8).
        (e)  / /  An investment adviser in accordance with
                  Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E).
        (f)  / /  An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in
                  accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F).
        (g)  /X/  A parent holding company or control person in
                  accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G).

                 (SEE Item 7)
                  The TCW Group, Inc., on behalf of the TCW Business Unit

        (h)  / /  A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the
                  Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);
        (i)  / /  A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an
                  investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment
                  Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3);
        (j)  / /  Group, in accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).If
                  this statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c), check this
                  box. / /



                                                              Page 5 of 8 Pages

Item 4.    Ownership **

           The TCW Group, Inc., on behalf of the Business Unit ***
           -------------------------------------------------------

          (a)  Amount beneficially owned: 26,315,902
          (b)  Percent of class:  8.0%
          (c)  Number of shares as to which such person has:
               (i)    Sole power to vote or to direct the vote: none.
               (ii)   Shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 26,315,902
               (iii)  Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition
                      of: none.
               (iv)   Shared power to dispose or to direct the
                      disposition of: 26,315,902


- -------------------
**     The filing of this Schedule 13G shall not be construed as an admission
       that the reporting person or any of its affiliates is, for the purposes
       of Section 13(d) or 13(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
       beneficial owner of any securities covered by this Schedule 13G.  In
       addition, the filing of this Schedule 13G shall not be construed as an
       admission that the reporting person or any of its affiliates is the
       beneficial owner of any securities covered by this Schedule 13G for any
       other purposes than Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

***    See Exhibit A



                                                              Page 6 of 8 Pages


Item 5.  Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.

         If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the
         date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner
         of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the
         following / /.

Item 6.  Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.

         Various persons other than as described in Item 4 have the right to
         receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the
         proceeds from the sale of, the Common Stock of Network Appliance, Inc.

Item 7.  Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired
         the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company.

         SEE Exhibit A.

Item 8.  Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

         SEE Exhibit A.

Item 9.  Notice of Dissolution of Group.

         Not applicable.

Item 10. Certification.

         Because this statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b), the
         following certification is included:

         By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
         belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the ordinary
         course of business and were not acquired and are not held for the
         purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of
         the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in
         connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that
         purpose or effect.



                                                              Page 7 of 8 Pages


                                    SIGNATURE


       After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.


Dated this 13th day of February, 2002.



                                      The TCW Group, Inc., on behalf of the TCW
                                      Business Unit

                                      By: /s/ Linda D. Barker
                                          -------------------
                                          Linda D. Barker
                                          Authorized Signatory



                                    EXHIBIT A


                 RELEVANT SUBSIDIARIES OF PARENT HOLDING COMPANY

PART A: TCW ENTITIES

PARENT HOLDING COMPANY:

      The TCW Group, Inc.




RELEVANT SUBSIDIARIES THAT ARE PERSONS DESCRIBED IN RULE 13d-1(b):

       (i)   Trust Company of the West, a California corporation and a bank as
             defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

       (ii)  TCW Asset Management Company, a California corporation and an
             Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of the Investment
             Advisers Act of 1940.

       (iii) TCW Investment Management Company, a California corporation and an
             Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of the Investment
             Advisers Act of 1940.

       (iv)  TCW Advisors, Inc., a California corporation and an Investment
             Adviser registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers
             Act of 1940.

This Schedule 13G is being filed by the TCW Group, Inc., a Nevada corporation
("TCW"), on behalf of itself and its direct and indirect subsidiaries, which
collectively constitute The TCW Group, Inc. business unit (the "TCW Business
Unit" or the "Reporting Person").  The TCW Business Unit is primarily engaged in
the provision of investment management services.

As of July 6, 2001, the ultimate parent company of TCW is Societe Generale,
S.A., a corporation formed under the laws of France ("SG").  The principal
business of SG is acting as a holding company for a global financial services
group, which includes certain distinct specialized business units that are
independently operated, including the TCW Business Unit.

SG, for purpose of the federal securities laws, may be deemed ultimately to
control TCW and the TCW Business Unit.  SG, its executive officers and
directors, and its direct and indirect subsidiaries (including all business
units except the TCW Business Unit), may beneficially own shares of the
securities of the issuer to which this schedule relates (the "Shares") and such
shares are not reported in this statement.  In accordance with Securities and
Exchange Commission ("SEC") Release No. 34-39538 (January 12, 1998), and due to
the separate management and independent operation of its business units, SG
disclaims beneficial ownership of Shares beneficially owned by the Reporting
Person.  The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of Shares
beneficially owned by SG and any of SG's other business units.


                                       A-1