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                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

October 8, 2004
Network Appliance, Inc.
495 East Java Drive
Sunnyvale, California 94089

Ladies and Gentlemen:

You have requested our opinion with respect to certain matters in connection
with the filing by Network Appliance, Inc. (the "Company") of a Registration
Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") with the Securities and
Exchange Commission covering the offering of up to 1,300,000 shares of the
Company's Common Stock, $.001 par value, pursuant to its Employee Stock Purchase
Plan and 10,200,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock, $.001 par value,
(collectively, the "Shares") pursuant to its 1999 Stock Option Plan (together
with the Employee Stock Purchase Plan, the "Plans").

In connection with this opinion, we have examined the Registration Statement,
your Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws, as amended, and such other
documents, records, certificates, memoranda and other instruments as we deem
necessary as a basis for this opinion. We have assumed the genuineness and
authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to
originals of all documents submitted to us as copies thereof, and the due
execution and delivery of all documents where due execution and delivery are a
prerequisite to the effectiveness thereof.

On the basis of the foregoing, and in reliance thereon, we are of the opinion
that the Shares, when sold and issued in accordance with the Plans and the
Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable
(except as to shares issued pursuant to certain deferred payment arrangements,
which will be fully paid and nonassessable when such deferred payments are made
in full).

We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.
- ------------------------------------------
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.

                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement of
Network Appliance, Inc. on Form S-8 of our report dated June 23, 2004 (which
report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph
relating to the adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No.
142), included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Network Appliance, Inc. for
the year ended April 30, 2004.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

San Jose, California
October 6, 2004

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1

                             NETWORK APPLIANCE, INC.
                            1995 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

                   (AMENDED AND RESTATED THROUGH JULY 7, 2004)

                                   ARTICLE ONE

                               GENERAL PROVISIONS

      I.    PURPOSE OF THE PLAN

            This 1995 Stock Incentive Plan is intended to promote the interests
of Network Appliance, Inc., a Delaware corporation, by providing eligible
persons with the opportunity to acquire a proprietary interest, or otherwise
increase their proprietary interest, in the Corporation as an incentive for them
to remain in the service of the Corporation.

            Capitalized terms shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in
the attached Appendix.

            All share numbers which appear in this August 11, 1998 restatement
of the Plan reflect (i) the two-for-one split of the Common Stock effected on
December 19, 1997, (ii) the two-for-one split of the Common Stock effected on
December 22, 1998, (iii) the two-for-one split of the Common Stock effected on
December 21, 1999, and (iv) the two-for-one split of the Common Stock effected
on March 23, 2000.

      II.   STRUCTURE OF THE PLAN

            A.    The Plan shall be divided into four separate equity programs:

                        (i) the Discretionary Option Grant Program under which
      eligible persons may, at the discretion of the Plan Administrator, be
      granted options to purchase shares of Common Stock,

                        (ii) the Salary Investment Option Grant Program under
      which the Corporation's officers and other highly-compensated employees
      may elect to have a portion of their base salary reduced each year in
      return for options to purchase shares of Common Stock,

                        (iii) the Stock Issuance Program under which eligible
      persons may, at the discretion of the Plan Administrator, be issued shares
      of Common Stock directly, either through the immediate purchase of such
      shares or as a bonus for services rendered the Corporation (or any Parent
      or Subsidiary), and


                        (iv) the Automatic Option Grant Program under which
      Eligible Directors shall automatically receive option grants at periodic
      intervals to purchase shares of Common Stock.

            B. The provisions of Articles One and Six shall apply to all equity
programs under the Plan and shall accordingly govern the interests of all
persons under the Plan.

      III.  ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN

            A. The Primary Committee shall have sole and exclusive authority to
administer the Discretionary Option Grant and Stock Issuance Programs with
respect to Section 16 Insiders. Administration of the Discretionary Option Grant
and Stock Issuance Programs with respect to all other persons eligible to
participate in those programs may, at the Board's discretion, be vested in the
Primary Committee or a Secondary Committee, or the Board may retain the power to
administer those programs with respect to all such persons. The Primary
Committee shall also have the sole and exclusive authority to administer the
Salary Investment Option Grant Program and to select the eligible individuals
who are to participate in that program for one or more calendar years.

            B. Members of the Primary Committee or any Secondary Committee shall
serve for such period of time as the Board may determine and may be removed by
the Board at any time. The Board may also at any time terminate the functions of
any Secondary Committee and reassume all powers and authority previously
delegated to such committee.

            C. Each Plan Administrator shall, within the scope of its
administrative functions under the Plan, have full power and authority to
establish such rules and regulations as it may deem appropriate for proper
administration of the Discretionary Option Grant and Stock Issuance Programs and
to make such determinations under, and issue such interpretations of, the
provisions of such programs and any outstanding options or stock issuances
thereunder as it may deem necessary or advisable. Decisions of the Plan
Administrator within the scope of its administrative functions under the Plan
shall be final and binding on all parties who have an interest in the
Discretionary Option Grant or Stock Issuance Program under its jurisdiction or
any stock option or stock issuance thereunder.

            D. Service by Board members on the Primary Committee or the
Secondary Committee shall constitute service as a Board member, and Board
members of each such committee shall accordingly be entitled to full
indemnification and reimbursement as Board members for their service on such
committee. No member of the Primary Committee or the Secondary Committee shall
be liable for any act or omission made in good faith with respect to the Plan or
any option grants or stock issuances under the Plan.

            E. Administration of the Automatic Option Grant Program shall be
self-executing in accordance with the terms of that program, and no Plan
Administrator shall exercise any discretionary functions with respect to option
grants made thereunder.

                                        2


      IV.   ELIGIBILITY

            A. The persons eligible to participate in the Discretionary Option
Grant and Stock Issuance Programs are as follows:

                        (i) Employees,

                        (ii) non-employee members of the Board or the board of
      directors of any Parent or Subsidiary, and

                        (iii) consultants and other independent advisors who
      provide services to the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary).

            B. Only the Corporation's officers and other highly-compensated
Employees shall be eligible to participate in the Salary Investment Option Grant
Program.

            C. Each Plan Administrator shall, within the scope of its
administrative jurisdiction under the Plan, have full authority (subject to the
provisions of the Plan) to determine, (i) with respect to the option grants
under the Discretionary Option Grant Program, which eligible persons are to
receive option grants, the time or times when such option grants are to be made,
the number of shares to be covered by each such grant, the status of the granted
option as either an Incentive Option or a Non-Statutory Option, the time or
times when each option is to become exercisable, the vesting schedule (if any)
applicable to the option shares and the maximum term for which the option is to
remain outstanding, and whether to modify or amend each option, including the
discretionary authority to extend the post-termination exercisability period of
options longer than is otherwise provided for in the Plan and (ii) with respect
to stock issuances under the Stock Issuance Program, which eligible persons are
to receive stock issuances, the time or times when such issuances are to be
made, the number of shares to be issued to each Participant, the vesting
schedule (if any) applicable to the issued shares and the consideration to be
paid for such shares. The Primary Committee shall have sole and exclusive
authority to select the individuals eligible to participate in the Salary
Investment Option Grant Program, but all options granted under such program
shall be made solely in accordance with the express terms and conditions of
Article Three of the Plan.

            D. The Plan Administrator shall have the absolute discretion either
to grant options in accordance with the Discretionary Option Grant Program or to
effect stock issuances in accordance with the Stock Issuance Program.

            E. The individuals eligible to participate in the Automatic Option
Grant Program shall be limited to (i) those individuals who first become
non-employee Board members on or after the Plan Effective Date, whether through
appointment by the Board or election by the Corporation's stockholders, and (ii)
those individuals who are re-elected as non-employee Board members at one or
more Annual Stockholders Meetings held after the Plan Effective Date, including
those individuals serving as non-employee Board members on the Plan Effective
Date. A non-employee Board member who has previously been in the employ of the
Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary) shall not be eligible to receive an
initial option grant under the

                                        3


Automatic Option Grant Program on the Plan Effective Date or (if later) at the
time he or she first becomes a non-employee Board member, but such individual
shall be eligible to receive periodic option grants under the Automatic Option
Grant Program upon his or her re-election as a non-employee Board member at one
or more Annual Stockholders Meetings.

      V.    STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

            A. The stock issuable under the Plan shall be shares of authorized
but unissued or reacquired Common Stock, including shares repurchased by the
Corporation on the open market. The maximum number of shares of Common Stock
which may be issued over the term of the Plan shall not exceed 101,700,192
shares. Such authorized share reserve includes (i) the increase of an additional
25,600,000 shares authorized by the Board on July 17, 1997 and approved by the
stockholders at the 1997 Annual Meeting on September 25, 1997 and (ii) an
additional increase of 21,600,000 shares authorized by the Board on August 11,
1998 and approved by the stockholders on at the 1998 Annual Meeting on October
8, 1998.

            B. No one person participating in the Plan may receive options and
direct stock issuances for more than 8,000,000 shares of Common Stock in the
aggregate per calendar year, beginning with the 1995 calendar year.

            C. Shares of Common Stock subject to outstanding options shall be
available for subsequent issuance under the Plan to the extent the options
(including any options incorporated from the Predecessor Plan) expire or
terminate for any reason prior to exercise in full. In addition, any unvested
shares issued under the Plan and subsequently repurchased by the Corporation, at
the option exercise or direct issue price paid per share, pursuant to the
Corporation's repurchase rights under the Plan shall be added back to the number
of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan and shall
accordingly be available for reissuance through one or more subsequent option
grants or direct stock issuances under the Plan. Should the exercise price of an
option under the Plan (including any option incorporated from the Predecessor
Plan) be paid with shares of Common Stock or should shares of Common Stock
otherwise issuable under the Plan be withheld by the Corporation in satisfaction
of the withholding taxes incurred in connection with the exercise of an option
or the vesting or disposition of exercised option shares or stock issuances
under the Plan, then the number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance
under the Plan shall be reduced by the gross number of shares for which the
option is exercised or which vest under the stock issuance, and not by the net
number of shares of Common Stock issued to the holder of such option or stock
issuance.

            D. Should any change be made to the Common Stock by reason of any
stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, combination of shares, exchange
of shares or other change affecting the outstanding Common Stock as a class
without the Corporation's receipt of consideration, appropriate adjustments
shall be made to (i) the maximum number and/or class of securities issuable
under the Plan, (ii) the maximum number and/or class of securities for which any
one person may be granted options and direct stock issuances per calendar year,
(iii) the number and/or class of securities for which automatic option grants
are to be made subsequently per Eligible Director under the Automatic Option
Grant Program and (iv) the number and/or

                                        4


class of securities and the exercise price per share in effect under each
outstanding option (including any option incorporated from the Predecessor Plan)
in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of benefits thereunder. The
adjustments determined by the Plan Administrator shall be final, binding and
conclusive.

                                        5


                                   ARTICLE TWO

                       DISCRETIONARY OPTION GRANT PROGRAM

      I.    OPTION TERMS

            Each option shall be evidenced by one or more documents in the form
approved by the Plan Administrator; provided, however, that each such document
shall comply with the terms specified below. Each document evidencing an
Incentive Option shall, in addition, be subject to the provisions of the Plan
applicable to such options.

            A.    Exercise Price.

                  1. The exercise price per share shall be fixed by the Plan
Administrator but shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair
Market Value per share of Common Stock on the option grant date.

                  2. The exercise price shall become immediately due upon
exercise of the option and shall be payable in one or more of the forms
specified by the Plan Administrator, including without limitation, by one of the
following forms of consideration:

                        (i) cash or check made payable to the Corporation,

                        (ii) shares of Common Stock held for the requisite
      period necessary to avoid a charge to the Corporation's earnings for
      financial reporting purposes and valued at Fair Market Value on the
      Exercise Date, or

                        (iii) to the extent the option is exercised for vested
      shares, through a special sale and remittance procedure pursuant to which
      the Optionee shall concurrently provide irrevocable instructions to (a) a
      Corporation-designated brokerage firm to effect the immediate sale of the
      purchased shares and remit to the Corporation, out of the sale proceeds
      available on the settlement date, sufficient funds to cover the aggregate
      exercise price payable for the purchased shares plus all applicable
      Federal, state and local income and employment taxes required to be
      withheld by the Corporation by reason of such exercise and (b) the
      Corporation to deliver the certificates for the purchased shares directly
      to such brokerage firm in order to complete the sale transaction.

            Except to the extent such sale and remittance procedure is utilized,
payment of the exercise price for the purchased shares must be made on the
Exercise Date.

            B. Exercise and Term of Options. Each option shall be exercisable at
such time or times, during such period and for such number of shares as shall be
determined by the Plan Administrator and set forth in the documents evidencing
the option. However, no option shall have a term in excess of ten (10) years
measured from the option grant date.

                                        6


            C.    Effect of Termination of Service.

                  1. The following provisions shall govern the exercise of any
options held by the Optionee at the time of cessation of Service or death:

                        (i) Any option outstanding at the time of the Optionee's
      cessation of Service for any reason shall remain exercisable for such
      period of time thereafter as shall be determined by the Plan Administrator
      and set forth in the documents evidencing the option, but no such option
      shall be exercisable after the expiration of the option term.

                        (ii) Any option exercisable in whole or in part by the
      Optionee at the time of death may be exercised subsequently by the
      personal representative of the Optionee's estate or by the person or
      persons to whom the option is transferred pursuant to the Optionee's will
      or in accordance with the laws of descent and distribution.

                        (iii) During the applicable post-Service exercise
      period, the option may not be exercised in the aggregate for more than the
      number of vested shares for which the option is exercisable on the date of
      the Optionee's cessation of Service. Upon the expiration of the applicable
      exercise period or (if earlier) upon the expiration of the option term,
      the option shall terminate and cease to be outstanding for any vested
      shares for which the option has not been exercised. However, the option
      shall, immediately upon the Optionee's cessation of Service, terminate and
      cease to be outstanding to the extent the option is not otherwise at that
      time exercisable for vested shares.

                        (iv) Should the Optionee's Service be terminated for
      Misconduct, then all outstanding options held by the Optionee shall
      terminate immediately and cease to be outstanding.

                  2. The Plan Administrator shall have the discretion,
exercisable either at the time an option is granted or at any time while the
option remains outstanding, to:

                        (i) extend the period of time for which the option is to
      remain exercisable following the Optionee's cessation of Service from the
      period otherwise in effect for that option to such greater period of time
      as the Plan Administrator shall deem appropriate, but in no event beyond
      the expiration of the option term, and/or

                        (ii) permit the option to be exercised, during the
      applicable post-Service exercise period, not only with respect to the
      number of vested shares of Common Stock for which such option is
      exercisable at the time of the Optionee's cessation of Service but also
      with respect to one or more additional installments in which the Optionee
      would have vested under the option had the Optionee continued in Service.

                                        7


            D. Stockholder Rights. The holder of an option shall have no
stockholder rights with respect to the shares subject to the option until such
person shall have exercised the option, paid the exercise price and become a
holder of record of the purchased shares.

            E. Repurchase Rights. The Plan Administrator shall have the
discretion to grant options which are exercisable for unvested shares of Common
Stock. Should the Optionee cease Service while holding such unvested shares, the
Corporation shall have the right to repurchase, at the exercise price paid per
share, any or all of those unvested shares. The terms upon which such repurchase
right shall be exercisable (including the period and procedure for exercise and
the appropriate vesting schedule for the purchased shares) shall be established
by the Plan Administrator and set forth in the document evidencing such
repurchase right.

            F. LIMITED TRANSFERABILITY OF OPTIONS. During the lifetime of the
Optionee, Incentive Options shall be exercisable only by the Optionee and shall
not be assignable or transferable other than by will or by the laws of
inheritance following the Optionee's death. However, Non-Statutory Options may
be assigned in whole or in part during the Optionee's lifetime to one or more
members of the Optionee's family or to a trust established exclusively for one
or more such family members or the Optionee's former spouse, to the extent such
assignment is in connection with the Optionee's estate plan, or to the
Optionee's former spouse pursuant to a domestic relations order. The assigned
portion may only be exercised by the person or persons who acquire a proprietary
interest in the option pursuant to the assignment. The terms applicable to the
assigned portion shall be the same as those in effect for the option immediately
prior to such assignment and shall be set forth in such documents issued to the
assignee as the Plan Administrator may deem appropriate.

      II.   INCENTIVE OPTIONS

            The terms specified below shall be applicable to all Incentive
Options. Except as modified by the provisions of this Section II, all the
provisions of Articles One, Two and Six shall be applicable to Incentive
Options. Options which are specifically designated as Non-Statutory Options when
issued under the Plan shall not be subject to the terms of this Section II.

            A. Eligibility. Incentive Options may only be granted to Employees.

            B. Exercise Price. The exercise price per share shall not be less
than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per share of Common
Stock on the option grant date.

            C. Dollar Limitation. The aggregate Fair Market Value of the shares
of Common Stock (determined as of the respective date or dates of grant) for
which one or more options granted to any Employee under the Plan (or any other
option plan of the Corporation or any Parent or Subsidiary) may for the first
time become exercisable as Incentive Options during any one (1) calendar year
shall not exceed the sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000). To the
extent the Employee holds two (2) or more such options which become exercisable
for the first time in the same calendar year, the foregoing limitation on the

                                        8


exercisability of such options as Incentive Options shall be applied on the
basis of the order in which such options are granted.

            D. 10% Stockholder. If any Employee to whom an Incentive Option is
granted is a 10% Stockholder, then the exercise price per share shall not be
less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value per share of
Common Stock on the option grant date, and the option term shall not exceed five
(5) years measured from the option grant date.

      III.  CORPORATE TRANSACTION/CHANGE IN CONTROL

            A. In the event of any Corporate Transaction, each outstanding
option shall automatically accelerate so that each such option shall,
immediately prior to the effective date of the Corporate Transaction, become
fully exercisable with respect to the total number of shares of Common Stock at
the time subject to such option and may be exercised for any or all of those
shares as fully-vested shares of Common Stock. However, an outstanding option
shall not so accelerate if and to the extent: (i) such option is, in connection
with the Corporate Transaction, either to be assumed by the successor
corporation (or parent thereof) or to be replaced with a comparable option to
purchase shares of the capital stock of the successor corporation (or parent
thereof), (ii) such option is to be replaced with a cash incentive program of
the successor corporation which preserves the spread existing on the unvested
option shares at the time of the Corporate Transaction and provides for
subsequent payout in accordance with the same vesting schedule applicable to
such option or (iii) the acceleration of such option is subject to other
limitations imposed by the Plan Administrator at the time of the option grant.
The determination of option comparability under clause (i) above shall be made
by the Plan Administrator, and its determination shall be final, binding and
conclusive.

            B. All outstanding repurchase rights shall also terminate
automatically, and the shares of Common Stock subject to those terminated rights
shall immediately vest in full, in the event of any Corporate Transaction,
except to the extent: (i) those repurchase rights are to be assigned to the
successor corporation (or parent thereof) in connection with such Corporate
Transaction or (ii) such accelerated vesting is precluded by other limitations
imposed by the Plan Administrator at the time the repurchase right is issued.

            C. Immediately following the consummation of the Corporate
Transaction, all outstanding options shall terminate and cease to be
outstanding, except to the extent assumed by the successor corporation (or
parent thereof).

            D. Each option which is assumed in connection with a Corporate
Transaction shall be appropriately adjusted, immediately after such Corporate
Transaction, to apply to the number and class of securities which would have
been issuable to the Optionee in consummation of such Corporate Transaction had
the option been exercised immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction.
Appropriate adjustments to reflect such Corporate Transaction shall also be made
to (i) the exercise price payable per share under each outstanding option,
provided the aggregate exercise price payable for such securities shall remain
the same, (ii) the maximum number and/or class of securities available for
issuance over the remaining term of the Plan and

                                        9


(iii) the maximum number and/or class of securities for which any one person may
be granted stock options and direct stock issuances under the Plan per calendar
year.

            G. The Plan Administrator shall have the full power and authority to
accelerate the vesting of options granted under the Discretionary Option Grant
Program upon a Corporate Transaction or Change in Control or upon an event or
events occurring in connection with such transactions. The portion of any
Incentive Option accelerated in connection with a Corporate Transaction or
Change in Control shall remain exercisable as an Incentive Option only to the
extent the applicable One Hundred Thousand Dollar limitation is not exceeded. To
the extent such dollar limitation is exceeded, the accelerated portion of such
option shall be exercisable as a Non-Qualified Option under the Federal tax
laws.

            H. The outstanding options shall in no way affect the right of the
Corporation to adjust, reclassify, reorganize or otherwise change its capital or
business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve, liquidate or sell or
transfer all or any part of its business or assets.

      IV.   CANCELLATION AND REGRANT OF OPTIONS

            The Plan Administrator may not modify or amend a stock option to
reduce the exercise price of such stock option after it has been granted (except
for adjustments made pursuant to Article One Section V.D.), unless approved by
the Company's stockholders and neither may the Plan Administrator, without the
approval of the Corporation's stockholders, cancel any outstanding stock option
and immediately replace it with a new stock option with a lower exercise price.

                                       10


                                  ARTICLE THREE

                     SALARY INVESTMENT OPTION GRANT PROGRAM

      I.    OPTION GRANTS

            The Primary Committee shall have the sole and exclusive authority to
determine the calendar year or years (if any) for which the Salary Investment
Option Grant Program is to be in effect and to select the Corporation's officers
and other highly compensated Employees who are to participate in the Salary
Investment Option Grant Program for those calendar year or years. Each selected
individual who elects to participate in the Salary Investment Option Grant
Program must, prior to the start of each calendar year of participation, file
with the Primary Committee (or its designate) an irrevocable authorization
directing the Corporation to reduce his or her salary for that calendar year.
The minimum amount of authorized salary reduction shall not be less than Fifteen
Thousand Dollars ($15,000), and the maximum salary reduction amount authorized
by any individual shall not exceed Seventy Five Thousand Dollars ($75,000). Each
selected individual who files a proper salary reduction authorization shall
automatically be granted an option under this Salary Investment Option Grant
Program on the first trading day in January of the calendar year for which that
salary reduction is to be in effect.

      II.   OPTION TERMS

            Each option shall be a Non-Statutory Option evidenced by one or more
documents in the form approved by the Primary Committee; provided, however, that
each such document shall comply with the terms specified below.

            A.    Exercise Price.

                  1. The exercise price per share shall be thirty-three and
one-third percent (33-1/3%) of the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock
on the option grant date.

                  2. The exercise price shall become immediately due upon
exercise of the option and shall be payable in one or more of the alternative
forms authorized under the Discretionary Option Grant Program. Except to the
extent the sale and remittance procedure specified thereunder is utilized,
payment of the exercise price for the purchased shares must be made on the
Exercise Date.

            B. Number of Option Shares. The number of shares of Common Stock
subject to the option shall be determined pursuant to the following formula
(rounded down to the nearest whole number):

                  X = A / (B x 66-2/3%), where

                  X is the number of option shares,

                                       11


                  A is the dollar amount by which the Optionee's base salary is
            to be reduced for the calendar year, and

                  B is the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the
            option grant date.

            C. Exercise and Term of Options. The option shall become exercisable
in a series of twelve (12) successive equal monthly installments upon the
Optionee's completion of each calendar month of Service in the calendar year for
which the salary reduction is in effect. Each option shall have a maximum term
of ten (10) years measured from the option grant date.

            D. Effect of Termination of Service. Should the Optionee cease
Service for any reason while holding one or more options under this Article
Three, then each such option shall remain exercisable, for any or all of the
shares for which the option is exercisable at the time of such cessation of
Service, until the expiration of the ten (10)-year option term. Should the
Optionee die while holding one or more options under this Article Three, then
each such option may be exercised, for any or all of the shares for which the
option is exercisable at the time of the Optionee's cessation of Service (less
any shares subsequently purchased by Optionee prior to death), by the personal
representative of the Optionee's estate or by the person or persons to whom the
option is transferred pursuant to the Optionee's will or in accordance with the
laws of descent and distribution. Such right of exercise shall lapse, and the
option shall terminate, upon the expiration of the ten (10)-year option term.
However, the option shall, immediately upon the Optionee's cessation of Service
for any reason, terminate and cease to remain outstanding with respect to any
and all shares of Common Stock for which the option is not otherwise at that
time exercisable.

      III.  CORPORATE TRANSACTION/CHANGE IN CONTROL

            A. Should any Corporate Transaction be effected while the Optionee
remains in Service, then each outstanding option held by such Optionee under the
Salary Investment Option Grant Program shall automatically accelerate so that
each such option shall, immediately prior to the effective date of the Corporate
Transaction, become fully exercisable with respect to the total number of shares
of Common Stock at the time subject to such option and may be exercised for any
or all of those shares as fully-vested shares of Common Stock. Each such
outstanding option shall be assumed by the successor corporation (or parent
thereof) in the Corporate Transaction and shall remain exercisable for the
fully-vested shares until the expiration of the ten (10)-year option term.

            B. Should any Change in Control occur while the Optionee remains in
Service, then each outstanding option held by such Optionee under the Salary
Investment Option Grant Program shall automatically accelerate so that each such
option shall, immediately prior to the effective date of the Change in Control,
become fully exercisable with respect to the total number of shares of Common
Stock at the time subject to such option and may be exercised for any or all of
those shares as fully-vested shares of Common Stock. The option shall remain so
exercisable until the expiration of the ten (10)-year option term.

                                       12


            C. The grant of options under the Salary Investment Option Grant
Program shall in no way affect the right of the Corporation to adjust,
reclassify, reorganize or otherwise change its capital or business structure or
to merge, consolidate, dissolve, liquidate or sell or transfer all or any part
of its business or assets.

      IV.   REMAINING TERMS

            The remaining terms of each option granted under the Salary
Investment Option Grant Program shall be the same as the terms in effect for
option grants made under the Discretionary Option Grant Program.

                                       13


                                  ARTICLE FOUR

                             STOCK ISSUANCE PROGRAM

      I.    STOCK ISSUANCE TERMS

            Shares of Common Stock may be issued under the Stock Issuance
Program through direct and immediate issuances without any intervening option
grants. Each such stock issuance shall be evidenced by a Stock Issuance
Agreement which complies with the terms specified below. Shares of Common Stock
may also be issued under the Stock Issuance Program pursuant to share right
awards which entitle the recipients to receive those shares upon the attainment
of designated performance goals. In no event may shares subject to awards under
the Stock Issuance be issued for more than 10% of the shares available for
issuance hereunder as of May 28, 2004, plus 10% of the shares subject to
outstanding awards as of such date that return to the Plan as the result of the
termination or expiration of such awards prior to their exercise or as the
result of the repurchase or reacquisition of unvested shares. To the extent any
shares issued pursuant to awards granted under the Stock Issuance Program after
July 7, 2004 are forfeited or otherwise return to the Plan, such shares will not
count against the foregoing limit and may once again be issued pursuant to
awards under the Stock Issuance Program as if the original award were never
granted.

            A.    Purchase Price.

                  1. The purchase price per share of Common Stock subject to
direct issuance shall be fixed by the Plan Administrator.

                  2. Shares of Common Stock may be issued under the Stock
Issuance Program for any item of consideration which the Plan Administrator may
deem appropriate in each individual instance, including, without limitation, the
following:

                        (i) cash or check made payable to the Corporation, or

                        (ii) past services rendered to the Corporation (or any
      Parent or Subsidiary).

            B.    Vesting/Issuance Provisions.

                  1. The Plan Administrator may issue shares of Common Stock
under the Stock Issuance Program which are fully and immediately vested upon
issuance or which are to vest in one or more installments over the Participant's
period of Service or upon attainment of specified performance objectives. The
elements of the vesting schedule applicable to any unvested shares of Common
Stock issued under the Stock Issuance Program, namely:

                        (i) the Service period to be completed by the
      Participant or the performance objectives to be attained,

                                       14


                        (ii) the number of installments in which the shares are
      to vest,

                        (iii) the interval or intervals (if any) which are to
      lapse between installments, and

                        (iv) the effect which death, Permanent Disability or
      other event designated by the Plan Administrator is to have upon the
      vesting schedule,

shall be determined by the Plan Administrator and incorporated into the Stock
Issuance Agreement. Alternatively, the Plan Administrator may issue share right
awards under the Stock Issuance Program which shall entitle the recipient to
receive a specified number of shares of Common Stock upon the attainment of one
or more performance goals established by the Plan Administrator. Upon the
attainment of such performance goals, fully-vested shares of Common Stock shall
be issued in satisfaction of those share right awards.

                  2. Any new, substituted or additional securities or other
property (including money paid other than as a regular cash dividend) which the
Participant may have the right to receive with respect to his or her unvested
shares of Common Stock by reason of any stock dividend, stock split,
recapitalization, combination of shares, exchange of shares or other change
affecting the outstanding Common Stock as a class without the Corporation's
receipt of consideration shall be issued subject to (i) the same vesting
requirements applicable to the Participant's unvested shares of Common Stock and
(ii) such escrow arrangements as the Plan Administrator shall deem appropriate.

                  3. The Participant shall have full stockholder rights with
respect to any shares of Common Stock issued to the Participant under the Stock
Issuance Program, whether or not the Participant's interest in those shares is
vested. Accordingly, the Participant shall have the right to vote such shares
and to receive any regular cash dividends paid on such shares.

                  4. Should the Participant cease to remain in Service while
holding one or more unvested shares of Common Stock issued under the Stock
Issuance Program or should the performance objectives not be attained with
respect to one or more such unvested shares of Common Stock, then those shares
shall be immediately surrendered to the Corporation for cancellation, and the
Participant shall have no further stockholder rights with respect to those
shares. To the extent the surrendered shares were previously issued to the
Participant for cash consideration, unless the Plan Administrator provides
otherwise, the Corporation shall repay that consideration to the Participant at
the time the shares are surrendered.

                  5. The Plan Administrator may in its discretion waive the
surrender and cancellation of one or more unvested shares of Common Stock (or
other assets attributable thereto) which would otherwise occur upon the
cessation of the Participant's Service or the non-attainment of the performance
objectives applicable to those shares. Such waiver shall result in the immediate
vesting of the Participant's interest in the shares of Common Stock as to which
the

                                       15


waiver applies. Such waiver may be effected at any time, whether before or after
the Participant's cessation of Service or the attainment or non-attainment of
the applicable performance objectives.

                  6. Outstanding share right awards under the Stock Issuance
Program shall automatically terminate, and no shares of Common Stock shall
actually be issued in satisfaction of those awards, if the performance goals
established for such awards are not attained. The Plan Administrator, however,
shall have the discretionary authority to issue shares of Common Stock in
satisfaction of one or more outstanding share right awards as to which the
designated performance goals are not attained.

      II.   CORPORATE TRANSACTION/CHANGE IN CONTROL

            A. All of the Corporation's outstanding repurchase rights under the
Stock Issuance Program shall terminate automatically, and all the shares of
Common Stock subject to those terminated rights shall immediately vest in full,
in the event of any Corporate Transaction, except to the extent (i) those
repurchase rights are to be assigned to the successor corporation (or parent
thereof) in connection with such Corporate Transaction or (ii) such accelerated
vesting is precluded by other limitations imposed in the Stock Issuance
Agreement.

            B. The Plan Administrator shall have the discretionary authority,
exercisable either at the time the unvested shares are issued or any time while
the Corporation's repurchase rights remain outstanding under the Stock Issuance
Program, to provide that those rights shall automatically terminate in whole or
in part, and the shares of Common Stock subject to those terminated rights shall
immediately vest upon a Corporate Transaction or Change in Control or upon an
event or events associated with such transactions.

      III.  SHARE ESCROW/LEGENDS

            Unvested shares may, in the Plan Administrator's discretion, be held
in escrow by the Corporation until the Participant's interest in such shares
vests or may be issued directly to the Participant with restrictive legends on
the certificates evidencing those unvested shares.

                                       16


                                  ARTICLE FIVE

                         AUTOMATIC OPTION GRANT PROGRAM

            The Automatic Option Grant Program under the Plan was replaced by a
new automatic option grant program for non-employee Board members under the
Corporation's 1999 Stock Option Plan, effective October 26, 1999. Accordingly,
no further option grants are to be made under this Automatic Option Grant
Program after October 25, 1999. However, any outstanding option grants made
under this Automatic Option Grant Program prior to October 26, 1999 shall
continue in full force and effect in accordance with the terms and provisions of
this Article Five and the applicable stock option agreement for each such grant.

            All automatic option grants made to non-employee Board members on or
after October 26, 1999, whether upon their initial election or appointment to
the Board or upon their re-election at one or more subsequent Annual Shareholder
Meetings shall be effected solely and exclusively in accordance with the terms
and provisions of the Automatic Option Grant Program in effect under the 1999
Stock Option Plan.

      I.    OPTION TERMS

            A. GRANT DATES. No additional option grants shall be made under this
Automatic Option Grant Program after October 25, 1999. The terms and provisions
of this Article Five shall apply to all option grants made under the Automatic
Option Grant Program prior to such date.

            B. EXERCISE PRICE.

                  1. The exercise price per share shall be equal to one hundred
percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the option
grant date.

                  2. The exercise price shall be payable in one or more of the
alternative forms authorized under the Discretionary Option Grant Program.
Except to the extent the sale and remittance procedure specified thereunder is
utilized, payment of the exercise price for the purchased shares must be made on
the Exercise Date.

            C. OPTION TERM. Each option shall have a term of ten (10) years
measured from the option grant date.

            D. EXERCISE AND VESTING OF OPTIONS. Each option shall be immediately
exercisable for any or all of the option shares. However, any shares purchased
under the option shall be subject to repurchase by the Corporation, at the
exercise price paid per share, upon the Optionee's cessation of Board service
prior to vesting in those shares. The shares subject to each initial automatic
option grant made to a newly-elected or appointed non-employee Board member
shall vest, and the Corporation's repurchase right with respect to those shares
shall lapse, in a series of four (4) successive equal annual installments over
the Optionee's period of continued service as a Board member, with the first
such installment to vest upon the Optionee's

                                       17


completion of one (1) year of Board service measured from the option grant date.
The shares subject to each annual automatic option grant made to a continuing
non-employee Board member shall vest, and the Corporation's repurchase right
shall lapse, upon the Optionee's continuation in Board service through the day
immediately preceding the next Annual Stockholders Meeting following the option
grant date.

            E. EFFECT OF TERMINATION OF BOARD SERVICE. The following provisions
shall govern the exercise of any options held by the Optionee at the time the
Optionee ceases to serve as a Board member:

                  (i) The Optionee (or, in the event of Optionee's death, the
      personal representative of the Optionee's estate or the person or persons
      to whom the option is transferred pursuant to the Optionee's will or in
      accordance with the laws of descent and distribution) shall have a twelve
      (12)-month period following the date of such cessation of Board service in
      which to exercise each such option.

                  (ii) During the twelve (12)-month exercise period, the option
      may not be exercised in the aggregate for more than the number of vested
      shares of Common Stock for which the option is exercisable at the time of
      the Optionee's cessation of Board service.

                  (iii) Should the Optionee cease to serve as a Board member by
      reason of death or Permanent Disability, then all shares at the time
      subject to the option shall immediately vest so that such option may,
      during the twelve (12) month exercise period following such cessation of
      Board service, be exercised for all or any portion of those shares as
      fully-vested shares of Common Stock.

                  (iv) In no event shall the option remain exercisable after the
      expiration of the option term. Upon the expiration of the twelve
      (12)-month exercise period or (if earlier) upon the expiration of the
      option term, the option shall terminate and cease to be outstanding for
      any vested shares for which the option has not been exercised. However,
      the option shall, immediately upon the Optionee's cessation of Board
      service for any reason other than death or Permanent Disability, terminate
      and cease to be outstanding to the extent the option is not otherwise at
      that time exercisable for vested shares.

      II.   CORPORATE TRANSACTION/CHANGE IN CONTROL

            A. The shares of Common Stock subject to each outstanding option at
the time of a Corporate Transaction but not otherwise vested shall automatically
vest in full so that each such option shall, immediately prior to the effective
date of that Corporate Transaction, become fully exercisable for all of the
shares of Common Stock at the time subject to such option and may be exercised
for all or any portion of those shares as fully-vested shares of Common Stock.
Immediately following the consummation of the Corporate Transaction, each
automatic option grant shall terminate and cease to be outstanding, except to
the extent assumed by the successor corporation (or parent thereof).

                                       18


            B. The shares of Common Stock subject to each outstanding option at
the time of a Change in Control but not otherwise vested shall automatically
vest in full so that each such option shall, immediately prior to the effective
date of that Change in Control, become fully exercisable for all of the shares
of Common Stock at the time subject to such option and may be exercised for all
or any portion of those shares as fully-vested shares of Common Stock. Each such
option shall remain exercisable for such fully-vested option shares until the
expiration or sooner termination of the option term.

            C. All repurchase rights of the Corporation outstanding under the
Automatic Option Grant Program at the time of a Corporate Transaction or Change
in Control shall automatically terminate at that time, and the shares of Common
Stock subject to those terminated rights shall immediately vest.

            D. Each option which is assumed in connection with a Corporate
Transaction shall be appropriately adjusted, immediately after such Corporate
Transaction, to apply to the number and class of securities which would have
been issuable to the Optionee in consummation of such Corporate Transaction had
the option been exercised immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction.
Appropriate adjustments shall also be made to the exercise price payable per
share under each outstanding option, provided the aggregate exercise price
payable for such securities shall remain the same.

            E. The grant of options under the Automatic Option Grant Program
shall in no way affect the right of the Corporation to adjust, reclassify,
reorganize or otherwise change its capital or business structure or to merge,
consolidate, dissolve, liquidate or sell or transfer all or any part of its
business or assets.

      III.  REMAINING TERMS

            The remaining terms of each option granted under the Automatic
Option Grant Program shall be the same as the terms in effect for option grants
made under the Discretionary Option Grant Program.

                                       19


                                   ARTICLE SIX

                                  MISCELLANEOUS

      I.    TAX WITHHOLDING

            A. The Corporation's obligation to deliver shares of Common Stock
upon the exercise of stock options or the issuance or vesting of such shares
under the Plan shall be subject to the satisfaction of all applicable Federal,
state and local income and employment tax withholding requirements.

            B. The Plan Administrator may, in its discretion, provide any or all
holders of options or unvested shares of Common Stock under the Plan (other than
the options granted or the shares issued under the Automatic Option Grant
Program) with the right to use shares of Common Stock in satisfaction of all or
part of the minimum Withholding Taxes to which such holders become subject in
connection with the exercise of their options or the vesting or disposition of
their shares. Such right may be provided to any such holder in either or both of
the following formats:

                  (i) Stock Withholding: The election to have the Corporation
      withhold, from the shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable upon the
      exercise of such option, the vesting of such shares or upon disposition of
      the shares, a portion of those shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value
      equal to the percentage of the Withholding Taxes (not to exceed one
      hundred percent (100%) of the minimum amount required to be withheld)
      designated by the holder.

                  (ii) Stock Delivery: The election to deliver to the
      Corporation, at the time the option is exercised, the shares vest or upon
      disposition of the shares, one or more shares of Common Stock previously
      acquired by such holder (other than in connection with the option exercise
      or share vesting triggering the Withholding Taxes) with an aggregate Fair
      Market Value equal to the percentage of the Withholding Taxes (not to
      exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the minimum amount required to be
      withheld) designated by the holder.

      II.   EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERM OF THE PLAN

            A. The Plan became effective on the Plan Effective Date and serves
as the successor to the Predecessor Plan, and no further option grants or direct
stock issuances are to be made under the Predecessor Plan after the Plan
Effective Date. All options outstanding under the Predecessor Plan as of such
date have been incorporated into the Plan and shall be treated as outstanding
options under the Plan. However, each outstanding option so incorporated shall
continue to be governed solely by the terms of the documents evidencing such
option, and no provision of the Plan shall be deemed to affect or otherwise
modify the rights or obligations of

                                       20


the holders of such incorporated options with respect to their acquisition of
shares of Common Stock.

            B. One or more provisions of the Plan, including (without
limitation) the option/vesting acceleration provisions of Article Two relating
to Corporate Transactions and Changes in Control, may, in the Plan
Administrator's discretion, be extended to one or more options incorporated from
the Predecessor Plan which do not otherwise contain such provisions.

            C. The Plan shall terminate upon the earliest of (i) August 31,
2008, (ii) the date on which all shares available for issuance under the Plan
shall have been issued as fully-vested shares pursuant to option exercises or
direct stock issuances under the Plan or (iii) the termination of all
outstanding options in connection with a Corporate Transaction (unless the
acquiror assumes the Plan in the transaction); provided, however, that without
further stockholder approval, no Incentive Option may be granted under the Plan
after August 31, 2005. Upon such Plan termination, all outstanding stock options
and unvested stock issuances shall continue to have force and effect in
accordance with the provisions of the documents evidencing such options or
issuances.

      III.  AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN

            A. The Board shall have complete and exclusive power and authority
to amend or modify the Plan in any or all respects. However, no such amendment
or modification shall adversely affect any rights and obligations with respect
to options or unvested stock issuances at the time outstanding under the Plan
unless the Optionee or the Participant consents to such amendment or
modification. In addition, certain amendments may require stockholder approval
pursuant to applicable laws or regulations. Subject to the foregoing
limitations, the Plan Administrator may make option grants and direct stock
issuances under the Plan at any time before the date fixed herein for the
termination of the Plan.

            B. The Plan was amended and restated by the Board on July 17, 1997
(the "1997 Restatement") to effect the following changes: (i) increase the
maximum number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance over the term
of the Plan from 54,500,192 shares to 80,100,192 shares, (ii) modify the vesting
provisions to be in effect for future option grants made to non-employee Board
members under the Automatic Option Grant Program, (iii) render the non-employee
Board members who are serving as Plan Administrator eligible to receive option
grants and direct stock issuances under the Discretionary Option Grant and Stock
Issuance Programs, (iv) allow unvested shares issued under the Plan and
subsequently repurchased by the Corporation at the option exercise price or
direct issue price paid per share to be reissued under the Plan, (v) remove
certain restrictions on the eligibility of non-employee Board members to serve
as Plan Administrator, (vi) eliminate the stock appreciation right provisions
and loan features of the Plan and (vii) effect a series of additional changes to
the provisions of the Plan (including the stockholder approval requirements and
the transferability of Non-Statutory Options) in order to take advantage of
recent amendments to Rule 16b-3 of the Securities and Exchange Commission which
exempts certain officer and director transactions under the Plan from the
short-swing liability provisions of the federal securities laws. The 1997
Restatement was approved by the stockholders at the 1997 Annual Meeting held on
September 25, 1997.

                                       21


            C. The Plan was further amended and restated by the Board on August
11, 1998 (the "1998 Restatement") to increase the maximum number of shares of
Common Stock authorized for issuance over the term of the Plan from 80,100,192
shares to 101,700,192 shares. The 1998 Restatement was approved by the
stockholders at the 1998 Annual Meeting held on October 8, 1998.

            D. The Plan was amended and restated by the Board on May 9, 2003 to
make several clean-up revisions. Stockholders did not approve the Plan as
amended and restated on such date.

            E. The Plan was amended and restated by the Board on July 7, 2004 to
prohibit the repricing of stock options and to limit the number of shares of
Common Stock that could be issued pursuant to the Stock Issuance Program.
Stockholders did not approve the Plan as amended and restated on such date.

            F. Options to purchase shares of Common Stock may be granted under
the Discretionary Option Grant and Salary Investment Option Grant Programs and
shares of Common Stock may be issued under the Stock Issuance Program that are
in each instance in excess of the number of shares then available for issuance
under the Plan, provided any excess shares actually issued under those programs
are held in escrow until there is obtained stockholder approval of an amendment
sufficiently increasing the number of shares of Common Stock available for
issuance under the Plan. If such stockholder approval is not obtained within
twelve (12) months after the date the first such excess grants or issuances are
made, then (i) any unexercised options granted on the basis of such excess
shares shall terminate and cease to be outstanding and (ii) the Corporation
shall promptly refund to the Optionees and the Participants the exercise or
purchase price paid for any excess shares issued under the Plan and held in
escrow, together with interest (at the applicable Short Term Federal Rate) for
the period the shares were held in escrow, and such shares shall thereupon be
automatically cancelled and cease to be outstanding.

      IV.   REGULATORY APPROVALS

            A. The implementation of the Plan, the granting of any option under
the Plan and the issuance of any shares of Common Stock either upon the exercise
of any option or under the Stock Issuance Program shall be subject to the
Corporation's procurement of all approvals and permits required by regulatory
authorities having jurisdiction over the Plan, the options granted under it and
the shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to it.

            B. No shares of Common Stock or other assets shall be issued or
delivered under the Plan unless and until there shall have been compliance with
all applicable requirements of Federal and state securities laws and all
applicable listing requirements of any stock exchange (or the Nasdaq National
Market, if applicable) on which Common Stock is then listed for trading.

                                       22


      V.    USE OF PROCEEDS

            Any cash proceeds received by the Corporation from the sale of
shares of Common Stock under the Plan shall be used for general corporate
purposes.

      VI.   NO EMPLOYMENT/SERVICE RIGHTS

            Nothing in the Plan shall confer upon the Optionee or the
Participant any right to continue in Service for any period of specific duration
or interfere with or otherwise restrict in any way the rights of the Corporation
(or any Parent or Subsidiary employing or retaining such person) or of the
Optionee or the Participant, which rights are hereby expressly reserved by each,
to terminate such person's Service at any time for any reason, with or without
cause.

                                       23


                                    APPENDIX

            The following definitions shall be in effect under the Plan:

            A. AUTOMATIC OPTION GRANT PROGRAM shall mean the automatic option
grant program in effect under the Plan.

            B. BOARD shall mean the Corporation's Board of Directors.

            C. CHANGE IN CONTROL shall mean a change in ownership or control of
the Corporation effected through either of the following transactions:

                  (i) the acquisition, directly or indirectly, by any person or
      related group of persons (other than the Corporation or a person that
      directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common
      control with, the Corporation), of beneficial ownership (within the
      meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the 1934 Act) of securities possessing more than
      fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the
      Corporation's outstanding securities pursuant to a tender or exchange
      offer made directly to the Corporation's stockholders, or

                  (ii) a change in the composition of the Board over a period of
      thirty-six (36) consecutive months or less such that a majority of the
      Board members ceases, by reason of one or more contested elections for
      Board membership, to be comprised of individuals who either (A) have been
      Board members continuously since the beginning of such period or (B) have
      been elected or nominated for election as Board members during such period
      by at least a majority of the Board members described in clause (A) who
      were still in office at the time the Board approved such election or
      nomination.

            D. CODE shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

            E. COMMON STOCK shall mean the Corporation's common stock.

            F. CORPORATE TRANSACTION shall mean either of the following
stockholder-approved transactions to which the Corporation is a party:

                  (i) a merger or consolidation in which securities possessing
      more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the
      Corporation's outstanding securities are transferred to a person or
      persons different from the persons holding those securities immediately
      prior to such transaction; or

                  (ii) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or
      substantially all of the Corporation's assets in complete liquidation or
      dissolution of the Corporation.

                                       A-1


            G. CORPORATION shall mean Network Appliance, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, and any corporate successor to all or substantially all of the
assets or voting stock of Network Appliance, Inc. which shall by appropriate
action adopt the Plan.

            H. DISCRETIONARY OPTION GRANT PROGRAM shall mean the discretionary
option grant program in effect under the Plan.

            I. ELIGIBLE DIRECTOR shall mean a non-employee Board member eligible
to participate in the Automatic Option Grant Program in accordance with the
eligibility provisions of Article One.

            J. EMPLOYEE shall mean an individual who is in the employ of the
Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary), subject to the control and direction
of the employer entity as to both the work to be performed and the manner and
method of performance.

            K. EXERCISE DATE shall mean the date on which the Corporation shall
have received written notice of the option exercise.

            L. FAIR MARKET VALUE per share of Common Stock on any relevant date
shall be determined in accordance with the following provisions:

                  (i) If the Common Stock is at the time traded on the Nasdaq
      National Market, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling
      price per share of Common Stock on the date in question, as such price is
      reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers on the Nasdaq
      National Market. If there is no closing selling price for the Common Stock
      on the date in question, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing
      selling price on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists.

                  (ii) If the Common Stock is at the time listed on any Stock
      Exchange, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price
      per share of Common Stock on the date in question on the Stock Exchange
      determined by the Plan Administrator to be the primary market for the
      Common Stock, as such price is officially quoted in the composite tape of
      transactions on such exchange. If there is no closing selling price for
      the Common Stock on the date in question, then the Fair Market Value shall
      be the closing selling price on the last preceding date for which such
      quotation exists.

                  (iii) In the absence of an established market for the Common
      Stock, the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined in good faith by
      the Plan Administrator.

            M. INCENTIVE OPTION shall mean an option which satisfies the
requirements of Code Section 422.

                                       A-2


            N. MISCONDUCT shall mean the commission of any act of fraud,
embezzlement or dishonesty by the Optionee or Participant, any unauthorized use
or disclosure by such person of confidential information or trade secrets of the
Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary), or any other intentional misconduct
by such person adversely affecting the business or affairs of the Corporation
(or any Parent or Subsidiary) in a material manner. The foregoing definition
shall not be deemed to be inclusive of all the acts or omissions which the
Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary) may consider as grounds for the
dismissal or discharge of any Optionee, Participant or other person in the
Service of the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary).

            O. 1934 ACT shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.

            P. NON-STATUTORY OPTION shall mean an option not intended to satisfy
the requirements of Code Section 422.

            Q. OPTIONEE shall mean any person to whom an option is granted under
the Discretionary Option Grant, Salary Investment Option Grant or Automatic
Option Grant Programs.

            R. PARENT shall mean any corporation (other than the Corporation) in
an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Corporation, provided each
corporation in the unbroken chain (other than the Corporation) owns, at the time
of the determination, stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total
combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations
in such chain.

            S. PARTICIPANT shall mean any person who is issued shares of Common
Stock under the Stock Issuance Program.

            T. PERMANENT DISABILITY OR PERMANENTLY DISABLED shall mean the
inability of the Optionee or the Participant to engage in any substantial
gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental
impairment expected to result in death or to be of continuous duration of twelve
(12) months or more. However, solely for the purposes of the Automatic Option
Grant Program, Permanent Disability or Permanently Disabled shall mean the
inability of the non-employee Board member to perform his or her usual duties as
a Board member by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental
impairment expected to result in death or to be of continuous duration of twelve
(12) months or more.

            U. PLAN shall mean the Corporation's 1995 Stock Incentive Plan, as
set forth in this document.

            V. PLAN ADMINISTRATOR shall mean the particular entity, whether the
Primary Committee, the Board or the Secondary Committee, which is authorized to
administer the Discretionary Option Grant and Stock Issuance Programs with
respect to one or more classes of eligible persons, to the extent such entity is
carrying out its administrative functions under those programs with respect to
the persons under its jurisdiction.

                                       A-3


            W. PLAN EFFECTIVE DATE shall mean November 20, 1995, the date on
which the Underwriting Agreement was executed and the initial public offering
price of the Common Stock was established.

            X. PREDECESSOR PLAN shall mean the Corporation's 1993 Stock
Option/Stock Issuance Plan.

            Y. PRIMARY COMMITTEE shall mean the committee of two (2) or more
non-employee Board members appointed by the Board to administer the
Discretionary Option Grant and Stock Issuance Programs with respect to Section
16 Insiders.

            Z. SALARY INVESTMENT OPTION GRANT PROGRAM shall mean the special
equity incentive program in effect under the Plan pursuant to which selected
individuals may apply a portion of their base salary to the acquisition of
below-market option grants.

            AA. SECONDARY COMMITTEE shall mean a committee of Board members or
of other individuals satisfying applicable laws appointed by the Board to
administer the Discretionary Option Grant and Stock Issuance Programs with
respect to eligible persons other than Section 16 Insiders.

            BB. SECTION 16 INSIDER shall mean an officer or director of the
Corporation subject to the short-swing profit liabilities of Section 16 of the
1934 Act.

            CC. SERVICE shall mean the provision of services to the Corporation
(or any Parent or Subsidiary) by a person in the capacity of an Employee, a
non-employee member of the board of directors or a consultant or independent
advisor, except to the extent otherwise specifically provided in the documents
evidencing the option grant or stock issuance.

            DD. STOCK EXCHANGE shall mean either the American Stock Exchange or
the New York Stock Exchange.

            EE. STOCK ISSUANCE AGREEMENT shall mean the agreement entered into
by the Corporation and the Participant at the time of issuance of shares of
Common Stock under the Stock Issuance Program.

            FF. STOCK ISSUANCE PROGRAM shall mean the stock issuance program in
effect under the Plan.

            GG. SUBSIDIARY shall mean any corporation (other than the
Corporation) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the
Corporation, provided each corporation (other than the last corporation) in the
unbroken chain owns, at the time of the determination, stock possessing fifty
percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock
in one of the other corporations in such chain.

            HH. 10% STOCKHOLDER shall mean the owner of stock (as determined
under Code Section 424(d)) possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total
combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Corporation (or any Parent
or Subsidiary).

                                       A-4


            II. UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT shall mean the agreement between the
Corporation and the underwriter or underwriters who managed the initial public
offering of the Common Stock.

            JJ. WITHHOLDING TAXES shall mean the Federal, state and local income
and employment withholding taxes to which the holder of options or unvested
shares of Common Stock becomes subject in connection with the exercise of those
options, or the vesting of those shares or upon the disposition of shares
acquired pursuant to an option or stock issuance.

                                       A-5

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.2

                             NETWORK APPLIANCE, INC
                          EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

                        AS AMENDED EFFECTIVE JULY 7, 2004

      I. PURPOSE OF THE PLAN

       This Employee Stock Purchase Plan is intended to promote the interests of
Network Appliance, Inc. by providing eligible employees with the opportunity to
acquire a proprietary interest in the Corporation through participation in a
payroll-deduction based employee stock purchase plan designed to qualify under
Section 423 of the Code.

       Capitalized terms herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms
in the attached Appendix.

       Certain provisions of the Plan as restated August 2001 (the "2001
Restatement") became effective with the offering period commencing December 3,
2001 and did not have any force or effect prior to such date.

       All share numbers in this document reflect (i) the two-for-one split of
the Common Stock effected on December 19, 1997, (ii) the two-for-one split of
the Common Stock effected on December 22, 1998, (iii) the two-for-one split of
the Common Stock effected on December 21, 1999, and (iv) the two-for-one split
of the Common Stock effected on March 23, 2000.

      II. ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN

       The Plan Administrator shall have full authority to interpret and
construe any provision of the Plan and to adopt such rules and regulations for
administering the Plan as it may deem necessary in order to comply with the
requirements of Code Section 423. Decisions of the Plan Administrator shall be
final and binding on all parties having an interest in the Plan.

      III. STOCK SUBJECT TO PLAN

       A. The stock purchasable under the Plan shall be shares of authorized but
unissued or reacquired Common Stock, including shares of Common Stock purchased
on the open market. The maximum number of shares of Common Stock which may be
issued over the term of the Plan shall not exceed Fifteen Million Nine Hundred
Thousand (15,900,000) shares, including (i) an increase of One Million Six
Hundred Thousand (1,600,000) shares authorized by the Board on August 11, 1998
and approved by the shareholders on October 8, 1998, (ii) an increase of One
Million (1,000,000) shares authorized by the Board on August 17, 1999 and
approved by the shareholders on October 26, 1999, (iii) an increase of Three
Million (3,000,000) shares authorized by the Board on August 9, 2001 and
approved by the shareholders at the 2001 Annual Meeting held on October 18,
2001, (iv) an increase of Two Million Four Hundred Thousand (2,400,000) shares
authorized by the Board on July 2, 2002, and approved by the shareholders at the
2002 Annual Meeting held on August 29, 2002, (v) an increase of One Million
(1,000,000) shares authorized by the Board on June 12, 2003 and approved by
shareholders at the 2003 Annual Meeting held on September 2, 2003, plus (vi) an
increase of One Million Three Hundred Thousand (1,300,000) shares authorized by
the Board on July 7, 2004 and approved by the shareholders at the 2004 Annual
Meeting held on September 2, 2004.

       B. Should any change be made to the Common Stock by reason of any stock
split, stock dividend, recapitalization, combination of shares, exchange of
shares or other change affecting the outstanding Common Stock as a class without
the Corporation's receipt of consideration, appropriate adjustments shall be
made to (i) the maximum number and class of securities issuable under the Plan,
(ii) the maximum number and class of securities purchasable per Participant on
any one Purchase Date, (iii) the maximum number and class of securities
purchasable in total by all Participants on any one Purchase Date under the Plan
and (iv) the number



and class of securities and the price per share in effect under each outstanding
purchase right in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of benefits
thereunder.

      IV.OFFERING PERIODS

       A. Shares of Common Stock shall be offered for purchase under the Plan
through a series of overlapping offering periods until such time as (i) the
maximum number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan
shall have been purchased or (ii) the Plan shall have been sooner terminated.

       B. Each offering period shall be of such duration (not to exceed
twenty-four (24) months) as determined by the Plan Administrator prior to the
start date of such offering period. Offering periods shall commence at
semi-annual intervals on the first business day of June and December each year
over the remaining term of the Plan. Accordingly, two (2) separate offering
periods shall commence in each calendar year the 2001 Restatement remains in
existence. However, the initial offering period under the 2001 Restatement shall
begin on the first business day in December 2001 and end on the last business
day in November 2003.

       NOTE: Prior to December 3, 2001, shares of Common Stock were offered for
purchase under the Plan through a series of successive offering periods, each
with a maximum duration of twenty-four (24) months. The last such offering
period began on the first business day in December 1999 and terminated on
November 30, 2001.

       C. Each offering period shall be comprised of a series of one or more
successive Purchase Intervals. Purchase Intervals shall run from the first
business day in June each year to the last business day in November of the same
year and from the first business day in December each year to the last business
day in May of the following year.

       D. Should the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on any Purchase
Date within any offering period beginning on or after December 3, 2001 be less
than the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the start date of that
offering period, then the individuals participating in such offering period
shall, immediately after the purchase of shares of Common Stock on their behalf
on such Purchase Date, be transferred from that offering period and
automatically enrolled in the next offering period commencing after such
Purchase Date.

      V.ELIGIBILITY

       A. Each individual who is an Eligible Employee on the start date of any
offering period under the Plan may enter that offering period on such start
date. However, an Eligible Employee may participate in only one offering period
at a time.

       B. Except as otherwise provided in Section IV.D, an Eligible Employee
must, in order to participate in the Plan for a particular offering period,
complete the enrollment forms prescribed by the Plan Administrator (including a
stock purchase agreement and a payroll deduction authorization form) and file
such forms with the Plan Administrator (or its designate) on or before the start
date of that offering period.

      VI.PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS

       A. The payroll deduction authorized by the Participant for purposes of
acquiring shares of Common Stock during an offering period may be any multiple
of one percent (1%) of the Cash Earnings paid to the Participant during each
Purchase Interval within that offering period, up to a maximum of ten percent
(10%). The deduction rate so authorized by a Participant shall continue in
effect throughout the offering period, except to the extent such rate is changed
in accordance with the following guidelines:

            (i) The Participant may, at any time during the offering period,
      reduce his or her rate of payroll deduction to become effective as soon as
      possible after filing the appropriate form with the Plan Administrator.
      The Participant may not, however, effect more than one (1) such reduction
      per Purchase



      Interval.

            (ii) The Participant may, prior to the commencement of any new
      Purchase Interval within the offering period, increase the rate of his or
      her payroll deduction by filing the appropriate form with the Plan
      Administrator. The new rate (which may not exceed the ten percent (10%)
      maximum) shall become effective as of the start date of the first Purchase
      Interval following the filing of such form.

       B. Payroll deductions on behalf of the Participant shall begin on the
first pay day following the start date of the offering period in which he or she
is enrolled and shall (unless sooner terminated by the Participant) continue
through the pay day ending with or immediately prior to the last day of that
offering period. The amounts so collected shall be credited to the Participant's
book account under the Plan, but no interest shall be paid on the balance from
time to time outstanding in such account. The amounts collected from the
Participant shall not be held in any segregated account or trust fund and may be
commingled with the general assets of the Corporation and used for general
corporate purposes.

       C. Payroll deductions shall automatically cease upon the Participant's
withdrawal from the offering period or the termination of his or her purchase
right in accordance with the provisions of the Plan.

       D. The Participant's acquisition of Common Stock under the Plan on any
Purchase Date shall neither limit nor require the Participant's acquisition of
Common Stock on any subsequent Purchase Date, whether within the same or a
different offering period.

       E. The Plan Administrator shall have the discretion, exercisable prior to
the start date of any offering period under the Plan, to determine whether the
payroll deductions authorized by Participants during such offering period shall
be calculated as a percentage of Base Salary or Cash Earnings.

      VII. PURCHASE RIGHTS

       A. GRANT OF PURCHASE RIGHT. A Participant shall be granted a separate
purchase right for each offering period in which he or she is enrolled. The
purchase right shall be granted on the start date of the offering period and
shall provide the Participant with the right to purchase shares of Common Stock,
in a series of successive installments during that offering period, upon the
terms set forth below. The Participant shall execute a stock purchase agreement
embodying such terms and such other provisions (not inconsistent with the Plan)
as the Plan Administrator may deem advisable.

       Under no circumstances shall purchase rights be granted under the Plan to
any Eligible Employee if such individual would, immediately after the grant, own
(within the meaning of Code Section 424(d)) or hold outstanding options or other
rights to purchase, stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total
combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Corporation or any
Corporate Affiliate.

       B. EXERCISE OF THE PURCHASE RIGHT. Each purchase right shall be
automatically exercised in installments on each successive Purchase Date within
the offering period, and shares of Common Stock shall accordingly be purchased
on behalf of each Participant on each such Purchase Date. The purchase shall be
affected by applying the Participant's payroll deductions for the Purchase
Interval ending on such Purchase Date to the purchase of whole shares of Common
Stock at the purchase price in effect for the Participant for that Purchase
Date.

       C. PURCHASE PRICE. The purchase price per share at which Common Stock
will be purchased on the Participant's behalf on each Purchase Date within the
particular offering period in which he or she is enrolled shall be equal to
eighty-five percent (85%) of the lower of (i) the Fair Market Value per share of
Common Stock on the start date of that offering period or (ii) the Fair Market
Value per share of Common Stock on that Purchase Date.

       D. NUMBER OF PURCHASABLE SHARES. The number of shares of Common Stock
purchasable by a Participant on each Purchase Date during the particular
offering period in which he or she is enrolled shall be the number of whole
shares obtained by dividing the amount collected from the Participant through
payroll deductions during the Purchase Interval ending with that Purchase Date
by the purchase price in effect for the



Participant for that Purchase Date. However, the maximum number of shares of
Common Stock purchasable per Participant on any one Purchase Date shall not
exceed One Thousand Five Hundred (1,500) shares, subject to periodic adjustments
in the event of certain changes in the Corporation's capitalization. The maximum
number of shares of Common Stock purchasable in total by all participants on any
one Purchase Date shall not exceed One Million (1,000,000) shares, subject to
periodic adjustments in the event of certain changes in the Corporation's
capitalization. However, the Plan Administrator shall have the discretionary
authority, exercisable prior to the start of any offering period under the Plan,
to increase or decrease the limitations to be in effect for the number of shares
purchasable per Participant and in total by all Participants enrolled in that
particular offering period on each Purchase Date which occurs during that
offering period.

       E. EXCESS PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS. Any payroll deductions not applied to the
purchase of shares of Common Stock on any Purchase Date because they are not
sufficient to purchase a whole share of Common Stock shall be held for the
purchase of Common Stock on the next Purchase Date. However, any payroll
deductions not applied to the purchase of Common Stock by reason of the
limitation on the maximum number of shares purchasable per Participant or in
total by all Participants on the Purchase Date shall be promptly refunded.

       F. SUSPENSION OF PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS. In the event that a Participant is,
by reason of the accrual limitations in Article VIII, precluded from purchasing
additional shares of Common Stock on one or more Purchase Dates during the
offering period in which he or she is enrolled, then no further payroll
deductions shall be collected from such Participant with respect to those
Purchase Dates. The suspension of such deductions shall not terminate the
Participant's purchase right for the offering period in which he or she is
enrolled, and payroll deductions shall automatically resume on behalf of such
Participant once he or she is again able to purchase shares during that offering
period in compliance with the accrual limitations of Article VIII.

       G. WITHDRAWAL FROM OFFERING PERIOD. The following provisions shall govern
the Participant's withdrawal from an offering period under the Plan:

            (i) A Participant may withdraw from the offering period in which he
      or she is enrolled by filing the appropriate form with the Plan
      Administrator (or its designate) at any time prior to the next scheduled
      Purchase Date in the offering period, and no further payroll deductions
      shall be collected from the Participant with respect to that offering
      period. Any payroll deductions collected during the Purchase Interval in
      which such withdrawal occurs shall, at the Participant's election, be
      immediately refunded or held for the purchase of shares on the next
      Purchase Date. If no such election is made at the time the Participant
      withdraws from the offering period, then the payroll deductions collected
      with respect to the Purchase Interval in which such withdrawal occurs
      shall be refunded as soon as possible.

            (ii) The Participant's withdrawal from the offering period shall be
      irrevocable, and the Participant may not subsequently rejoin that offering
      period. In order to resume participation in any subsequent offering
      period, such individual must re-enroll in the Plan (by making a timely
      filing of the prescribed enrollment forms) on or before the start date of
      that offering period.

       H. TERMINATION OF ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE STATUS. Should the Participant cease
to remain an Eligible Employee for any reason (including death, disability or
change in status) while his or her purchase right remains outstanding, then that
purchase right shall immediately terminate, and all of the Participant's payroll
deductions for the Purchase Interval in which the purchase right so terminates
shall be immediately refunded. However, should the Participant cease to remain
in active service by reason of an approved unpaid leave of absence, then the
Participant shall have the right, exercisable up until the last business day of
the Purchase Interval in which such leave commences, to (a) withdraw all the
payroll deductions collected to date on his or her behalf for that Purchase
Interval or (b) have such funds held for the purchase of shares on his or her
behalf on the next scheduled Purchase Date. In no event, however, shall any
further payroll deductions be collected on the Participant's behalf during such
leave. Upon the Participant's return to active service (i) within ninety (90)
days following the commencement of such leave or (ii) prior to the expiration of
any longer period for which such Participant's right to reemployment with the
Corporation is guaranteed by either statute or contract, his or her payroll
deductions under the Plan shall automatically resume at the rate in effect at
the time the leave began, unless the Participant withdraws from the Plan prior
to his or her return. An individual who returns to active employment following a
leave of absence which exceeds in duration the applicable time period shall be
treated



as a new Employee for purposes of subsequent participation in the Plan and must
accordingly re-enroll in the Plan (by making a timely filing of the prescribed
enrollment forms) on or before the start date of any offering period in which he
or she wishes to participate.

       I. CHANGE IN CONTROL. Each outstanding purchase right shall automatically
be exercised, immediately prior to the effective date of any Change in Control,
by applying the payroll deductions of each Participant for the Purchase Interval
in which such Change in Control occurs to the purchase of whole shares of Common
Stock at a purchase price per share equal to eighty-five percent (85%) of the
lower of (i) the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the start date
of the offering period in which the Participant is enrolled at the time of such
Change in Control or (ii) the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock
immediately prior to the effective date of such Change in Control. However, the
applicable limitation on the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable per
Participant shall continue to apply to any such purchase, but not the limitation
applicable to the maximum number of shares of Common Stock purchasable in total
by all Participants on any one Purchase Date.

       The Corporation shall use its best efforts to provide at least ten (10)
days prior written notice of the occurrence of any Change in Control, and
Participants shall, following the receipt of such notice, have the right to
terminate their outstanding purchase rights prior to the effective date of the
Change in Control.

       J. PRORATION OF PURCHASE RIGHTS. Should the total number of shares of
Common Stock to be purchased pursuant to outstanding purchase rights on any
particular date exceed either (i) the maximum limitation on the number of shares
purchasable in total by all Participants on such date or (ii) the number of
shares then available for issuance under the Plan, the Plan Administrator shall
make a pro-rata allocation of the available shares on a uniform and
nondiscriminatory basis, and the payroll deductions of each Participant, to the
extent in excess of the aggregate purchase price payable for the Common Stock
pro-rated to such individual, shall be refunded.

       K. ASSIGNABILITY. The purchase right shall be exercisable only by the
Participant and shall not be assignable or transferable by the Participant.

       L. SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS. A Participant shall have no shareholder rights
with respect to the shares subject to his or her outstanding purchase right
until the shares are purchased on the Participant's behalf in accordance with
the provisions of the Plan and the Participant has become a holder of record of
the purchased shares.

      VIII. ACCRUAL LIMITATIONS

       A. No Participant shall be entitled to accrue rights to acquire Common
Stock pursuant to any purchase right outstanding under this Plan if and to the
extent such accrual, when aggregated with (i) rights to purchase Common Stock
accrued under any other purchase right granted under this Plan and (ii) similar
rights accrued under other employee stock purchase plans (within the meaning of
Code Section 423) of the Corporation or any Corporate Affiliate, would otherwise
permit such Participant to purchase more than Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars
($25,000) worth of stock of the Corporation or any Corporate Affiliate
(determined on the basis of the Fair Market Value per share on the date or dates
such rights are granted) for each calendar year such rights are at any time
outstanding.

       B. For purposes of applying such accrual limitations to the purchase
rights granted under the Plan, the following provisions shall be in effect:

            (i) The right to acquire Common Stock under each outstanding
      purchase right shall accrue in a series of installments on each successive
      Purchase Date during the offering period in which such right remains
      outstanding.

            (ii) No right to acquire Common Stock under any outstanding purchase
      right shall accrue to the extent the Participant has already accrued in
      the same calendar year the right to acquire Common Stock under one (1) or
      more other purchase rights at a rate equal to Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars
      ($25,000) worth of Common Stock (determined on the basis of the Fair
      Market Value per share on the date or dates of grant)



      for each calendar year such rights were at any time outstanding.

       C. If by reason of such accrual limitations, any purchase right of a
Participant does not accrue for a particular Purchase Interval, then the payroll
deductions which the Participant made during that Purchase Interval with respect
to such purchase right shall be promptly refunded.

       D. In the event there is any conflict between the provisions of this
Article and one or more provisions of the Plan or any instrument issued
thereunder, the provisions of this Article shall be controlling.

      IX. EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERM OF THE PLAN

       A. The Plan was adopted by the Board on September 26, 1995 and was
subsequently approved by the shareholders and became effective at the Effective
Time.

       B. The Plan was amended by the Board on August 11, 1998 (the "1998
Amendment") to increase the maximum number of shares of Common Stock authorized
for issuance under the Plan by an additional One Million Six Hundred Thousand
(1,600,000) shares. The 1998 Amendment was approved by the shareholders at the
1998 Annual Meeting.

       C. On August 17, 1999, the Board amended the Plan to (i) increase the
maximum number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Plan
by an additional One Million (1,000,000) shares and (ii) make amendments to
certain administrative provisions of the Plan (the "1999 Amendment"). The 1999
Amendment was approved by the shareholders on October 26, 1999.

       D. The 2001 Restatement was adopted by the Board on August 9, 2001 and
effects the following changes to the Plan: (i) increase the number of shares
authorized for issuance under the Plan by an additional three million
(3,000,000) shares, (ii) implement a series of overlapping twenty-four
(24)-month offering periods beginning at semi-annual intervals each year, (iii)
establish a series of semi-annual purchase dates within each such offering
period, (iv) reduce the maximum number of shares of Common Stock purchasable per
Participant on any one Purchase Date after November 30, 2001 from twelve
thousand (12,000) shares to one thousand five hundred (1,500) shares, (v) limit
the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable in total by all Participants on
any one Purchase Date after November 30, 2001 to one million (1,000,000) shares,
(vi) extend the maximum term of the Plan until the last business day in May 2011
and (vii) revise certain provisions of the Plan document in order to facilitate
the administration of the Plan. No purchase rights were exercised under the
Plan, and no shares of Common Stock were issued, on the basis of the
3,000,000-share increase authorized by the 2001 Restatement, until the 2001
Restatement was approved by the shareholders at the 2001 Annual Stockholders
Meeting.

       E. The Plan was amended by the Board on July 2, 2002 (the "2002
Restatement") to increase the number of shares authorized for issuance under the
Plan by an additional two million four hundred million (2,400,000) shares. The
2002 Restatement was approved by the shareholders on August 29, 2002.

       F. The Plan was amended by the Board on June 12, 2003 (the "2003
Restatement") to increase the number of shares authorized for issuance under the
Plan by an additional one million (1,000,000) shares. The 2003 Restatement was
approved by the shareholders at the 2003 Annual Meeting.

       G. The Plan was amended by the Board on July 7, 2004 (the "2004
Restatement") to increase the number of shares authorized for issuance under the
Plan by an additional one million three hundred thousand (1,300,000) shares. The
2004 Restatement was approved by the shareholders at the 2004 Annual Meeting.

       F. The Corporation shall comply with all applicable requirements of the
1933 Act (including the registration of such additional shares of Common Stock
issuable under the Plan on a Form S-8 registration statement filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission), all applicable listing requirements of the
Nasdaq National Market with respect to those shares, and all other applicable
requirements established by law or regulation.



       I. Unless sooner terminated by the Board, the Plan shall terminate upon
the earliest of (i) the last business day in May 2011, (ii) the date on which
all shares available for issuance under the Plan shall have been sold pursuant
to purchase rights exercised under the Plan or (iii) the date on which all
purchase rights are exercised in connection with a Change in Control. No further
purchase rights shall be granted or exercised, and no further payroll deductions
shall be collected, under the Plan following such termination.

      X. AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN

       A. The Board may alter, amend, suspend or discontinue the Plan at any
time to become effective immediately following the close of any Purchase
Interval. However, the Plan may be amended or terminated immediately upon Board
action, if and to the extent necessary to assure that the Corporation will not
recognize, for financial reporting purposes, any compensation expense in
connection with the shares of Common Stock offered for purchase under the Plan,
should the financial accounting rules applicable to the Plan at the Effective
Time be subsequently revised so as to require the recognition of compensation
expense in the absence of such amendment or termination.

       B. In no event may the Board effect any of the following amendments or
revisions to the Plan without the approval of the Corporation's shareholders:
(i) increase the number of shares of Common Stock issuable under the Plan,
except for permissible adjustments in the event of certain changes in the
Corporation's capitalization, (ii) alter the purchase price formula so as to
reduce the purchase price payable for the shares of Common Stock purchasable
under the Plan or (iii) modify the requirements for eligibility to participate
in the Plan.

      XI. GENERAL PROVISIONS

       A. All costs and expenses incurred in the administration of the Plan
shall be paid by the Corporation; however, each Plan Participant shall bear all
costs and expenses incurred by such individual in the sale or other disposition
of any shares purchased under the Plan.

       B. Nothing in the Plan shall confer upon the Participant any right to
continue in the employ of the Corporation or any Corporate Affiliate for any
period of specific duration or interfere with or otherwise restrict in any way
the rights of the Corporation (or any Corporate Affiliate employing such person)
or of the Participant, which rights are hereby expressly reserved by each, to
terminate such person's employment at any time for any reason, with or without
cause.

       C. The provisions of the Plan shall be governed by the laws of the State
of California without resort to that State's conflict-of-laws rules.



                                   SCHEDULE A
                          CORPORATIONS PARTICIPATING IN
                          EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                               AS OF JULY 2, 2002

                             Network Appliance, Inc.



                                    APPENDIX

       The following definitions shall be in effect under the Plan:

       A. BASE SALARY shall mean the regular base salary paid to a Participant
by one or more Participating Companies during such individual's period of
participation in one or more offering periods under the Plan. Such Base Salary
shall be calculated before deduction of (A) any income or employment tax
withholdings or (B) any pre-tax contributions made by the Participant to any
Code Section 401(k) salary deferral plan or any Code Section 125 cafeteria
benefit program now or hereafter established by the Corporation or any Corporate
Affiliate. The following items of compensation shall NOT be included in Base
Salary: (i) all overtime payments, bonuses, commissions (other than those
functioning as base salary equivalents), profit-sharing distributions and other
incentive-type payments and (ii) any and all contributions (other than Code
Section 401(k) or Code Section 125 contributions) made on the Participant's
behalf by the Corporation or any Corporate Affiliate under any employee benefit
or welfare plan now or hereafter established.

       B. BOARD shall mean the Corporation's Board of Directors.

       C. CASH EARNINGS shall mean the (i) base salary payable to a Participant
by one or more Participating Companies during such individual's period of
participation in one or more offering periods under the Plan plus (ii) all
overtime payments, bonuses, commissions, current profit-sharing distributions
and other incentive-type payments received during such period. Such Cash
Earnings shall be calculated before deduction of (A) any income or employment
tax withholdings or (B) any pre-tax contributions made by the Participant to any
Code Section 401(k) salary deferral plan or any Code Section 125 cafeteria
benefit program now or hereafter established by the Corporation or any Corporate
Affiliate. However, Cash Earnings shall NOT include any contributions (other
than Code Section 401(k) or Code Section 125 contributions deducted from such
Cash Earnings) made by the Corporation or any Corporate Affiliate on the
Participant's behalf to any employee benefit or welfare plan now or hereafter
established.

       D. CHANGE IN CONTROL shall mean a change in ownership or control of the
Corporation effected through any of the following transactions:

            (i) a merger or consolidation in which securities possessing more
      than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the
      Corporation's outstanding securities are transferred to a person or
      persons different from the persons holding those securities immediately
      prior to such transaction,

            (ii) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially
      all of the assets of the Corporation in complete liquidation or
      dissolution of the Corporation; or

            (iii) the acquisition, directly or indirectly by any person or
      related group of persons (other than the Corporation or a person that
      directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common
      control with, the Corporation), of beneficial ownership (within the
      meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the 1934 Act) of securities possessing more than
      fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the
      Corporation's outstanding securities pursuant to a tender or exchange
      offer made directly to the Corporation's shareholders.

       E. CODE shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

       F. COMMON STOCK shall mean the Corporation's common stock.

       G. CORPORATE AFFILIATE shall mean any parent or subsidiary corporation of
the Corporation (as determined in accordance with Code Section 424), whether now
existing or subsequently established.


       H. CORPORATION shall mean Network Appliance, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, and any corporate successor to all or substantially all of the
assets or voting stock of Network Appliance, Inc. which shall by appropriate
action adopt the Plan.

       I. EFFECTIVE TIME shall mean the time at which the underwriting agreement
for the Corporation's initial public offering of the Common Stock was executed
and finally priced. Any Corporate Affiliate which becomes a Participating
Corporation after such Effective Time shall designate a subsequent Effective
Time with respect to its employee-Participants.

       J. ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE shall mean any person who is employed by a
Participating Company on a basis under which he or she is regularly expected to
render more than twenty (20) hours of service per week for more than five (5)
months per calendar year for earnings considered wages under Code Section
3401(a).

       K. FAIR MARKET VALUE per share of Common Stock on any relevant date shall
be determined in accordance with the following provisions:

            (i) If the Common Stock is at the time traded on the Nasdaq National
      Market, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price per
      share of Common Stock on the date in question, as such price is reported
      by the National Association of Securities Dealers on the Nasdaq National
      Market or any successor system and published in The Wall Street Journal.
      If there is no closing selling price for the Common Stock on the date in
      question, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price on
      the last preceding date for which such quotation exists.

            (ii) If the Common Stock is at the time listed on any Stock
      Exchange, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price
      per share of Common Stock on the date in question on the Stock Exchange
      determined by the Plan Administrator to be the primary market for the
      Common Stock, as such price is officially quoted in the composite tape of
      transactions on such exchange and published in The Wall Street Journal. If
      there is no closing selling price for the Common Stock on the date in
      question, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price on
      the last preceding date for which such quotation exists.

       L. 1933 ACT shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

       M. PARTICIPANT shall mean any Eligible Employee of a Participating
Corporation who is actively participating in the Plan.

       N. PARTICIPATING CORPORATION shall mean the Corporation and such
Corporate Affiliate or Affiliates as may be authorized from time to time by the
Board to extend the benefits of the Plan to their Eligible Employees. The
Participating Corporations in the Plan as of July 2, 2002 are listed in attached
Schedule A.

       O. PLAN shall mean the Corporation's Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as set
forth in this document.

       P. PLAN ADMINISTRATOR shall mean the committee of two (2) or more Board
members appointed by the Board to administer the Plan.

       Q. PURCHASE DATE shall mean the last business day of each Purchase
Interval.

       R. PURCHASE INTERVAL shall mean each successive six (6)-month period
within the offering period at the end of which there shall be purchased shares
of Common Stock on behalf of each Participant.

       S. STOCK EXCHANGE shall mean either the American Stock Exchange or the
New York Stock Exchange.