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

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
LAU JAMES K
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
NETWORK APPLIANCE INC [NTAP]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President,
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
495 EAST JAVA DRIVE
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
09/01/2006
(Street)

SUNNYVALE, CA 94089
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 09/01/2006   M   25,000 A $ 11.25 3,948,933 I by Trust3 (1)
Common Stock 09/01/2006   S   25,000 D $ 34.5074 (2) 3,923,933 I by Trust3 (1)
Common Stock               4,578 D  
Common Stock               68,600 I by Trust1 (3)
Common Stock               68,600 I by Trust2 (4)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) $ 11.25 09/01/2006   M     25,000   (5) 05/24/2009 Common Stock 25,000 $ 0 93,524 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
LAU JAMES K
495 EAST JAVA DRIVE
SUNNYVALE, CA 94089
      Executive Vice President,  

Signatures

 By: Janice Mahoney by Power of Attorney For: James K. Lau   09/05/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Shares held in trust by James K. Lau and Katherine S. Lau, trustees to the KNSK Trust UDT 9/18/00
(2) The sale prices for the reported transaction were in a range of $34.50 to $34.54 per share.
(3) Shares held in trust by Koon H. Lau, trustee to The Jason A. Lau 1998 Trust. Reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares.
(4) Shares held in trust by Koon H. Lau, trustee to The Jonathan A. Lau 1998 Trust. Reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares.
(5) Option vests with respect to 25% of the option shares on the first anniversary of the grant date and the balance in a series of equal monthly installments over the next 36 months of service thereafter.

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