NetApp Business Benefit of Cost-Effective, Simplified Data Management Rings ''Loud and Clear'' for Phonak AG

Network Appliance, Inc. (Nasdaq:NTAP) today announced that PhonakAG, a world-leading provider of wireless and digital hearing aidtechnologies, is relying on NetApp NearStore(R) VTL technology toaugment and improve the reliability and efficiency of its legacyphysical tape backup process. Phonak AG, based in Switzerland,produces cutting-edge hearing aid technologies and products forprofessionals working with hearing-impaired people to increase speechunderstanding and easy and effective communication. The companyselected NetApp NearStore VTL to benefit from cost-effectivedisk-to-disk backup and recovery and management simplicity.

NearStore VTL storage systems seamlessly plug into multivendorstorage environments, appearing to be physical tape systems. Utilizinga NetApp NearStore VTL will help to significantly accelerate PhonakAG's backup and restore process, while greatly simplifying the overallmanagement of disk-to-disk data protection.

"As a company, Phonak AG innovates to bring the latest advancedtechnologies to market that help people around the world hear better,"said Stefan Eggenschwiler, manager Global Network & Technology atPhonak AG. "Accessing, backing up, and restoring data are critical toour ability to reliably meet service-level agreements with customers.NetApp provides us with the confidence that our data will be readilyavailable when needed and that we have the flexibility to fine-tuneour tiered storage infrastructure with minimal disruption to ourexisting IT infrastructure and processes, allowing for reducedmanagement and maintenance. This means we can focus our resources andenergy on continuing to move our business forward."

UP-GREAT AG championed the consulting and project leadership ofthe NearStore VTL deployment. Diwega GmbH drove the technicalintegration for Phonak AG's NearStore VTL deployment. Both companiesare long-term partners of both NetApp and Phonak in Switzerland.

More details on the NearStore VTL, including how the solutionachieves flagship performance and tape economies, are available atwww.netapp.com/products/nearstore/nearstore-vtl.html.

Product and Partner Information

Technical information is available online regarding NetAppNearStore VTL solutions for multivendor environments. To receiveongoing technical updates and learn more with exclusive online membercontent, register for the NetApp Tech OnTap program atwww.netapp-web.com/ontap/registration.aspx?ecode=20050917002232613&dcode=10055. (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pastedinto your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space ifone exists.)

About Network Appliance

Network Appliance is a world leader in unified storage solutionsfor today's data-intensive enterprise. Since its inception in 1992,Network Appliance has delivered technology, product, and partnerfirsts that simplify data management. Information about NetworkAppliance(TM) solutions and services is available at www.netapp.com.

NetApp and NearStore are registered trademarks and NetworkAppliance is a trademark of Network Appliance, Inc. in the UnitedStates and other countries. All other brands or products aretrademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders andshould be treated as such.