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Network Appliance Signs Leading Distribution Partners

Posted on: Monday, 14 July 2003, 06:00 CDT

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 14, 2003--

New Two-Tier Distribution Model to Strengthen Network Appliance

Expansion into Regional and Specialized Markets

Network Appliance, Inc. (Nasdaq:NTAP), a leading provider of enterprise network storage solutions, today announced that it has signed distribution agreements with the North American Computer Products group of Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE:ARW) and Avnet Hall-Mark, value-added distributors of enterprise servers, storage, software, and services. The distribution agreements enable Arrow Electronics and Avnet Hall-Mark to help a broad range of value-added resellers (VARs) market and sell Network Appliance(TM) enterprise storage solutions.

Both Arrow Electronics and Avnet Hall-Mark will offer their respective VARs business-building tools, training, marketing, sales, and technical services, allowing them to achieve competitive advantage and improved profitability through the design and implementation of innovative storage solutions from Network Appliance. The respective companies will offer VARs Network Appliance storage solutions to meet customer needs ranging from storage consolidation, business continuance, and high-performance data center operations to distributed enterprise applications.

"By combining the technical, sales, and marketing experience of Arrow Electronics and Avnet Hall-Mark, Network Appliance platinum and gold VARs at any revenue level will be able to build and expand their storage businesses," said Mark Santora, senior vice president of marketing at Network Appliance. "Arrow Electronics and Avnet Hall-Mark are organized to provide a level of sales, marketing, and administrative support that will provide a foundation for Network Appliance to grow its enterprise channel business throughout North America."

Network Appliance's new two-tier distribution model extends NetApp(R) storage solutions to regional and specialized VARs in geographies and new markets previously not covered. This move to distribution allows the Network Appliance channel sales teams to work closely in the field with the Arrow Electronics and Avnet Hall-Mark sales teams, to build relationships with VARs and their customers.

"When an industry leader such as Network Appliance extends its market reach through the channel, it is a strong endorsement for the value that two-tiered distribution brings to resellers," said Mike Long, president and COO, Arrow Electronics, North American Computer Product group. "Arrow has dedicated sales, technical, and marketing teams that are prepared to assist Network Appliance resellers in a seamless transition, and who will function in a long-term role to support and grow their business opportunities."

"Network Appliance's market leadership now partnered with Avnet Hall-Mark's storage expertise is a winning combination for the channel," said Jeff Bawol, vice president and general manager, Enterprise Software & Storage Business Unit, Avnet Hall-Mark. "VARs can ramp up quickly by using unique programs like the Enterprise Storage Innovation Network (ESIN) and the SMARTracker(TM) closed-loop lead management, designed exclusively for resellers who are actively growing their storage practices."

About the North American Computer Products Group of Arrow Electronics

The North American Computer Products group of Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE:ARW) is a leading distributor of enterprise and embedded computing systems to resellers and OEM customers in North America. Based in Englewood, Colo., the group is comprised of four divisions that make up Enterprise Computing Solutions (Enterprise Storage Solutions, Support Net, SBM, MOCA) and OEM Computing Solutions, which serves complex and industrial OEM customers. Arrow Electronics is one of the world's largest distributors of electronic components and computer products and a leading provider of services to the electronics industry.

About Avnet Hall-Mark

Headquartered in Tempe, Ariz., Avnet Hall-Mark is an industry-leading, value-added distributor of enterprise servers, storage, software, and services, marketing exclusively to the reseller channel. Avnet Hall-Mark is a division of the $2.4 billion Avnet Computer Marketing operating group of Avnet Inc. (NYSE:AVT), one of the world's largest technology marketing, distribution, and services companies. Avnet's sales for fiscal 2002 (year ended June 30) were $8.9 billion. For more information about Avnet Hall-Mark, visit: www.hallmark.avnet.com.

About Network Appliance

Network Appliance is a world leader in unified storage solutions for today's data-intensive enterprise. Since its inception in 1992, Network Appliance has delivered technology, product, and partner firsts that continue to drive "The evolution of storage(TM)." Information about Network Appliance solutions and services is available at www.netapp.com.

NetApp and the Network Appliance logo are registered trademarks and Network Appliance and The evolution of storage are trademarks of Network Appliance, Inc., in the U.S. and other countries.

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