NetApp was founded by 3 chaps who once had an association with Auspex. I think Auspex failed because they didn't really understand the paradigm shift to an appliance with a single-purpose OS. If they had, there would not have been a Network Appliance.
EMC is very strong in the database storage segment and has grown historically by offering a generally superior alternative to the true-Blue solution. NTAP is weak in sales for database storage, but has the potential of coming on strong as Warmenhoven suggested in the last CC. Their appliance concept should be able, eventually, to challenge EMC, even with EMC's very strong base, I suspect.
Dave Hitz is a co-founder, not the Founder. He still works at NetApp, I believe, though I have not checked lately. I doubt very much that he sold all his shares, but it is normal for these guys to cash in some of their shares and options - don't take that as a negative. (Have you priced Silicon Valley real estate lately? If you have, you have a clue why it is normal to take some cash out of highly appreciated stock holdings.)
This is my take on the situation. But I'm not an insider, and I know less about what is going on than it might appear. Others are encouraged to improve on my answers. |
