NetApp Logo PNG
The NetApp logo symbolizes data warehousing because the company specializes in related technologies. The emblem reflects the brand’s commitment to continually developing and delivering high-quality, effective products.
David Hitz, James Lau, and Michael Malcolm founded NetApp in Silicon Valley in 1992. The company was originally called Network Appliance, Inc., reflecting its core idea: a dedicated network device for file storage. At the time, most companies kept data on local servers, and managing storage was complex and labor-intensive.
Its first product, introduced in 1993, used WAFL (Write Anywhere File Layout), a file system David Hitz designed. Instead of overwriting old blocks, WAFL wrote data into free disk areas. That structure enabled fast snapshots, allowing companies to return to earlier data states within seconds and improving backup and recovery times.
The young company entered a market led by EMC Corporation and IBM but took a different route: rather than large, expensive storage arrays, Network Appliance offered simpler network storage that appealed to small- and midsize corporate clients. In 1995, the company went public on NASDAQ and used the capital to expand its product line and sales during the late-1990s tech market boom.
The dot-com boom increased demand for network storage, while the 2001 crash forced the company to adjust to tighter IT budgets. Later acquisitions added key technologies: Spinnaker Networks in 2003 for clustering, Decru in 2005 for encryption, and Topio in 2006 for replication. In 2008, Network Appliance officially became NetApp. In 2015-2016, the company bought SolidFire for about $870 million, entering the fast-growing all-flash storage market.
Meaning and History
The company was founded by a group of qualified engineers who had worked at Auspex. Michael Malcolm, James Lau, and David Hitz founded NetApp, which was officially introduced on the world stage in 1992. It began developing new secure storage systems using the latest technology. This is how the WAFL product was born. But the company did not stop there; in the following years, it grew rapidly and raised capital.
Old
The first NetApp logo featured a clear image, the company name, and a caption at the bottom. The latter was translated as simplified data management. This reflected the company’s main goal: to create a reliable information storage system with an easy-to-use, user-friendly interface.
The color scheme consisted of a single color: rich blue. It symbolized confidence, stability, and high quality. The overall picture was complemented by the letters matching that color. This emphasized the unity of all systems and technologies the company used. The only caveat was the font size. The lowercase lettering was smaller and more delicate, while NetApp was larger and more massive.
The emphasis on the name paid tribute to the brand’s value and heritage. In addition, the two halves, Net and App, although connected, each began with a capital letter. This stylistic solution added a “zest” to the emblem and corporate identity. The sphere above the company name was an unusual image that symbolized the main achievement: the high-quality WAFL file system.
New
The company used the original logo for many years. But as early as 2013, the company decided to rebrand. The changes were dramatic. They changed the color scheme, font, and overall style. Even the words in the lower inscription changed, while the company’s name remained the same. The phrase “NetApp” remained the logo’s basis.
But now, the name was set in a different font and rendered in black. Compared to the previous version, this one looked more expressive. This suggested the company’s position in the global market was strengthening, and its reputation was improving. The lower inscription further confirmed this.
It was translated as “how to go further, faster,” which meant grandiose plans for the future. Another update was the font clarification. The inscriptions have become more accurate and thinner. As mentioned above, the image was complemented by a large arch resembling the room’s entrance. The element seemed to signify a transition into a new space of improved technologies. This logo is still in use today.
Font and Colors
The main goal of the NetApp logo is to convey the main qualities of an innovative information storage system:
- speed;
- insights;
- simplicity.
To emphasize these features, an appropriate color scheme was chosen. It consists of 3 colors: white (background), black (inscription), and blue (arch). Together, they convey the company’s main style and principles. The inscriptions use a special commercial font, Dienstag Black. The title’s capital letters are slightly condensed. The design harmoniously reflects the company’s core values.