Friday, 7 September 2007

NetApp Sues Sun Microsystems

NetApp has sued Sun Microsystems for infringing on seven patents and releasing them under its own name under an open source license.

NetApp, based in Sunnyvale, California is a maker of Storage Systems. It contends that Sun's ZFS file system technology, which was donated to the OpenSolaris.org open-source community earlier this year, infringes on its patents.

NetApp’s Chief Executive Dan Warmenhoven said NetApp was asking the federal judge for a declaratory judgment against Sun, a permanent injunction to prevent further infringement and unspecified damages. He also said NetApp wants a ruling that it is not infringing on three of Sun's patents and that those patents are invalid.

NetApp co founder Dave Hitz said, "We firmly believe that everyone in the industry benefits from fair and responsible use of intellectual property. Sun's actions have been neither fair nor responsible,” said Network Appliance co-founder Dave Hitz.