WRAL Tech Wire

 Inside NetApp's earnings: Restructuring work force a move to ensure long-term success

Analysis: Technology Business Research believes NetApp's decision to eliminate approximately 7 percent of its employee base, or 900 employees, indicates that the company is working with great urgency to correct its slipping operating margin.

 Exec: Despite layoffs, NetApp to continue hiring, growing in RTP

NetApp CEO Tom Georgens said that while the restructuring will cut some jobs, it will also free up resources to redeploy elsewhere. And he said the company won't stop hiring. Another exec also says NetApp remains committed to growing its campus in RTP.

NetApp's RTP campus

NetApp to lay off 900 workers in global restructuring

NetApp will cut 900 workers globally as the company embarks on a "realignment of resources."

 Hedge fund takes stake in NetApp, presses for boost in shareholder value

Elliott Management Corp, a hedge fund founded by billionaire Paul Singer, has been in talks with NetApp for weeks over proposals that include returning cash to shareholders, according to Bloomberg News.

 NetApp is preparing for layoffs, report says

A private note from Piper Jaffray to its clients says theNetApp layoffs will total about 1,300 people and will come from under-performing operations, IT-publication The Register reports

 National 'Big Data' consortium launches at UNC; IBM, SAS, Cisco are members

A national Big Data consortium is launching from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Renaissance Computing Institute with the goal of identifying problems with and finding solutions for working with large amounts of data.

 NetApp shares drop slightly then rally after earnings improvement

NetApp shares rallied slightly Thursday after reporting on Wednesday a $158 million in fiscal third quarter profit, a 31 percent increase over its earnings performance a year ago.

 SAS plans big high-performance analytics push in 2013

While the rate of revenue growth in 2012 slowed to 5.4 percent from 12 percent the previous year, SAS still stretched its 37-year streak of growth and profitability dating back to its founding with revenues of $2.87 billion. It also added hundreds of new workers.

SAS Visual Analytics renders data into images

 SAS revenues hit $2.87B, a record high for 37th straight year

SAS, the global privately-held software company based in Cary, says its sales hit a record high $2.87 billion in 2012. SAS has now reported revenue growth for 37 consecutive years dating back to its founding.

Tracking SAS revenue growth

 SAS reports record $2.87B in revenue for 2012

SAS, the global privately-held software company based in Cary, says its sales hit a record high $2.87 billion in 2012. The company has reported revenue growth for 37 straight years dating back to its founding.

 SAS No. 2, NetApp No. 6 on Fortune "Best Place to Work' list

SAS moves up a spot in the annual survey, and NetApp cracks the top 10 for the fifth consecutive year.

 In the news: IBM faces inquiry in NZ; RedBox targets Netflix; NetApp stock a 'buy;' Sprint-Clearwire deal?; Dish smartphone service

Inside the Bulldog blog: IBM faces a formal government inquiry into a New Zealand contract; RedBox takes aim at Netflix with streaming service; TheStreet.com sees NetApp stock as a buy, says company could be acquired; Sprint may be taking over Clearwire; The FCC approves Dish's bid to offer wireless smartphone service.

 SAS acquires 'cloud' technology from rPath, hires 19 employees

SAS has acquired some technology and has hired a group of employees associated with that technology from Raleigh-based rPath, which is in the process of shutting down. The employees will form a new technology group at SAS.

SAS

 SAS tops best place to work in world list; Quintiles 23rd

SAS is No. 1 on the second annual global best places to work list and Quintiles is No. 23 as selected by the Great Place to Work institute. The World's Best Multinational Workplaces list of 25 companies also includes NetApp, Cisco and Novo Nordisk, which have large operations in the Research Triangle area.

SAS

 In the news: Red Hat, NetApp, GSK, Cempra, GSK researcher, SAS

Inside the Bulldog Blog: Hatter stock a 'buy;' NetApp shares rate a 'neutral;' GSK drops antibiotic; GSK exec wins U.K. honor; SAS boosts eBay company; Cempra reports drug progress.

  Lenovo vs. iPhone; NetApp jobs; Cisco future; EMC vs. Cisco

Inside the Bulldog Blog: Lenovo gains in China smartphone market; NetAdd adds jobs; John Chambers ponders Cisco future; EMC and Cisco becoming rivals.

 NetApp earnings reflect intensifying battle with EMC

Analysis: NetApp is under growing pressure from EMC as the firms, which both have growing presence in the Research Triangle,, battle for data storage clients.

NetApp touts innovation on its website

 NetApp profits top analysts' expectations

The storage device maker reports revenue slightly under expectations and profits that beat estimates by 4 cents per share. The news sends NetApp shares up in after-hours trading.

 RTP area tech stocks hit hard by economic news

Red Hat, IBM, NetApp, Cree, EMC, Citrix shares take hits after latest unemployment news and warnings emerge about European economies. Cisco shares fall the least.

 NetApp's plunging value makes it a takeover target

"NetApp is very cash rich and has a phenomenal balance sheet," one analyst tells Bloomberg. "2011 was a tough year for NetApp. It's a wounded bird, so people can get it on the cheap."

NetApp's RTP campus