Appenzeller says he's probably leaving the networking industry.

Mitch Wagner, Executive Editor, Light Reading

January 10, 2019

2 Min Read
Network Virtualization Pioneer Guido Appenzeller Exits VMware

Guido Appenzeller, who pioneered network virtualization, is leaving VMware after four years at the company, heading for parts undisclosed, Appenzeller said Thursday.

"It's official, after four years at VMware I am leaving to pursue a new adventure," Appenzeller said in a statement on his blog.

What next? "Not quite ready to talk about what I am doing next. But likely it won't be in the networking industry," Appenzeller said in a message to Light Reading.

Figure 1:

Appenzeller co-founded Big Switch Networks in 2010. At that time, network virtualization -- known then as software-defined networking -- was controversial and crazy; everybody knew that networking required specialized equipment, with intelligence built into the hardware. Now, network virtualization is standard, and VMware Inc. (NYSE: VMW), during Appenzeller's tenure, has had a big role in that industry transition. The other big player here is Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO), which has embraced network virtualization -- ironically, since Cisco is the big company that Big Switch and other SDN advocates set out to destroy.

Appenzeller joined VMware as CTO, cloud and networking, in 2014, a role he has held since. (See VMware Hires Top Execs From Cisco, Big Switch.)

"VMware was the first time for me to work in a large company (or in fact, any company I didn't start myself)," Appenzeller says on his blog. During his time at VMware, NSX went from less than $200 million run rate to greater than $1 billion.

VMware confirmed that Appenzeller is leaving effective Friday, Jan. 11, as a "personal career decision." The company adds: "We thank Guido for his passion and commitment and wish him well."

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About the Author(s)

Mitch Wagner

Executive Editor, Light Reading

San Diego-based Mitch Wagner is many things. As well as being "our guy" on the West Coast (of the US, not Scotland, or anywhere else with indifferent meteorological conditions), he's a husband (to his wife), dissatisfied Democrat, American (so he could be President some day), nonobservant Jew, and science fiction fan. Not necessarily in that order.

He's also one half of a special duo, along with Minnie, who is the co-habitor of the West Coast Bureau and Light Reading's primary chewer of sticks, though she is not the only one on the team who regularly munches on bark.

Wagner, whose previous positions include Editor-in-Chief at Internet Evolution and Executive Editor at InformationWeek, will be responsible for tracking and reporting on developments in Silicon Valley and other US West Coast hotspots of communications technology innovation.

Beats: Software-defined networking (SDN), network functions virtualization (NFV), IP networking, and colored foods (such as 'green rice').

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