Channel Beat: Microsoft Channel Chief Phil Sorgen Leaves Global Role

Microsoft's Phil Sorgen left his role as global channel chief this week, and he now heads up the U.S. channel.

Microsoft general manager Gavriella Schuster will fill in as an interim channel chief while Microsoft searches for a replacement.

Sorgen held the global channel chief position for three years.

According to multiple sources, VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger will leave the company once Dell closes its acquisition of EMC.

Although spokespeople from both VMware and EMC have denied that Gelsinger is planning an exit, one source close to the matter told CRN that VMware will announce the departure at its annual VMworld conference at the end of the summer.

Former Microsoft executive Tony Bates is among several candidates being considered as his replacement.

Some Cisco partners are worried the company may fall behind the new Dell-EMC in the hyper-converged space if it doesn't make changes soon.

This week Cisco partners told CRN the company should focus on software-defined storage, whether it grows that space through an acquisition or R&D investment.

Sources have told CRN Cisco is currently in talks with Nutanix regarding a hyper-converged partnership.