Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Networking

    Cumulus CEO Rivers Steps Down to Take CTO Slot

    By
    Jeff Burt
    -
    March 21, 2016
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin
      Cumulus executives

      JR Rivers, who helped found Cumulus Networks six years ago, is stepping aside as CEO of the company to become Cumulus’ CTO.

      Rivers will be replaced as CEO by Josh Leslie, an 18-year veteran of the IT industry who has been with Cumulus for less than a year after stints with such companies as VMware, Commvault Systems and—before coming to Cumulus—Instart Logic.

      Company officials announced the executive change March 21.

      Cumulus offers a Linux-based network operating system—Cumulus Linux—that can run on industry-standard hardware. Disaggregating the software—including the operating system—from the underlying hardware is a central part of the network virtualization push going on in an industry that is changing rapidly with the introduction of such trends as software-defined networking (SDN) and network-functions virtualization (NFV).

      Enabling the OS and other software to run on multiple hardware platforms offers customers a broad range of flexibility in their network infrastructures and a way to drive down costs. Customers can run a consistent lineup of software on industry-standard systems from multiple OEMs and original design manufacturers (ODM) rather than getting locked into a single vendor whose OS is tied to its more expensive systems.

      According to company officials, more than 400 organizations run Cumulus Linux, and the OS can run on more than 30 hardware platforms from such vendors as Dell, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Supermicro, Quanta and Penguin Computing.

      Cumulus also offers Cumulus VX, community supported open-source software that enables cloud administrators and network engineers to test the vendor’s technology in a virtual environment, and Cumulus RMP (Rack Management Platform), a network OS for out-of-band network switches.

      According to Rivers (right, in photo), the decision to name a new CEO came about when Nolan Leake, Cumulus’ co-founder and CTO, indicated last month that “he was ready to start a slow transition out of company operations.”

      “While I’m comforted that Nolan will be around for a while, I was also stuck with a huge problem,” Rivers wrote in a post on the company blog. “I needed to find a great CTO. As I thought about qualifications and candidates, I kept coming back to ‘JR, you know you really want this job.'”

      He said he had taken over as CEO after the company closed its Series A round of funding because neither he nor Leake wanted to hand over the company to a “‘professional CEO.’ To that end, I took on the responsibility. In the early days I was able to stay involved with the technology and products; however, as the company has progressed, I’ve had less time to spend in the areas that motivated me to start the company.”

      Leake’s decision to reduce his involvement in the company opened the door for Rivers to find a way to get back to being closer to the technology and customers. His goal never had been to be a CEO. Having Leslie already at the company made the decision to shift into the CTO position even easier.

      Leslie has been with Cumulus since June 2015 as vice president of sales. During that time, he has helped Cumulus more than double its customer base and expand its reach with Fortune 100 companies. In addition, he came with a broad range of experience and a stated desire to become a CEO.

      “I realized then that he would attack the role with the same energy that I looked forward to throwing into product pursuits,” Rivers wrote. “We would both be finding level.”

      In his own post on the company blog, Leslie wrote about how he first met Rivers and the Cumulus team four years ago right after the Series A funding, at a time when the company had one beta customer.

      “Despite this uncertainty, it was immediately obvious that this company was onto something big,” he wrote. “The notion of disaggregating networks—enabling customers to build highly automated infrastructure and breaking up the legacy vendors’ monopolies—was revolutionary but yet so obvious. I knew I wanted to be a part of it.”

      That wouldn’t happen for a few years—Rivers at the time told Leslie that the technology needed time to grow on its own, free from too much of a sales push. Rivers’ decision worked, Leslie wrote.

      “Looking forward, the company is incredibly well positioned for success,” he wrote. “After years of hardcore product development and market education about the beauty of open networking, customers and partners are now showing up in droves and working with Cumulus Networks to build scalable infrastructure. … As I look out to 2016 and beyond, I believe we will continue to redefine this industry.”

      Jeff Burt
      Jeffrey Burt has been with eWEEK since 2000, covering an array of areas that includes servers, networking, PCs, processors, converged infrastructure, unified communications and the Internet of things.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Android

      Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro: Durability for Tough...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 5, 2020 0
      Have you ever dropped your phone, winced and felt the pain as it hit the sidewalk? Either the screen splintered like a windshield being...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×