This week, the networking industry learned about the tragic loss of Cisco's Ben Goldman. Ben was murdered while in Detroit for what was supposed to be a quick, one-day business trip - the kind of trip that many of us take for granted - it's the modern equivalent of hopping on a bus. Those of us that knew Ben are shocked and saddened by a turn of events that is difficult to make sense of.

I've had the pleasure of interacting with Ben for a number of years, and while I can't claim to be a personal friend, I had developed a great deal of respect for him. When I knew Ben was going to be involved in a call or face-to-face meeting, I knew it would be a productive one. I came to look forward to these interactions, and we both learned from them. Ben had a great passion for Cisco (he was a 16-year veteran). But he never let that passion get in the way of the issues at hand. He never took Cisco's position for granted and was always willing to listen to and learn from different points of view and debate the issues. In times when the discussion became a little more confrontational (as they can between analyst and vendor), Ben was always a voice of reason. His thoughtful, open style had a strong steadying influence on everyone.

The link provides a more complete and fitting tribute to Ben's memory: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10309586?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com.

While this is a loss for our industry and for his colleagues at Cisco, our thoughts must focus on the young family he leaves behind.