Mike Volpi is stepping down as the head of the Cisco Routing and Service Provider Technology Group, effective immediately. Cisco simultaneously announced a reorganization that includes the operations Volpi had controlled.

Volpi has not yet decided what his next steps will be, although he was quoted as saying he’s looking to do something different from what he was doing at Cisco.

Cisco SVP/GMs Pankaj Patel and Tony Bates will jointly lead the renamed Service Provider Technology Group (SPTG), reporting to Charles Giancarlo, Cisco chief development officer. Both come out of Cisco’s service provider organization.

The moves follow on the heels of Cisco reporting excellent quarterly and yearly results fueled in large measure by the operations Volpi managed.

Cisco wants to better coordinate software and equipment development, especially for networks run by major telecommunications companies, according to Giancarlo. It will do so by realigning various software operations in the company, creating a “center of software expertise” to help Cisco better integrate its various network operating systems into a modular or “componentized” architecture, the company said. Cisco executives Lele Nardin and Bob Marinconz will be in charge of this effort.

Succession at Cisco has become a consideration with speculation that John Chambers might turn over the title of CEO when he takes over as chairman, just as he has relinquished the title of president – a post that remains unfilled. Chambers is 56. Volpi, who is 40, was seen as a possible successor to Chambers. Analysts believe Giancarlo, 49, is now the most likely Cisco executive to follow Chambers.

Volpi was at Cisco for 13 years. Before running the service provider group, he was in charge of the Internet switching and services group.

Between 1994 and 2001, Volpi served as the chief strategy officer.