The technology trade magazine CRN reports that Paul Maritz has left his post as chief executive of VMware Inc., the virtualization software subsidiary of Hopkinton data storage giant EMC Corp. Pat Gelsinger, who now heads EMC’s information infrastructure products division, is expected to replace Maritz, according to the story, which appeared on CRN’s website Monday night.

An EMC spokesman declined to comment on the report.

Maritz, a former Microsoft Corp. executive, joined EMC in 2008, while Gelsinger came to EMC IN 2009 from chipmaker Intel Corp., where he served as chief technology officer. Both Maritz and Gelsinger are widely considered to be possible successors to EMC’s chief executive Joe Tucci.