Happy Friday, everyone! Here’s SDxCentral’s gathering of the week’s news bits around software-defined networking (SDN), network functions virtualization (NFV), and related topics.

... Uh-oh, Microsoft Azure was in hot water again when the company released a status update saying Traffic Manager was experiencing "a multi-region partial performance degradation," according to reporting by Gigaom. On Tuesday, some customers had to deal with delays, but by Wednesday morning, a new status update said core elements were back up, running normally. However, the update also included some insight on "issues" causing problems for European customers relating to VM performance. The lack of clear information from Azure has left many still wondering what the underlying issue is, and when it may be fully resolved.

... Microsoft and Docker partnered up a few weeks ago, and now Microsoft has announced customers can use a Docker client to manage Linux containers directly from their Windows machines.

... VMware acquired MomentumSI, as reported by CRN. A rep from VMware said the deal went down in October, and MomentumSI will be brought into VMware's professional services organization in order to help users deploy hybrid clouds. CRN had no word on how many of the startup's employees who will be joining VMware.

... ECI Telecom launched SmartLight, its framework for deploying SDN and NFV. Four components comprise the new product: LightApps offers a suite of network automation and efficiency tools, as well as service applications; LightControl is the SDN controller associated with SmartLight; LightSec provides a suite of security applications and appliances; Apollo and NPT give users SDN-ready converged L0-L3 transport systems.

... Transition Networks introduced the S3290 family of network interface devices (NIDs). At the GEN14 conference, Transition also demonstrated tablet-based apps: Converge Service provisioning and Converge Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation.

... ZTE joined the Open Platform for NFV (OPNFV) project as a platinum-level sponsor.

... Following up a recent demo of transport SDN, the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) said it will work to develop implementation agreements for APIs between applications and network controllers. The idea is to expand on the Service Request and Topology APIs used in the demo, creating APIs for more general use.

... Extreme Networks unveiled new products and partners, saying both are important advances to its software-defined architecture. The products include the Summit X670-G2 top-of-rack switch, boxes 1 rack unit high and available in 48- and 72-port and 10 Gb/s Ethernet fixed models, and the Purview Application Sensor, a device that helps to simplify the deployment of Purview analytics within data centers.

... Privately held Pluribus Networks appointed George de Urioste as chief financial officer.

... Altiostar is using NFV to offer a cloud-based radio access network (RAN). It consists of intelligent remote radio head (iRRH) and intelligent virtualized baseband unit (vBBU) running as virtual network functions (VNFs) on commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware, and carrier-grade OpenStack and Linux software platforms. Altiostar's product will enable operators to build high-density clusters of up to 1,440 macro and micro radio heads.

... Big Switch was verified as Citrix Ready. The company's Big Cloud Fabric was already verified with Citrix CloudPlatform 4.3, and deeper integration with the plugin for Citrix CloudPlatform is said to be ready sometime this quarter.

... Calient has developed a new SDN controller — the Optical Topology Management Controller — aimed at facilitating dynamic reconfiguration of the optical network layer in cloud data center facilities. Built on the OpenDaylight architecture, the controller can be the basis for hybrid network fabrics, where Calient's S-Series optical circuit switches augment packet-based networks. The controller will be available for proof-of-concept (PoC) testing and system integration with other controllers beginning in January. Additional functionality should be released in the first quarter of 2015.

... Infoblox introduced the OpenStack Adapter, which connects OpenStack to Infoblox services such as DNS and DHCP.

... Maxta announced its hyperconverged storage gear is certified to run on Cisco's Unified Computing System (UCS) and can support clusters spanning metro distances.

... Who likes NFV? Video service providers, apparently. They appreciate the potential flexibility in moving functions to software — functions such as encoders and video-on-demand playout servers — according to Multiscreen TV Strategies and Vendor Leadership: Global Service Provider Survey, a report issued this week by Infonetics analyst Jeff Heynan.

... ClusterHQ added support for Fig, Docker Inc.'s tool for creating isolated development environments.

... 5nine software, which specializes in tools for clouds based on Microsoft's Hyper-V, raised an undisclosed amount of funding led by Insight Venture Partners and the founders of Veeam. 5nine also announced availability of version 5 of its Cloud Security tool for Hyper-V.

... Opera Software's Rocket Optimizer is the first platform being integrated onto Huawei's Cloud Edge Virtual Multiservice Engine (vMSE). Rocket Optimizer manages mobile video bandwidth on a per-user basis. The companies are describing the pairing as an NFV move targeted at service providers.

... Real Status announced version 3.4 of its Hyperglance IT management software. Features include support for the OpenDaylight Helium release and tested integration with OpenStack distributions from HP, Mirantis, Rackspace, and Red Hat.

... In a survey of 60 service providers, nearly every respondent said SDN "requires new management tools and that some of their existing tools will not work with SDN." The survey was conducted by Packet Design, a vendor of monitoring and analytics software, during the recent SDN/MPLS International Conference. Packet Design also found that the use of SDN in production environments is up nearly 200 percent among service providers, yet they are still concerned about the lack of industry standards, SDN complexity, and visibility and control. Seventy percent also said they don't believe network teams have the necessary skills and experience to manage SDN.

Here's what else SDxCentral covered this week:

• Google Poaches Sophos CTO Gerhard Eschelbeck
• How Google & OpenConfig Plan to Model the Whole Network
• At the MEF, Is OSS the Next Stop for Open Source?
• Wedge Targets Small Businesses With New Cloud Network Defense Service
• Verizon Reportedly Starting Trials with White Box Switching
• Viptela Partners With Zscaler On Wide Area Network Security
• Drama in Router Town for Cisco and Juniper
• Open vSwitch Gets Boosted to 'Ludicrous' Performance
• Alcatel-Lucent Pins Its Future on a 'Reverse Takeover'