Here are the top stories SDxCentral wrangled this week related to SDN, NFV, 5G, IoT, containers, cloud, and more: 

Linux Foundation Combines 6 Networking Projects Into 1 — The six projects form the basis of a networking stack from the data plane to the control plane, to orchestration, automation, and end-to-end testing.

Cisco Acquires HCI Company Skyport Systems — It remains unclear whether Cisco will use the company's hardware.

AT&T Network on Demand Expands in Equinix Data Centers — It sounds strikingly similar to an Equinix service launched in December.

Here are the week's strays and stragglers we roped for you: 

Nokia opened a Global Cloud Design Center in the U.K. to enhance its multicloud offerings. It also launched an integration service, which helps build multi-vendor cloud networks.

VMware released the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Greengrass on vSphere preview, enabling certain AWS Greengrass services to run on vSphere at the data center edge.

4G LTE and Internet of Things (IoT) provider Sequans Communications formed a collaboration with SoftBank to accelerate deployment of LTE-M and Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) in Japan.

Qualcomm partnered with Chinese manufacturers — including Lenovo, ZTE, OPPO, and more — to form the 5G Pioneer Initiative, which is intended to advance China’s smartphone industry and 5G New Radio (NR).

Intel and Huawei concluded an over-the-air test of 5G interoperability and development based on the 3GPP Release 15 standard.

Fujitsu released its next generation all flash storage arrays and mid-range hybrid storage systems.

Windstream expanded its core network into Columbus, Ohio, and made its software-defined networking (SDN) transport available to customers there.

Talari launched a new appliance, E50, enabling software-defined wide area networks (SD-WAN) to small branch offices, retail sites, and small office, home office locations.

CloudPassage released its security automation platform, Halo, on the AWS marketplace.

ZeroStack debuted its cloud innovation partner program to make it easier for its partners’ to access the public cloud.

Network IT firm Datavision partnered with 128 Technology to offer 128T’s software router available for SD-WAN deployments.

Tigera, a cloud native application connectivity startup, secured an additional $10 million in funding, led by Madrona Venture Group. The company has been endorsed by AWS, Azure, Google, and IBM.

Veeam Software's data recovery SDN solution is now available on Microsoft Azure.

Codefresh, a Kubernetes and Helm DevOps platform, released Codefresh CLI, allowing users to access its API from Docker pipelines.

Hysolate, a hybrid endpoint architecture startup, launched its first product and secured $8 million in funding led by Team8.

Sumo Logic acquired security startup FactorChain and its security investigation platform.

Carbon Black, an endpoint security company, launched ThreatSight, a threat hunting service powered by its predictive security cloud.

Security intelligence company Exabeam released a security data lake for enterprises to store and access critical log data.

Big Switch Networks launched its big cloud fabric, an SDN-based data center network switching fabric, support hyperconverged solutions.

Here are the other stories SDxCentral covered this week: 

  • Dell Technologies Eyes IPO, VMware Buy Out
  • Equinix CEO Resigns Suddenly Over Employee Matter
  • Apstra Adds Intent-Based Analytics to Its Operating System
  • Verizon Adds Virtual Session Border Controller to VNS Platform
  • IHS Markit: 85% of Operators Plan to Deploy Smart Central Offices
  • Mirantis CEO Adrian Ionel Comes Back, Champions Open Source for Multicloud
  • Alphabet Unveils Cybersecurity Business Called Chronicle
  • Palo Alto Networks Finds Attackers Who Dwell in Networks
  • Cisco HyperFlex HCI Adds Container, Multicloud Support
  • CenturyLink Secures Public WiFi Through Security Gateways
  • Big Switch Brags About HCI Integrations with Nutanix, Dell EMC, and VMware
  • Deutsche Telekom Pushes NB-IoT in Europe and U.S.
  • Packet Pushers Outline SD-WAN as a Tool for Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Tech Mahindra Resells AT&T's FlexWare VNF Platform
  • Amazon Web Services Scoops Up Security Startup Sqrrl
  • Verizon Deploys Sedona Systems' Network Mapping Software
  • Cloudian Stretches Storage from Data Centers to Public Clouds
  • Verizon CEO Is Meeting With City Mayors About 5G
  • Cumulus Raises $43M Series D to Fight Proprietary Network Stacks (Like Cisco)
  • Dell EMC, Netronome Deliver an NFV Server
  • Amdocs Helps Bell to Automate Data Center Tenant Network Provisioning
  • Megaport Adds Virtual Cloud Router to SDN Platform
  • 5 Danger Points for Container Security
  • Bigleaf Scores $4.9M in Funding to Expand SD-WAN Sales Channels
  • Sedona Systems' NetFusion Maps Networks, Then Automates Services
  • IDC Defines, Explores IoT Platforms from Network Connectivity Providers
  • Digital Realty Data Centers Add Oracle Cloud Direct Connections
  • Nokia Scores 5G Equipment Deal with NTT DoCoMo
  • IBM Finally Grows Revenue, Celebrates by 'Marrying' Salesforce
  • Iguazio Boldly Taunts AWS' Lambda with Nuclio Serverless Platform