Azure Review: Huawei-Stack partnership; Cloud AI Challenge; Blockchain; JEDI; US, China regions

[caption caption="Microsoft and Huawei partner for Azure Stack" align="center"][/caption]

Huawei and Microsoft have partnered to offer a joint solution in the form of an all-flash Azure Stack system aimed at improving hybrid cloud services. Running Azure Stack software, the system will incorporate Huawei FusionServer 2288H V5, data center switches and eSight management software.

Microsoft announced the winners of its Cloud Artificial Intelligence Challenge, including researchers at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece who used the AI capabilities of the Earthquake Notifications app to predict seismic activity. Spektacom Technologies, a startup run by cricket player Anil Kumble is working with Microsoft to develop Power Bat. The new bat is fitted with sensors powered by Azure IoT and AI capabilities to feed player data back to coaches and fans. In EMEA, the Dubai Airports expanded their 15 year old partnership with Microsoft by migrating to Azure to handle the 50 percent of operational data generated outside the UAE, host applications, and better secure information.