NOC Services

What is Network Operations Center (NOC)?

Network Operations Center – Definition

A network operations center (NOC) houses the equipment and personnel for monitoring a network of computers, servers, mobile devices, IoT devices and various related network devices from a centralized location. The NOC has the high-functional infrastructure with automatic alerts that notify technicians about the issues across the network.

Network Engineer

• They keep a close eye on network’s infrastructure to ensure the system’s uptime is not compromised due to malware, network errors or other network related issues.
• They deal with the complex networks and troubleshoot if required by following the standard procedures.
• The high functional NOC help technicians in identifying problems across the network before it occurs.

Network Operations Center (NOC) Design: Best Practices

Below mentioned NOC best practices are recommended by ExterNetworks to improve the overall effectiveness of the NOC design and to alleviate monitoring risks.

1. Vendor Ticket Management: A Vendor ticketing system showcases all the information related to open tickets, such as priority task, urgent issues, the person who is handling the task, and pending issues. It eases the daily routine work & also help in providing the best services to the customers.
2. Incident Management: Identify the incident, find the underlying problem and fix it immediately to ensure the operation is running smoothly & the business is not affected.
3. Standard Monitoring Policy: Define and implement standard monitoring policy & procedures for performance forecasting and capacity monitoring for Telecom network infrastructure.
4. Root Cause Analysis: Use Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to identify root problems for performance improvement & easy connectivity.
5. Documentation & Reporting: Track & document each and every issue to maintain a healthy knowledge base.
6. Escalation: The roles & responsibilities with the appropriate designation is required for every employee working in a NOC. Sometimes the problems are too complex to be resolved by level-1 or level-2 engineers & thus the same need to be escalated to the higher management for assistance.

Managing a Network Operations Center (NOC) –

A typical Network Operations Center (NOC) employs NOC engineers & NOC technicians to monitor large computers & servers from a centralized location. Their duties include:

• Net flow, server, & endpoint monitoring
• Hardware & Software installation
• Network Analysis & Troubleshooting
• Monitor common threats, viruses & DOS attacks.
• Alarms handling & performance improvement
• Monitor power failures & system backups.

Many issues may arise that get in the way of optimal network function. Dealing with these problems quickly and efficiently is the duty of the network engineer. Examples of these common issues include DDoS attacks, power outages, network crashes, and black holes in routing.

A network operations center (NOC) may have personnel who install routers or software like firewalls, but they don’t function as a help desk. The IT help desk & NOC team are different and the terms cannot be used interchangeably. The Outsourced help desk deals directly with clients, whereas the NOC team ensures the client’s uptime is maintained.

NOC vs Help Desk

It is worthwhile to note that the NOC and help desk team is different & the terms should not be used interchangeably. Helpdesk handles front-line questions directly from the end clients. Whereas, the NOC team is trained to monitor client’s network endpoints who are experiencing difficulties or issues and quickly troubleshoot them.

NOC – Network Monitoring & Management
The NOC team have skilled NOC engineers who keep a watchful eye on the client’s IT environment and resolve issues related to the network immediately. They ensure seamless connectivity of the network and uptime of the IT systems.

Help Desk – 24/7 Remote Support
Help Desk services are handled by a team of professionals trained to assist users with any IT related issues. Clients can access  24/7 Network support for immediate help and peace of mind.

What is the difference between a NOC and a SOC?

Network Operations Center (NOC) focuses on monitoring network performance and availability, while Security Operations Center (SOC) focuses on detecting and analyzing cyber-attacks. NOCs tend towards natural problems, while SOCs focus on external threats.

Both the NOC and SOC perform similar tasks but focus on different areas. NOC technicians monitor networks and applications, while SOC analysts focus on security.

Network Operations Centers (NOC) and Security Operations Centers (SOC) should work together more often than now. They should also automate some tasks and adopt NOC tools that allow them to share information about network activity.

Business Services for Network Operations Centers (NOC’s)

In the 21st century, rather than hire an in-house team to monitor network performance, many companies outsourced NOC services. They rely on managed service providers to monitor and respond to issues with their networks. These service providers may provide full life cycle support including design, deployment, and monitoring. These service providers still provide 24/7 network monitoring and local response. If you choose a business service, look no other than ExterNetworks – one destination for IT Managed Services with 15+ years of experience, with a history of happy clients and client list growth.

While they don’t sit at physical desks in your offices, a NOC service does provide real-time network management using the same performance monitoring by NOC engineers with monitors on their desks. Their desks aren’t in your office. They provide a sensible solution for large networks to maintain their optimal performance. These management services often contract with local professionals throughout the country to provide quick responses to network failures, communication, line alarms and other performance issues that may affect regular operations. They save you money by working from a centralized location to monitor and manage ongoing incidents and general network performance using their own equipment.

The duties of a Network Operations Center (NOC) remain the same regardless of its location. Some centers may observe larger networks, and some may include satellites or telecommunications equipment. Whether in-house or a business service, it provides a key piece in business continuity and security that successful businesses should not ignore.

Another money-saving item, their service plans, let you purchase only the services you need. The service plans are flexible and are available at per device per month plans as well.