Networks are expensive. Keeping them running isn’t cheap either. Many organizations think that throwing money and resources into a NOC (Network Operations Center) is the cure to any network issue. However, lowering expenses and increasing your profits should be the outcome of this business solution.
Network hardware can be a determining factor in how your NOC monitoring should be leveraged. Different equipment having different needs is a given. With that said, even organizations that have the same network equipment and similar engineering will need their NOC to do completely different things. That’s why customization is key. The ability to be flexible within your NOC and to do exactly what each network needs is paramount.
Another important lesson is that not all network management issues are actually a NOC problem. Sure, the NOC is the focal point of all network matters, but a NOC technician or monitor isn’t always going to have the solution. Problems found in the NOC are typically reflections of issues with technology operations as a whole. Some problems highlighted through NOC monitoring can be flaws in a systems integration, a faulty circuit or database, a lack of data, or even a training issue. Blemishes discovered through NOC monitoring should be looked at holistically, and not just patched with a Band-Aid.
The best way to determine whether or not a NOC is doing its job is through a formal assessment. The assessment will evaluate workflows, leadership, metrics, tools being used, the time between alerts and action, and of course the cost of it all. The results of such an evaluation will help determine how well an organization is leveraging their NOC.
When asked about the average company’s NOC, David Raucher, CHR’s Director of IT and Managed Services had this to say, “Typically NOCs aren’t operating as well as they could be. Most are doing alright and hitting around 70% efficiency levels, but there are plenty that are impressively bad. Some companies will have several dozen employees working the NOC, while we could outsource their NOC monitoring for them at a fraction of that total cost.” When it comes to efficiency in NOC monitoring, it’s all about experience. A single technician or engineer can make all the difference, while too many cooks will just get in the way. It’s important to get the right balance, and companies like CHR have figured it out.
