Network Operation Center And Services: Everything You Need to Know

Do you really believe that your business will be able to compete in today’s market without a fast, secure, and dependable network? To be honest, no it will not survive. The only way to keep ahead of the competition is to have a network infrastructure that is fast, secure, and reliable.

The rising need for reliable IT support has been a boon for managed service providers (MSPs) in recent years, but it’s not that easy to provide consistently high-quality services to customers with large complex networks without support. And that’s where a  Network Operation Center (NOC) comes into play.

What is the NOC (Network Operation Center)?

If you look closely at the term, then you will get a slight insight that it will be somewhere in the center. Yes, you guessed it right the NOC, pronounced Knock, is a centralized location where professional IT technicians directly support, manage, and monitor events that affect technology services and infrastructure 24/7.

It works as the center point of all troubleshooting, upgrading, and notably network performance monitoring. And due to the resources required, it is frequently provided by a professional outsourced company.

NOC has evolved with time and it is not only restricted to monitoring equipment such as Routers, Switches, and Servers but it has expanded its wings into Cloud, power, environmental, and service components such as Transactions, Traffic, and User patterns.

Now that you have a basic understanding of NOC, let’s look at the NOC services.

What exactly are NOC services, and what are the major benefits of NOC Services?

If you want high system availability, establishing an in-house network operation department, outsourcing well-managed NOC services is a prudent option. To stay up with current technologies, any firm will certainly incorporate the most up-to-date technology to fulfill its promise of providing excellent performance to its clients.

Highly experienced people, technical tools, and equipment are necessary to maintain complicated networks, which may cost more than you anticipated. This is where a NOC service provider comes in.

The NOC provides infrastructure incident detection and correction monitoring services. These services involve keeping track of the health and availability of:

• Networks
• Routers and Switches 
• Servers \Applications \Websites
• Firewalls
• Wireless Access Points 
• VPN Tunnels
• LANs/WANs/MANs
• Facilities and power systems etc.

Here are the benefits of NOC services:

Improved dependability and reduced downtime

Problems can be identified almost quickly thanks to 24-hour monitoring, and a team works aroun

d the clock to guarantee that systems are up and operating. Someone is constantly on hand to guarantee that the company’s websites are up to date and the client problems are addressed on time.

Improvements in security and compliance

Security, which is a vital part of complicated network business, can be improved with the aid of NOC services. The administration of a company’s server and device security following existing policies.

Low labor expenses and a higher return on investment

Companies’ IT departments can concentrate on business development procedures. The majority of businesses do not fully utilize the IT department’s capabilities. They put effort into having them conduct procedures that can be outsourced, allowing them to focus on more important responsibilities.

Round-the-clock network security and quick handling of incidents 

Businesses can have events handled by remote workers at any time of day or night, and they can be alerted of difficulties instantly through a NOC services provider. This implies that as soon as an issue emerges, the company is notified so that it may be resolved properly.

Options that can be changed based on the requirements of the client (Customized solutions)

Because different businesses have varied demands, network operations centers may prov

ide services that are tailored to their specific needs. The help is also need-based, ensuring that consumers receive the most useful services.

A few statistics were captured —When businesses adopted NOC services:

• • 47% hike in the improvement of productivity 
  • Protection from cyber-attacks has improved by 28%.

You’re probably wondering what skills, roles, and responsibilities a NOC technician could have. It’s here.

Required Skills Of A NOC Technician

• • Understanding how networking technologies function, as well as the ability to repair and install routers, switches, and other equipment, is essential for NOC technicians.
  • Knowledge of computer operating systems, databases, software engineering and wireless technologies is required for a NOC technician.
  • Customer service – one of the most significant aspects of being a NOC technician is addressing customer networking issues in a timely and successful manner.
  • Problem-solving abilities — NOC technicians use this ability to deliver effective solutions after diagnosing network issues.
  • Troubleshooting – For nearly every phone call, NOC technicians use troubleshooting skills to figure out what’s wrong with the network.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills are required to communicate with other technicians, clients, vendors, and supervisors; listening skills are required to comprehend client concerns and difficulties.

What are the main key roles of a NOC Technician?

• • Continuous Services for network monitoring and management.
  • Application setup, download, and troubleshooting.
  • Scheduled network performance reports.
  • When and if necessary, use Network Recommendation Sheets.
  • Detection, diagnosis, and assessment of networks.
  • The capability of Network Patch Management.
  • Data backup, management, and storage.
  • Scanning and resolution of antivirus, firewall, and other security threats.
  • Provide direct customer support if allowed.

• Handling of alarms and tickets. Maintain appropriate communication until all issues have been resolved.

Let’s look at how NOC helps with scalability and the IT skills gap.

How does NOC address the scaling and IT skills gap?

Your ship’s bridge to profitability and expansion is the NOC. IT skills gap refers to a situation in which your organisation lacks some technicians at various levels of IT infrastructure, and this lack of resources might impair your company’s performance, management, and overall growth.

Instead of recruiting high-salaried technicians to grow, buying NOC services is always the greatest realistic solution from a business standpoint.

Filing this IT skill gap can be a difficult issue for any MSP, since a comprehensive IT infrastructure takes a lot of tools and process manpower to set up and run efficiently.

This necessitates a significant amount of monthly funding from your finance department, which not every MSP can afford. Developing an in-house network operation and management department might significantly reduce your profits.

The NOC service providers are business-to-business (B2B) service providers who are never involved in network operations. The NOC team’s interactions are confined to its MSP/IT service provider clients. The end-user expects their MSP service or IT service provider to deliver all IT/network operation-related services.

Wait, don’t combine NOC with SOC. You should be aware of their distinctions

What distinguishes NOC from SOC?

To be a winner, you must be aware of the game’s rules as well as each player’s responsibilities. Similarly, to keep your business running smoothly it’s important to understand the services, competitors, and key stakeholders. The duties of NOC and SOC should also be clarified.

If you work in the IT industry, you should be aware of the differences between NOC and SOC services, particularly if you are an MSP trying to acquire a NOC service provider.

Although they seem similar, they are fundamentally different and employ a completely different methodology and skill set. The only thing these two have in common is that they both serve MSP.

The network operations center (NOC) is responsible for monitoring and controlling an organization’s network operations from a centralized location.

The security operation center, or SOC, is more concerned with security issues. Cyberattacks, vulnerability assessments, GRC systems (governance, risk, and compliance systems), and other issues are handled by SOC services. Its primary goal is to safeguard sensitive client information as well as all intellectual property.

A NOC specialist, on the one hand, should be knowledgeable in network infrastructure, application administration, and systems engineering. SOC analysts, on the other hand, must be skilled in security engineering.

And If you’re still confused and undecided then here’s a good reason to invest in NOC:

Why should you “INVEST” in NOC?

If you want to increase efficiency and cut expenses, a NOC may be able to assist you. You can save money by combining resources under one roof since fewer employees will need to travel between offices and will be able to spend more time working instead of commuting.

Furthermore, a NOC enables you to automate repetitive processes, lowering errors and increasing productivity. Finally, a NOC ensures that your company has enough bandwidth available across its entire network.

The SankalpIT 365 X 24 X 7 NOC services 

The Network Operations Center NOC Services from SankalpIT make monitoring and managing your installed network a breeze. 

We have a team of highly trained experts that have hands-on expertise with the most up-to-date network management technologies. Delegating network operations to us frees up time for you to focus on other aspects of your business.

If you outsource your NOC services as an MSP, you will get updated tools, competent manpower, and the most up-to-date network monitoring and infrastructure management without having to invest a lot of money. Reduced security risks resulted in faster uptime and a guaranteed improvement in profitability.

Let your business soar to new heights with SankalpIT.