Following are questions that often cross my mind:

Why do we have a NOC?

What is a NOC?

What should be done in a NOC?

Too often we tend to overanalyze or even over estimate just what should be done in a NOC. This can confuse the issues and lead to ineffective practices.

Years ago I visited the brand new Novell Network Operations Center. It was a quiet room filled with lots of monitors and expensive work stations. The one thing that was weird: No one was actually in the NOC. We stayed for a couple of hours and I don't think I saw anyone other than our group enter or exit the NOC.

Several years later Novell moved their NOC. I was invited to view the new and improved version. There were still many monitors and expensive work stations. The wall of monitors was more impressive and obviously more refined. The work stations were on risers. A few people were working in the NOC this time. But it still felt more like a library than a work space.

I don't want a library NOC. I want a busy, loud NOC with lots of things happening. Yes, we should take calls in the NOC, but that should not be our main emphasis or even a significant part, in terms of time, of what we do.

There are several elements of a NOC that I consider to be essential:

1. Tools

2. Competent Technical Staff

3. Collaboration (Teamwork)

4. Information gathering and dissemination.

5. Effective interaction with vendors.

These are areas that consume a great deal of my thinking time. And these areas will continue to be a source of great amounts of my contemplative time. Over the next few days I will be breaking these down, discussing each and then tying these ideas back together. Hopefully this will be a useful exercise. My intent is to become more focused on the NOC. The end game is to provide a better network and an improved user experience.

That's all for now...........
9:34:52 AM    comment []