Key Points
- NOCs defined: Network Operations Centers are centralized locations that IT teams use to monitor and manage networks 24/7.
- NOC roles: NOCs typically carry a lot of IT management roles, including data backup, patch management, installation and troubleshooting of software, and more.
- Benefits of NOC: Having an NOC provides organizations with a centralized location of operations, streamlined workflow, scalability, minimal downtime, and rapid incident response.
- NOC vs SOC vs helpdesk: The main distinction is that helpdesks serve end-users directly, while NOCs serve IT teams/MSPs for general network operations, and SOCs focus specifically on security threats within the IT infrastructure.
Network Operations Centers (NOCs) are centralized locations where key operations occur, allowing IT professionals to monitor and manage an organization’s hardware, databases, security, services, and network via remote 24/7. The NOC is essentially the hub of an entire IT operation and fulfills many roles, both in day-to-day IT management and in urgent response and remediation situations.
How NOCs work
NOCs can be likened to “situation rooms” in spy movies—essentially, a room that contains important data about your organization’s network. In the room, you’ll most likely see a tiered operation among IT technicians (also called NOC technicians). These technicians are in charge of monitoring, managing, and resolving issues related to your network.
Although NOCs sound like they’ll always be an on-premise structure, that is not always the case. Organizations can choose between having an on-premise IT infrastructure or a cloud-based provider as an NOC.
Components of a NOC
NOCs are made up of people, processes, and platforms. To have a successful NOC, you’ll need:
Skilled people
These encompass technicians, analysts, engineers, and security specialists. Collectively, these individuals maintain, manage, and respond to incidents within your network.
Standard operating processes (SOPs)
SOPs are the frameworks that NOC teams follow when responding to alerts and troubleshooting. Typically, these processes follow ITIL 4, ISO/IEC 20000, and NIST.
Platform
Platforms refer to the tools used to fulfill NOC tasks. These can be hardware or software, and typically includes a wide variety of roles.
NOC Capabilities: What IT roles are carried out by the NOC?
The NOC staff serves many key functions within the IT realm. Their most common work will involve observing and reporting on important metrics as part of an ongoing preventative maintenance or support-focused role. The NOC is heavily involved in security and continuity efforts as well, including backup and recovery (BDR) and security logging tasks. In some cases, the NOC may be supported by a Security Operations Center (SOC) which is dedicated to round-the-clock monitoring for cybersecurity threats or suspicious network activity.
More specifically, NOCs will often handle the following:
Backing up data and disaster recovery
Data backups have become a key part of an organization’s Business Continuity (BC) strategy. Data can be lost or corrupted through natural disasters, human error, or cyberattacks, and such situations can be very costly in both time and financially — and may involve hefty penalties when regulatory concerns come into play. A NOC will often assume the responsibility of making and testing backups, as well as restoring backed up data should the need arise.
Patch management
It’s more important than ever to keep software updated thanks to opportunistic cyberthreat actors who are quick to move on any exploits that may be discovered. Patch management is also important for maintaining functionality of firmware and software, and as such is best handled through centralized, remote, and often automated patch management tools. The NOC technicians will usually handle this responsibility, using the best patch management solutions to ensure everything on the network is constantly kept up to date and safe.
Install and troubleshoot software
Apart from updating software, the NOC can also install and troubleshoot software that’s on any device in the network. This makes preventative maintenance and troubleshooting much easier, as it reduces or eliminates the need for the IT team to make on-site visits and manually install software on individual devices.
Report on network performance, optimization, and scaling
The IT team has a large part to play in a modern organization — strategic planning. With technology serving such an important role in modern business, it’s critical to keep tabs on usage, growth, and the health of existing hardware. The NOC typically assists with gathering and assembling important data that can be relayed on to the organization’s leadership, helping them to better understand IT resource allocation and future needs.
Monitor and manage network security
The NOC staff is typically in control of firewall, antivirus, and other solutions related to security. Another benefit of centralized IT management is the agility and speed offered when remediation becomes necessary. Growing focus on cyberattacks — especially the widespread scourge of ransomware — has made rapid response a critical factor in business safety and continuity.
Identify and respond to suspicious network activity
In situations where security monitoring is not delegated to a SOC, the NOC team will typically monitor network traffic for unusual activity that could indicate a cyberthreat.
Preventive maintenance and health reviews
It’s a NOC’s responsibility to monitor the overall health of a network, and an extension of this role is providing ongoing scheduled health reviews to ensure that everything stays in order. Preventive maintenance helps to ensure that network hardware and connected devices are always functioning optimally, reliably, and securely.
Benefits of a NOC
NOCs offer organizations several benefits, such as:
- IT department efficiency: By centralizing the location for key operations (and potentially shifting the workload of your internal IT team to external NOC engineers), organizations can streamline their operations and allow internal teams to focus on other high-impact tasks and projects.
- Scalability: Having an NOC helps organizations to scale as they grow, without having to acquire multiple tools to the point of experiencing a tool sprawl.
- Minimal downtime: NOCs operate 24 hours, 7 days a week; if it’s functioning as intended, downtime across your network should be minimal and easily resolved.
- Rapid incident response: Aside from 24/7 operations for management, NOCs are meant to monitor your network, allowing technicians to easily identify and resolve issues before it impacts operations.
NOC vs SOC vs help desk: What is the difference between the three
At first glance, NOCs, SOCs, and helpdesks seem as though they’re performing the same function. It’s a common misconception, as many people do miss the distinction between the three. By understanding the key differences between the three, organizations can choose which tool is best for them.
Before we go through an in-depth comparison between the three, check out this quick table comparison:
| Factor | NOC | SOC | Helpdesk |
| Focus | Overall network performance and operations across a wide spectrum of tasks | Security-specific monitoring, threat detection, and intrusion prevention | End-user technical support and device troubleshooting |
| Intended users (who they “serve”) | IT providers, IT teams, and MSPs (behind-the-scenes operations) | Organization’s security team and IT infrastructure (security-focused) | End-users (employees/customers having device or technical issues) |
| Key Responsibilities | Remote network operations, monitoring overall network health and performance | Detecting malicious activity, responding to cyberthreats, and remediation | Helping users resolve device problems and technical issues in their daily work |
NOC vs helpdesks
The big difference between NOCs and helpdesks is in who these entities serve. Help desks are geared toward the end-user, whereas NOCs are meant to serve IT providers, IT teams, and managed service providers (MSPs). When someone in their office is having trouble with their device, they would call a help desk. When someone in the IT department or an MSP needs to communicate with the technicians who are remotely running operations behind the scenes, they would call the NOC.
SOC vs NOC
They may sound similar, but there are key differences between a SOC vs NOC. Whereas a NOC handles a wide spectrum of network tasks, a Security Operations Center (SOC) is largely focused on — you guessed it — security.
A SOC will typically use similar tools as a NOC, but they’re focused on security-related network activity rather than overall performance. The SOC team is always looking for malicious activity and potential intrusions. The SOC is usually responsible for responding to and remediating any cyberthreats that they encounter.
Why is a NOC important?
Networks can be expensive to maintain, and larger networks require entire teams of IT professionals to run smoothly. That said, most modern organizations can’t survive with technology that they can rely on day in and day out. Individual enterprises may find that outsourcing to a NOC can help to ensure their networks are being monitored, analyzed, secured, and maintained at all times. For some, this is a cost-effective option that bridges the gap between a complete internal IT team and outsourcing all IT operations.
Another option is to outsource some or all IT operations to an outside provider (such as an MSP). In these cases, the IT provider may have their own NOC or they may be partnered with a NOC provider who works closely with MSPs.
In any of these cases, the NOC is a critical component of the bigger picture. Regardless of where it falls in the supply chain, the NOC makes it possible for organizations of any size to keep tabs on their network and data.
See NOC in action — watch this short video guide: ‘What is a Network Operations Center (NOC)?’
What are the best tools for a NOC?
NOC management involves several types of key tools used for network management and improvement. While the actual software being used varies, you can expect every NOC to employ the following:
Ticketing system
Incident tracking is a large part of the NOC operation. NOC techs must be able to prioritize, track, and assign various tasks and requests as they arise.
Automation and scripts
There are countless day-to-day tasks that NOC techs must manage, and the potential for tedium and human error could be quite high without automation. Scripts and automation tools allow techs to schedule and execute tasks like patches or report generation en masse.
Remote monitoring and management (RMM)
An RMM tool is essential to NOC operations, as it allows techs to monitor and interface with multiple networks and devices from a centralized location. The best RMM solutions (like NinjaOne) give technicians centralized access to large amounts of data, as well as the means to act on that data from any location.
NOCs as a constant in modern IT management
Network operations centers have evolved from optional infrastructure to mission-critical hubs that keep modern organizations running 24/7. For IT leaders evaluating their network management strategy, the question isn’t whether you need NOC capabilities—it’s how to implement them most effectively for your organization’s size, budget, and technical requirements. The right combination of skilled technicians, robust RMM tools such as NinjaOne, and well-defined processes can transform network management from a reactive cost center into a strategic advantage.
