Behind the Scenes: What Working in a NOC Taught Me About Network Reliability

Written By Kenya Savage

Working in a Network Operations Center (NOC) gave me a firsthand understanding of what it takes to keep networks running smoothly 24/7. In this post, I’ll reveal some of the core practices and skills that ensure network stability and share insights I gained along the way.

First thing’s first: Proactive Monitoring is Everything!

  • Proactive monitoring is the backbone of network reliability. In the NOC, we used various monitoring tools to observe network traffic, server performance, and application health. Tools like Splunk, SolarWinds, and Datadog allowed us to set up alerts for unusual patterns, potential bottlenecks, and system errors.

  • The goal is simple: identify and resolve issues before they could escalate. By staying proactive, we could often prevent minor warnings from turning into major outages. This also meant constantly tuning our alerts and removing “noise” (alerts that didn’t require action) and refining thresholds to catch real issues. However, it’s not uncommon for some of those nonaction alerts to slip through the cracks for different reasons. So don’t beat yourself up if you find yourself jumping into action, only to find out Splunk ITSI is only alerting because of patching going on. That’s what we’re supposed to do, and it is good practice to stay on your toes for when something like that really happens.

  • Takeaway: Proactive monitoring taught me the importance of staying one step ahead. Small insights can reveal big problems in the making, so it’s crucial to look at data consistently and strategically.

Secondly: Incident Response – When Every Second Counts

  • Despite proactive efforts, incidents do happen. When they do, the incident response process kicks in, and it’s all hands on deck. Every second counts as even a short delay can impact business operations, customer experience, or service delivery.

  • The process usually starts with identifying and triaging the issue, then moving to containment and resolution. As a NOC analyst, my job involved quick troubleshooting and escalating the issue to the right technical teams. During high-stakes incidents, we had to communicate clearly and keep everyone informed about what was happening, any fixes we attempted, and the timeline to resolution.

  • Takeaway: Incident response taught me how to stay composed under pressure and the value of clear, efficient communication. Quick, structured responses can prevent bigger impacts and help the team maintain control.

Section 3: The Role of Documentation and SOPs

  • One of the less glamorous but essential aspects of NOC work is the reliance on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and detailed documentation. SOPs guide us through common issues and ensure consistency in our responses. This not only reduces errors but also ensures that even new team members can follow a clear process during critical incidents.

  • Updating and refining SOPs became a regular part of our job. Each incident taught us something new, and we’d document any issues or resolutions so that we’d be prepared if they occurred again. Our processes in the NOC were constantly evolving and improving. Whether it was phasing out legacy systems, integrating new cloud solutions, or developers and application owners introducing more efficient workflows, change is always part of the job, and those changes had to be documented.

  • Takeaway: Documentation and SOPs aren’t just backup plans; they’re a foundation for reliable operations. Clear guidelines keep teams aligned and ensure that even in high-stress situations, everyone has a roadmap to follow.

Section 4: Automation – The Secret to Efficient Operations

  • With a high volume of alerts and repetitive tasks, automation became a game-changer in the NOC. Automating routine tasks allowed us to shift our focus to more complex issues and proactive network management. We used automation for things like log collection, alert management, and even preemptive diagnostics.

  • However, much like with AI, I see automation as a valuable co-host, but it shouldn’t take center stage. In other words, it’s important not to become overly reliant on automations—they’re there to assist, but sometimes they can fail. Whether it’s an alert that didn’t trigger, a diagnostic tool that wasn’t available, or a CI/CD pipeline that didn’t deploy as expected, make sure to keep your skills sharp so you’re prepared to handle things manually if needed.

  • Takeaway: Automation taught me to work smarter. It’s not just about doing more with less; it’s about creating a system where simple tasks are handled automatically, giving the team more time to focus on impactful work.

Section 5: The Value of Collaboration in the NOC

  • While technical skills are important, teamwork is equally crucial. The NOC is a collaborative environment, and effective communication with engineers, developers, and support teams made all the difference.

  • I personally am more introverted, but I can’t stress enough that you cannot be successful in a NOC without collaboration or talking with teammates from time to time. During complex incidents, clear communication helped us coordinate with specialized teams, gather insights, and implement solutions faster.

  • Takeaway: Collaboration in the NOC taught me that network reliability is a team effort. Successful operations depend on seamless communication and knowledge-sharing, especially in challenging times.

 

My time in the NOC has been filled with technical lessons and valuable experiences in keeping networks reliable. Whether it’s monitoring proactively, documenting carefully, automating strategically, or collaborating effectively, each practice has shaped my approach to tech. As I look ahead to new opportunities, I’m grateful for the knowledge and skills that NOC work gave me.

Kenya Savage