HARDWARE USED IN "NOC"?

I am researching NOC (NETWORK OPERATION CENTER) components. Can someone please give me an outline of both software and hardware used in a NOC. I am trying to build one and I would like to know what a NOC consists of and how it is layed out. I am most interested in the hardware used in a NOC. Please try to be as specific as possible.

Thanks



:shock: :shock: :shock:

First of all, a brief description of what a NOC is: it's basically where your administrators will centrally manage the geographically separate portions of a network. The exact hardware and software is going to depend on a lot of things, but there are some things all NOCs will need.

1. Network Management Station (NMS). There are open source and commercial solutions that can scale from just a few routers and servers to tens of thousands. A NMS will allow you to do performance monitoring, trend analysis, device uptime, system errors, among many other categories.

2. Syslog - this kind of ties into your NMS, basically collects messages from your servers and network devices that helps you spot problems.

3. Device authentication - you'll probably have your authentication servers at your NOC, which type depends on your needs, i.e. Active Directory, RADIUS, TACACS, etc.

4. Firewall/IDS logs - yet another set of logs to monitor for security concerns.

5. Data back-up - from your NOC you'll want to be able to back-up all important data, there's many ways of doing it like through tapes, a NAS, etc.

6. Patch management - you'll want to be able to patch any device from the NOC so you won't have to send someone out to each site.

7. System scanning - you'll want the ability to scan devices for vulnerabilities and patch compliance. Think about software like Nessus or ISS.

There's a lot needed to make an effective NOC, and if you have the money, spring for some of those hi-def LCD TV's, lol.

Spot on advice from jwj
I'd just add that your NOC needs to be resilient as there's little point in having the "hub of the universe" go down just when you need it to be up! So consider things like:

1) Redundant/backup comms links into your network. Also consider separacy of circuits (little point in having a second circuit if a fault at your Telco's local exchange takes them both out at the same time)
2) Perhaps having duplicate/hot-standby kit
3) Also think about UPSs to protect from supply brownouts and maybe even a standby generator if it's vital the NOC keeps going no matter what. Having dual incoming main supplies from different substations is common in critical installations
4) And as jwj says, don't forget backups!