Differences Between Managed Help Desk & External NOC services

Many people use the terms NOC and help desk interchangeably, but it is important to know that they are not. The two often work with IT staff within the company, but there are important differences between the two.

Managed Help Desk Solves Individual User Problems

Simply put, the help desk service is focused on the end user. They work directly with users to resolve technical issues when they arise and turn the help desk into responsive support. Communication is often started by clicking on the support icon, sending an email or calling.

The help desk performs a series of managed service tasks, such as:

• ·         Account rights and access management
• ·         Overcome software and hardware problems
• ·         Detection and removal of malware / viruses
• ·         Email / document retrieval
• ·         Printing problems from installation to output
• ·         Password issues: everything from forgetting to expiration
• ·         Account management for new or retired clients.

The MSP (Management Service Provider) acts as a help desk and can provide on-call assistance for troubleshooting. Or the help desk takes the form of an internal group whose job is to answer questions and answer support tickets.

Background NOC service operations subcontracting

Helpdesks focus on users, while NOCs focus on networks and systems. They act as a kind of mission control center, monitoring and managing the network, including performance and backup processes. The NOC works behind the scenes in a much more proactive way by monitoring infrastructure and responding as needed with Level 1 remediation. The goal is to resolve network problems before the end user fails.

Some specific tasks that allow the NOC to release personnel include:

Management and operation of NMS (Network Management System). NMSs need to keep up as networks change. If the NMS does not match the environment, the problem may happen.

24/7 monitoring and alerts. Alerts can be issued by email or emergency call to a designated engineer, depending on the escalation plan. Similarly, the best NOC alert system filters out annoying alarms when the system detects anomalies that are the result of routine network operations.

Make sure you have enough bandwidth for your application. Bandwidth monitoring is essential. You can lose clients if you experience latency delays or even failures. This is doubled for VoIP providers whose customer satisfaction depends on providing the necessary bandwidth for the service.

Validation of business processes. NOCs can monitor network outages and availability, as well as more. Validate your system and validate again to find a NOC where you can deploy your application at a rate that ensures your system is running at peak performance.

Record monitoring and event management. NOC provides real-time visibility into event logs, servers, and network infrastructure to detect problems before they occur. They work to resolve performance and availability issues before they affect your business.

Level 1 repair fixes issues like restarting app, mounting disk, vendor / vendor ticket open etc. Monitoring your network can be a daunting task until your business is alarmed by disasters and strikes and can stop terribly. This is where it maintains the NOC.

When considering the option of outsourcing or doing your own internal monitoring, consider all actual costs. Also, remember to consider the potentially disastrous costs associated with NOC guaranteed outages.