If you work in IT operations, you may have heard of the terms SOC and NOC, but do you know what they mean and how they differ? In this article, we will explain the roles and responsibilities of a security operations center (SOC) and a network operations center (NOC), and highlight some of the key distinctions between them.
A SOC is a team of security experts who monitor, analyze, and respond to cyber threats and incidents that affect an organization's IT infrastructure, data, and assets. A SOC uses various tools and processes, such as security information and event management (SIEM), threat intelligence, vulnerability management, incident response, and forensics, to detect and mitigate cyberattacks, and to comply with security standards and regulations. A SOC typically operates 24/7 and coordinates with other IT teams, such as the NOC, to ensure the security and availability of the IT systems.
A SOC (Security Operations Center) primarily focuses on cybersecurity, including threat detection and incident response. It safeguards an organization's digital assets from security threats. A NOC (Network Operations Center) concentrates on network operations and infrastructure, ensuring network uptime, performance, and maintenance. It deals with network-related issues and network device management. Both centers have distinct roles in an organization's security and network functionality.
A NOC is a team of network engineers who manage, troubleshoot, and optimize the performance and availability of an organization's IT network, including servers, routers, switches, firewalls, and other devices. A NOC uses various tools and processes, such as network monitoring, configuration management, backup and recovery, disaster recovery, and patch management, to ensure the functionality and reliability of the IT network, and to support the business operations and services. A NOC also typically operates 24/7 and coordinates with other IT teams, such as the SOC, to resolve network issues and incidents.
One important activity NOC do is preventive maintenance. Preventive maintenance will help us notice an issue before it happens. With the support by AI-powered applications, issues can be predicted much earlier and accurately
A NOC is a Network Operations Center. The NOC can also contain a designated team and or resources to house an internal SOC (Security Operations Center.) In a SOC you will see less off the mandatory KtLO (Keeping the Lights On) work. Not to infer that the SOC does not face its own unique set of challenges. AF, M
One of the main differences between a SOC and a NOC is their scope and focus. A SOC is mainly concerned with the security aspects of the IT infrastructure, such as identifying and preventing cyberattacks, protecting sensitive data, and complying with security policies and regulations. A NOC is mainly concerned with the operational aspects of the IT network, such as maintaining and improving network performance, availability, and efficiency, and supporting business continuity and service level agreements. A SOC and a NOC may have some overlapping functions, such as monitoring and incident management, but they have different objectives and priorities.
Another difference between a SOC and a NOC is the skills and tools they require. A SOC needs security analysts, engineers, and managers who have expertise in various domains of cybersecurity, such as threat detection and analysis, incident response and remediation, forensics and investigation, risk assessment and management, and security governance and compliance. A SOC also needs tools that can collect, correlate, and analyze security data from multiple sources, such as SIEM, threat intelligence platforms, vulnerability scanners, endpoint detection and response (EDR), and security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR). A NOC needs network administrators, engineers, and managers who have expertise in various domains of network administration, such as network design and architecture, network configuration and optimization, network troubleshooting and resolution, network backup and recovery, and network performance and availability. A NOC also needs tools that can monitor, manage, and control network devices and services, such as network monitoring systems, configuration management systems, backup and recovery systems, and network automation systems.
A third difference between a SOC and a NOC is the way they collaborate and communicate with each other and with other IT teams. A SOC and a NOC need to have clear and consistent communication channels and protocols, such as email, phone, chat, ticketing, and reporting, to share information and updates, to escalate and resolve issues and incidents, and to coordinate actions and responses. A SOC and a NOC also need to have common and standardized processes and procedures, such as incident classification, notification, escalation, resolution, and documentation, to ensure the quality and consistency of their work and to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings. A SOC and a NOC also need to have regular and periodic meetings and reviews, such as daily, weekly, or monthly, to discuss the status and performance of their teams and systems, to identify and address gaps and challenges, and to align their goals and strategies.
A final difference between a SOC and a NOC is the value and benefit they provide to the organization. A SOC helps the organization to enhance its security posture and resilience, to reduce its exposure and impact of cyberattacks, to safeguard its reputation and trust, and to comply with its legal and regulatory obligations. A NOC helps the organization to improve its network performance and availability, to optimize its network resources and costs, to support its business operations and services, and to satisfy its customers and stakeholders. A SOC and a NOC are both essential and complementary components of a robust and efficient IT operations framework.