Zen Networks –
Before Signing Up For NOC Services, What Questions Should You Ask?
Before you sign up for NOC services, here are some questions to consider
Who is in charge of the NOC and where is it located?
Always double-check the location details while signing up for a NOC Services. It is now normal practice among service providers in the market to withhold the geographical location of the NOC, and many organizations misinterpret it as the service provider’s headquarters. There’s a high possibility the company you’re investing in is outsourcing services to a third party you’re not aware of.
Terms of the Agreement
Obtain a copy of the contract and properly read it.
Pay great attention to the contract agreement at all times. Read the terms and conditions and ask your NOC contact person if there are any additional terms that aren’t mentioned in the contract.
Is the NOC attempting to tie you down to a long-term agreement? What’s the point of signing a long-term contract when you can get month-to-month billing from NOC providers?
Technology & Tools:
It is quite difficult for a company to innovate and suggest improvements unless it is aware of technology advancements in the global market and is conversant with the tools used by its competitors. This allows you to guide the entire relationship with much more confidence, as well as demand better services. Patch management and the addition of those crucial monitoring measures are only achievable if you are well-versed in the tools and technologies. With this information, the NOC should be able to use the appropriate level of scripting and automation.
SLAs – Service Level Agreements:
What is the NOC’s standard service level agreement (SLA) and response time?
Response time is key metric for any NOC service provider. The sooner they acknowledge the better.
Most of the NOC service providers will provide you with a standard response time depending on the severity of the alert/issue. Most NOCs will give you a predetermined response based on the severity of the problem.
If the response time is too long, the warnings that needed to be rectified before they became big problems may have already caused the damage that the NOC is supposed to prevent.
Communication
What are the options for contacting the NOC?
In today’s environment, communication is crucial. Every NOC strives to be more accessible to its customers. You should be able to get a status update on your tickets or file a support ticket through phone, chat, or email in real time.
If a NOC provider does not provide this feature, they are trapped, stale, and obsolete. They haven’t probably reviewed their procedures and systems in months. Do you think it’s a good idea to join a NOC like this?
A NOC may aid you with everything from concept to execution, as well as technical assistance on projects, to make your task more easier and smoother, and most importantly, to finish it within the time period you set. The fees you must pay for these services can be negotiated based on your relationships with the service providers. But it is always better to barter for the best at the lowest possible price.
