North American Network Operators Group
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Re: Operations: where are you going to sit?

  • From: Avleen Vig
  • Date: Wed Dec 06 12:57:10 2000 
> I would add wireless phones in general.  If NOC staff need to walk over to
> another person's screen or to swap cables or interfaces in a datacenter,
you
> probably don't want them tied to a desk phone.  You may want to consider
> some basic 2 way radios (RF) in addition to wireless/cell phones for
> datacenter <--> NOC <--> restroom communication independent of any ma
bell.

Definitely.
Motorola do a nice set which are legal in the UK and US (I don't know which
others are) and I'd recommend them.
They're very good for emergency cross-NOC communication if you have a big
NOC.

So a quick run down of what we've heard so far gives us:

Key features for a NOC:
   1) Good chairs
   2) Quiet
   3) Adequate ice maker
   4) Shelf space for LOTS of manuals
   5) File cabinets for proper filing of paper (very important)
   6) Personel storage space for employees
   7) Lots of phone lines (including conference and analog)
   8) Some direct phone(s) (not through PBX, i.e. Red Phones)
   9) Multiple PCs/Workstations per operator
  10) Private tunes (cd player & headset)
  11) CNN and The Weather Channel (really ESPN)
  12) Drapes across the glass window
  13) Low lighting
  14) Soda and coffee machines
  15) Wide aisles in the building
  16) Binder with key phone numbers and contract numbers:
        (Telcos, Management up to CEO, key equipment providers)
  17) Kooshes and other soft and / or stress relieving toys.
        Small Nerf type toys are good for these environments.
  18) A bed.
  19) Close toilet and shower would be nice.
  20) Land line wireless phones that can call internationally.
  21) Mobile / Cellular phone that can call internationally.
  22) 2-way radios for intra-NOC in large NOC's.

This list is fairly extensive and seems to edge towards the "ideal NOC".
At the very least a NOC should not be a stereotypical up-tight corporate
empire environment. The workers need to be relaxed and calm (ref: kooshes)
if a situation arises.

> -Paul LANtinga
> Q9 Networks

Avleen Vig, Systems Administrator
Email: [email protected]
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