Network Operations Centre
Case Study: Transforming Network Operations with Proactive IT Management
Client Overview:
Our client, a Tier One global resources organisation, was facing significant challenges with their global network environment. Operating at a Level 2 Reactive maturity as per ITIL standards, the organisation was stuck in a cycle of finding and fixing problems only after users had been impacted.
Recognising the need for a proactive operational model, the IT Leadership team committed to establishing a Network Operations Centre (NOC) that could elevate their service delivery standards and align them with business objectives.
Challenges:
- Reactive Network Operations: The organisation was struggling with a reactive approach, addressing issues only after they had affected users, leading to dissatisfaction and operational inefficiencies.
- Lack of Integrated Service Standards: There was no cohesive system in place to ensure that internal service teams and third-party providers were aligned, leading to delays in issue resolution and unclear accountability.
- User Experience Impact: The existing network operations lacked the necessary thresholds and baselines to support critical business processes, such as SAP transactions and HR functions, resulting in suboptimal user experiences.
Solution:
To address these challenges, the organisation engaged Ikara to integrate its Service Compliance platform and transform their network operations. The approach focused on several key areas:
- Establishing NOC Operational Service Standards:
- Developed service commitments that were integrated and benchmarked against third-party service provider agreements.
- Ensured end-to-end service cohesion, allowing the NOC to instantly identify issues and assign responsibility for remediation.
- Proactive Operations with Defined Thresholds and Baselines:
- Set operational KPIs that directly supported key business processes, ensuring that the network operations scientifically backed these workflows.
- This approach enabled the NOC to contribute meaningfully to user satisfaction and business efficiency.
- Enhanced User and Stakeholder Communication:
- Implemented a proactive notification system that informed users of service standard deviations before they noticed any issues.
- This transparency fostered trust between the business and IT operations teams, reinforcing the value of the NOC.
- Automation and Integration:
- Integrated the Service Compliance platform to automate service baselines and reporting, leveraging the organisation’s existing investments in reporting tools.
- Consolidated network monitoring tools into a single pane of glass view, fully integrated with the client’s ServiceNow platform for streamlined ticketing and communication processes.
Results:
The collaboration with Ikara led to a significant uplift in the organisation’s network operational maturity. By automating service baselines and integrating them into a unified platform, the NOC was able to shift from a reactive to a proactive stance, providing real-time insights and faster issue resolution. This transformation not only enhanced service quality but also aligned IT operations with customer service and business value objectives, creating a more efficient and user-centric network environment.
Conclusion:
Through the integration of Ikara’s Service Compliance platform, our client successfully transitioned to a proactive network operations model, significantly improving their service delivery and operational efficiency. The NOC now operates with precision, transparency, and a strong alignment with business goals, setting a new standard for IT operations within the organisation.