NOC Technician
Monitor network and server infrastructure from a Network Operations Center. Respond to alerts, create incident tickets, and escalate issues as needed.
0-2 years
Moderate Growth
Education: High school diploma or associate's degree
Preferred Certs: COMPTIA NETWORK PLUS, ITIL FOUNDATION
Key Responsibilities
- Monitor network infrastructure health and performance using centralized management tools
- Create and update incident tickets in ITSM platform for network or server anomalies
- Respond to critical alerts within defined service level agreement (SLA) timeframes
- Perform initial troubleshooting of network connectivity and server availability issues
- Collect and log system metrics, documenting root cause analysis for escalated events
- Maintain communication logs and escalate complex technical issues to senior engineering teams
- Verify system backups and assist with basic disaster recovery procedures
Skills & Expertise
Required Skills
- Network monitoring and troubleshooting
- DCIM (Data Center Infrastructure Management) software
- Basic electrical systems understanding
- BMS (Building Management Systems) knowledge
- EPMS (Electrical Power Management Systems) monitoring
- Incident response and escalation procedures
- Physical security protocols
Preferred Skills
- ServiceNow incident management
- Fiber optic infrastructure knowledge
- CDCP (Certified Data Center Professional) certification
- OSHA safety certification
- Virtualization platform monitoring
Certifications
Preferred
A Day in the Life
What a typical workday looks like
My shift at the NOC begins at 7 AM sharp, logging into our Splunk and SolarWinds dashboards to review overnight network performance metrics. The first order of business is checking critical infrastructure status across our data center - scanning temperature readings from CRAC units, verifying power distribution unit loads on Rack 14, and confirming no unexpected alerts from our Palo Alto firewalls during the night shift. By mid-morning, I'm deep into responding to several network latency tickets flagged by our monitoring systems. I collaborate with the Tier 2 support team via Slack, gathering additional context on a potential routing issue affecting our west coast data center. Documentation is critical, so I meticulously log each communication and troubleshooting step in our ServiceNow incident management platform, ensuring a clear audit trail for potential escalation. During our scheduled maintenance window, I'm coordinating with the infrastructure team to patch several VMware ESXi servers. We've strategically planned this during a lower-traffic period, minimizing potential service disruptions. Our team uses a collaborative approach, cross-checking configurations and discussing potential optimization strategies for our virtualized environment. The afternoon brings a deep-dive investigation into an anomalous traffic pattern detected by our intrusion detection system. Using Wireshark for packet analysis and cross-referencing with our threat intelligence feeds, I work to determine whether this represents a genuine security concern or a false positive. The methodical process involves tracing network paths, analyzing source IP reputations, and preparing a comprehensive report. As my shift winds down, I prepare a detailed handover brief for the incoming night technician. This includes highlighting any ongoing investigations, current system status, and potential areas of concern. I complete final log entries in our central monitoring system, ensuring a seamless transition and maintaining our 24/7 operational continuity. A final systems check confirms everything is stable before I sign off.