IUB NOC Problem Management/Reporting Procedures

    Problem Reporting

    Departments usually report problems to their technical staff or LSP who rule out non-network related problems before contacting the IUB NOC. Here the problem information is gathered and presented to an available engineer who begins working the problem and who will own the problem until resolution is achieved. The IUB NOC will enter the problem into a tracking system and generate all the current information in a folder for the engineer, where documentation of problem analysis and resolution are recorded along with any changes in data information for the NOC database.

    The IUB NOC receives reports of problems by phone, by web page notification, or email to the NOC. The phone 855-3699, is answered weekdays between 8:00am and 5:00pm, our web form is automatically sent to the IUB NOC email account which is noc@indiana.edu . This email is monitored with regard not only for request for assistance and web forms, but also dialog about ongoing problems and issues, and problems outside our network area that might affect support to this campus. All email is responded to or forwarded to experts who can give the sender enough information or support they require.

    Problem Alert

    Network-monitoring tools enable the IUB NOC and other network staff to respond to problems quickly. The continued monitoring of the data network equipment on each network level is in place at the IUB NOC beginning at the Internet level, links to other IU campuses, local campus backbone routing or switching, even down to individual switch ports in each building on campus. Whenever network problems are seen or captured by these tools, the various systems will notify the IUB NOC and engineers of the problem via email or paging, allowing them to immediately begin searching even from remote locations, for the cause of the problem. Some systems allow direct connections to each piece of network equipment that allows staff here to check configuration, port settings, etc.

    The IUB NOC alerts the necessary engineers when problems are called in or sent by email to the NOC. The IUB NOC works directly with the engineers and can reach them remotely by phone, pagers, and radios, as well as email.

    Problem Assignment and Paging

    Weekdays the IUB NOC receives notification of problems either by phone 5-3699, or email noc@indiana.edu . The NOC opens the problem in the tracking system, and determines the engineer available to take on the problem. The problem is analyzed for priority following these guidelines: http://octavius.ucs.indiana.edu/PTFPriGuide.html and the engineers must respond accordingly.

    Staff with network responsibilities will carry pagers and radios for easy contact. After 5:00pm weekdays and all day on weekends and Holidays, the problems are received through UITS Operations 24 hour number. The network staff person carrying the after-hours pager is called by Operations to assist with the problem. This after-hours pager responsibility rotates among the network technical staff on a week-by-week basis, but other staff may be called in if necessary to assist with problems. With this after-hours service staff availability to cover problems is 24 hours a day, every day.

    Tracking

    All problems are assigned a priority, engineers notified, information entered into the tracking system and viewable by staff at any time. Open tickets may be upgraded or downgraded by the IUB NOC or by the engineers. Problems are tracked through to closure, and then archived for statistics and future reference. Various reports show open/closed by any date, by type of problem.

    Problem Identification and Isolation

    The IUB network group is able to analyze, review, and identify any type of network problem, and respond accordingly. The many tools used to isolate problems are utilized quickly and skillfully to minimize interruptions to the IUB data network. The IUB NOC may assist engineers with this process. From the continuous monitoring on all network layers, to the web drawings of each building on the IUB campus, they can use these tools and many more from remote locations to work on problems.

    If the engineer believes the problem involves other service areas of UITS, the network staff are also able to work hand-in-hand with other technical UITS groups and campus departmental staff on many computing platforms, helping to ensure the problem is quickly transferred to the appropriate staffing there and followed through to resolution.

    Where problems may lie with vendors of network support equipment / connections, joint problem solving is encouraged, with the network engineer responsible for ongoing follow-up with the vendor, and updating all interested parties.

    Notification

    The IUB NOC or the assigned engineer will ensure that all problems, updates, and resolutions are communicated to affected parties by site visits, phone calls, or email, as well as communication to support groups within UITS. Any changes made to the network are made known via email lists to all units that need to know. Engineers assume first line of contact with affected parties, with the NOC as follow-up. Notifications may be used to alert to a network problem, to inform on the progress of problem, to upgrade or downgrade problem, and to inform of resolution when problem is closed.

    Escalation

    Problems that increase or decrease in priority may be upgraded or downgraded in priority as deemed by the engineer in charge of the problem.


University Information Technology Services
UITS
Home 		Telecommunications Services
Telecom
Services 		Network Operations Center Home
NOC
Services