1. The Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California CENIC 5757 Plaza Dr. Ste 205 Cypress, CA 90630(714) 220-3400 info@cenic.org www.cenic.org Layer 1 NOC Services Lessons Learned Cindy Abercrombie, Network Operations Manager

2. CENIC 5757 Plaza Dr. Ste 205 Cypress, CA 90630 www.cenic.org Our Layer 1 Network Support Background  2003 to present  CENIC and NLR  Deployment, Support, Upgrades  Hands-on Field Work  Partnership with vendors on test and turn-up  Currently support approx. 400 optical devices  Other NOC Services  CalREN L2/3  H323 Video Conference Services  Other Network Support and Projects  Pwave, CIIX, Transit Rail  AARNet, Super Computing Events

3. CENIC 5757 Plaza Dr. Ste 205 Cypress, CA 90630 www.cenic.org Perceptions - Perspectives  Layer 1 Support  Telco work or network engineering  Candidate pools?  Jr. Net Eng, LAN Admin, Telco tech  Learning optical network devices  Advances technical career or distracts  Troubleshooting Layer 1 problems  Technically challenging or not

4. CENIC 5757 Plaza Dr. Ste 205 Cypress, CA 90630 www.cenic.org Telco Work or Network Engineering  Network technology changes and increased interest in deployment of DWDM networks  Troubleshooting and controls of optical equipment  Inputs, outputs, operating thresholds  Operating systems and design parameters  The current need for added resources i.e.. vendors and field techs  Understanding card functions and interdependencies

5. CENIC 5757 Plaza Dr. Ste 205 Cypress, CA 90630 www.cenic.org Where do you find L1 Engineers for your multi-service NOC?  Candidate Pools  Foundation for a NOC Engineer who needs to learn L1 support  Jr. Network Engineer  LAN Administrator  Telco technician  Recruiting  Determine interest or experience with fiber  Establishing expectations for a very broad range of responsibilities  Selling the idea of learning about DWDM networks  Projecting the growth of L1 Engineering needs

6. CENIC 5757 Plaza Dr. Ste 205 Cypress, CA 90630 www.cenic.org Developing L1 Engineers  Vendor training  Internal training  Lab testing and work  Creating and maintaining network engineer interest in L1 support  Focus away from development in advanced routing  Interest in all areas of networking  Maintaining balance  Monitoring the demands for all NOC services  Assignment of engineering shifts, tasks, projects

7. CENIC 5757 Plaza Dr. Ste 205 Cypress, CA 90630 www.cenic.org Tools, Documentation, Process  Monitoring optical equipment  Use vendor app, develop in-house  $$$, support, dashboards/screens  Documentation  Circuit IDs, CLRs  Who, When, How - Experiments and Demos  Fiber pairs, sites, Equipment inventory  Vendors Info, Support Process, New deployments  Activity  Process  Route maintenance  Tracking history and analyzing changes