In the world of digital business, IT system reliability and data security are the foundation of every organization. Without them, it’s hard to imagine customer service, service development, or maintaining competitiveness. It’s no surprise then that companies are increasingly investing in operation centers that oversee these areas: SOC (Security Operations Center) and NOC (Network Operations Center). Although the names sound similar and both teams often work side by side, their roles are entirely different.
According to IDC, global spending on cybersecurity was expected to exceed $219 billion in 2024, while the network infrastructure management market is growing at a rate of 8% annually*. These figures make it clear: without efficient and well-organized SOCs and NOCs, it’s difficult to talk about secure and stable business today.
Why are SOC and NOC important?
SOC and NOC can be compared to two crews on the same ship. One ensures that no unauthorized person boards, while the other keeps the engines running smoothly so the ship doesn’t stop in the middle of the ocean.
“SOC and NOC are one team. If either fails, the organization’s systems will either be compromised or their operation halted, exposing the company to immense risks and losses. That’s why both centers are absolutely essential and must cooperate”.
In practice, this means SOC focuses on threat protection, while NOC ensures business continuity. Both are based on recognized standards: SOC often uses frameworks like the NIST Cybersecurity Framework or ISO 27035, while NOC operates in line with ITIL processes. Thanks to this, organizations can be confident they follow industry best practices.
What is a Security Operations Center (SOC)?
What is SOC? A SOC is essentially a command center for cybersecurity. How does a SOC work daily?Its key tasks include:
- monitoring events and logs in IT systems,
- detecting and analyzing threats,
- incident response,
- recommending preventive measures.
And what tools and technologies are used in SOC? The tools and technologies used in SOC include SIEM, EDR, SOAR, and threat intelligence platforms. Increasingly, automation and artificial intelligence are playing a role—machine learning algorithms help analysts quickly identify anomalies and reduce false alarms.
Example: A phishing attack targeting employees. SOC identifies suspicious messages, blocks malicious URLs, and works with IT to reset passwords and implement additional safeguards.
What is a Network Operations Center (NOC)?
NOC plays an equally important but very different role. Its responsibilities include:
- monitoring networks and infrastructure,
- ensuring service availability and stability,
- diagnosing performance issues,
- responding to outages and technical incidents.
NOC specialists use infrastructure monitoring tools, bandwidth management systems, and performance optimization solutions. Here too, the AIOps trend—using artificial intelligence to predict and automatically resolve problems before they affect users—is increasingly common.
Example: An internet link failure in a data center. NOC immediately identifies the issue, reroutes traffic through a backup link, and minimizes downtime so customers don’t notice the outage.
SOC vs. NOC – key differences
Although both operate 24/7, their areas of focus differ:
- Goal: SOC = security, NOC = reliability.
- Expertise: SOC = security analysts and engineers, NOC = network administrators and infrastructure specialists.
- Procedures: SOC responds to cyber incidents, NOC to outages and availability issues.
In reality, many incidents fall at the intersection of both teams. That’s why companies often define RACI matrices and precise SLAs to avoid misunderstandings during critical moments.
How do SOC and NOC work together?
The line between the two teams is increasingly blurred—especially in the era of automation and cloud environments.
“NOC quickly detects bandwidth overloads during a DDoS attack, but it’s SOC that makes blocking decisions and identifies the source of the threat. The cooperation of these teams is the foundation of our security strategy today”.
Together, SOC and NOC create an organization’s digital resilience. If communication between them fails, the company risks both downtime and successful cyberattacks.
Why does an organization need both SOC and NOC?
Without SOC, the organization is vulnerable to cyber threats—from ransomware to data theft. Without NOC, it faces risks of downtime, reduced service quality, and customer loss. Having only one is a half measure. Only by combining the two functions can a company build true cyber resilience, increasingly required by regulations such as NIS2, DORA, or GDPR.
It’s worth noting that not every organization can maintain two specialized centers on its own. More and more companies ask themselves – SOC in-house or outsourced? Outsourcing is becoming increasingly popular, for example, using MSSPs (Managed Security Service Providers) for SOC and external infrastructure operators for NOC. This allows smaller firms to benefit from professional protection without investing in a full in-house setup.
Summary – SOC vs. NOC: what’s the difference?
SOC and NOC are the two pillars of secure and stable IT infrastructure. The first protects against cyberattacks, while the second ensures uninterrupted service availability. Together they form a coherent ecosystem that gives companies a competitive edge in the digital economy.
In practice, every organization should ask itself: do we have both of these operation centers, and if not—what risks are we willing to accept? Or perhaps it’s worth considering a partnership with an external provider that can deliver not only the tools but also a team of experts ready to act 24/7?
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Bibliography:
- https://executiveitforums.org/10156-worldwide-it-security-spending-to-approach-300-billion-by-2026-says-idc [access: 02.12.2025r.]
