Interview With A Network Operations Center Manager
It’s that time of the month again when we introduce you to another incredible member of the UTOPIA Fiber team! This month we are talking to network operations center manager Tona Foster to learn all about what it’s like to work at the Network Operations Center!
What’s your name, and position, and how long have you been at UTOPIA Fiber?
My name is Tona Foster, my position is network operations center manager and I’ve been in this position for 2.5 years, but I’ve been at UTOPIA for over 10.
What do you do as the Network Operation Center Manager at UTOPIA Fiber?
I am responsible for overseeing the operations of a Network Operations Center, ensuring the network infrastructure, systems, and applications are running smoothly, securely, and efficiently.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
I lead and manage a team of NOC engineers who monitor and maintain the network. I train, mentor, and develop our staff, ensuring they have the necessary skills and knowledge to do their job. I schedule shifts and manage staffing to ensure 24/7 network monitoring and support. I oversee network monitoring systems to detect and respond to issues, outages, or performance degradation. I coordinate with other IT teams, such as network engineers, system administrators, and DevOps team, for issue resolution. I monitor network performance, analyze trends, and provide regular reports on network health, incidents, and performance metrics. I identify recurring issues and work on root-cause analysis to prevent future occurrences. I ensure proper configuration, monitoring, and management of network devices, such as routers, switches, and ONTs. I work with network engineers to optimize network performance, reduce latency, and ensure redundancy and failover capabilities. I develop, review, and update NOC processes, procedures, and documentation.
What inspired you to go into this position?
There was a need at Utopia and I jumped in to help where I was needed.
What led you to work at UTOPIA Fiber?
My role before Utopia was working for the Department of Defense on a top-secret project. This project was moving to another part of the country, and I didn’t want to leave Utah. I started looking for jobs and found a Network Engineer position for Utopia. The rest is history.
What do you think is the biggest obstacle your team faces?
I think our team faces getting bored and the monotony of the job. Trying to keep people motivated is the hardest part of my job.
What’s your favorite thing about your job?
Taking on escalations and finding the solution.
What’s been the best memory you’ve made at UTOPIA Fiber so far
Pumpkin decorating contests.
What do you wish people knew about UTOPIA Fiber?
The dedication that the employees have to getting things done! The people that work here, have the same mindset and they really want to do a good job.
Outside of work what’s your favorite thing to do to unwind?
Spend time with my family.
That’s all for today’s interview! We hope you enjoyed getting to know Tona and her team as much as we did! We are so grateful to Tona and her team for the constant hard work they put in to keep our network up and operational!
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