The Role and Function of a Command Center
A command center is a centralized space used to monitor, control and manage operations. They are usually located inside a secure building or room, and they are operated by private organizations and governments.
Due to the sensitive nature of certain applications, command centers are designed to be highly secure and to ensure the performance of mission-critical operations. Also referred as “CC”, command centers are used in multiple applications including air traffic control, network operations, security and process control.
The command center is “the agency's dispatch center, surveillance monitoring center, coordination office and alarm monitoring center all in one.” Each industry requires unique tools to effectively manage its operations and one of these tools is specialized furniture. In this article, we will review the different types of command centers based on different applications and use cases.
Network Operation Centers (NOC)
A NOC is also known as a Network Management Center. Network operation centers NOCs serve to monitor and troubleshoot specific network or software related issues. “It is the first line of defence against network disruptions and failures.”
NOCs responsabilities include the following:
software distribution
router updates
domain management
software DDoS attacks troubleshooting
power outage and network failure repair
Daily tasks are performed by IT technicians over computer, telecommunications or satellite networks. IT service providers or managed services providers (MSP) use NOCs to ensure 24/7 service for their clients. MSP NOCs can be maintained in-house, outsourced to a third-party, or use a mix of both solutions.
If an issue were to occur, IT technicians are trained to quickly identify the origin of the failure and reduce down times. This is why control consoles inside a NOC are designed with ease of access in mind. This means access panels both on the front or the back on the furniture, sliding trays inside the CPU enclosures, cable chains to protect the wires while the furniture is in motion, electrical raceways to separate data and power cables, and many more options.
Talking about setup options, IT technicians work with multiple monitors, requiring them to use specialized furniture that supports the weight of the equipment. Also, control consoles in NOC are required to have 24/7 capabilities to ensure that all software, hardware, and networks are working.
Other common equipment found in network operation centers includes:
video walls portray details of highly significant alarms on going incidents and general network performance
KVMs
rack installations
IP-PDU setup
Server cabling ensuring the reliability of the network.
Learn more about Sustema's command center consoles & technical furniture.
Emergency Operation Centers (EOC)
“An EOC is a central command and control system responsible for carrying out the principles of emergency preparedness and emergency management, or disaster management at a strategic level during an emergency, and ensuring the continuity of operation of a company, political subdivision, or other organization.” (FEMA 2022)
The primary tasks of staff in an emergency operations center include:
Collecting, analyzing and sharing information
Supporting resource needs and requests, including allocation and tracking
Coordinating plans and determining current and future needs
In some cases, providing coordination and policy direction.
“It is important to note that jurisdictions establish EOCs to meet their unique requirements and needs, so no two EOCs have the exact same design.” (FEMA 2022).
Control room furniture requirements include:
support for constant use throughout 24/7 operations
support for multiple monitor arrays
ergonomic features like height adjustable worksurfaces
rich cable management integration
precise adjustments in lighting
clutter-free workspace
An emergency operation center can be a physical or a virtual location. As well as a temporary or permanent solution in a central facility. EOCs may be located near emergency communications center (ECC) also known as a public safety answering point or PSAP. More on that type of command center below.
Public Safety Answering Points PSAP
PSAPs are in charge of answering 911 emergency calls and providing help to callers. 911 dispatchers redirect the calls to the relevant agencies like:
Fire department
Police department
Medical and ambulance services
PSAPs vary in terms of the population they serve and can be found both in large cities or smaller towns. They are staffed by a combination of supervisors, dispatchers and telecommunicators, all equipped with their own control console, designed to adapt to the needs of their particular agency.
Organizations such as the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and the Association of Public-Safety Communications (APCO) are responsible for setting industry standards and advancing the implementation of new technologies in the industry. For instance, the Next Generation 9–1–1 (NG911) is an initiative which will enable PSAPs to respond to text messages, images, and video.
Learn more about Sustema's ergonomic dispatch consoles adapted to the needs of 911 dispatchers and call takers in the PSAP.
Security Operation Centers (SOC)
Security operations centers commonly knows as the SOC is a specialized facility in charge of managing security issues within a building, facility or operation. SOCs are often equipped with data processing technology to monitor and control various functions including alarms, doors, and entry barriers.
Similarly, information security operations centers also referred to as ISOCs are dedicated departments in charge of handling critical information systems and endpoints surveillance.
Security operations centers can be found in airport customs, law enforcement and various other agencies requiring some degree of 24/7 surveillance capabilities. The SOC ensures that security protocols are being followed during critical events as they are the first to be notified of incidents.
For example in an airport, the SOC is responsible for handling issues pertaining to contraband, weapons, hazardous materials but also issues regarding flight delays, passenger injuries, and damaged equipment.
SOC infrastructures are equipped to protect sensitive data and comply with industry or government regulations. For instance, specialized furniture & control consoles, firewalls, IPS/IDS, breach detection solutions, event management (SIEM) system, telemetry, packet capture, Syslog, and other methods so that data activity can be correlated and analyzed by SOC staff.
Sustema's control room consoles are ergonomically designed to handle multiple monitor for surveillance applications and include all the power/cable management system required in IT intensive environments.
Tactical Operation Centers (TOC)
The tactical operations center also known as TOC refers to a command post for law enforcement and military applications where a small groups of officers and military personnel guides members on the field providing them with tactical support during missions.
TOCs are staffed by personnel responsible for analyzing and reporting incidents during critical situations. There are also more permanent tactical operations centers like NORAD, which conducts North American airspace defense operations 24/7/365.
Since communication is crucial for the success of operations, TOCs are often designed to provide line-of-sight communication between team members and the operation officer or commander.
Considering the degree of sensitive information that is managed in this type of command center, TOCs operate advanced computer systems to keep track of operational progress and maintain active communications with personnel on the field. Tactical operations centers will often be equipped with a video wall system and control room furniture to provide situational awareness for 24/7 operations.
Note that smaller TOCs setups such as temporary tent outposts and vehicles/vans bring an array of supplementary security issues to consider.
Learn more about Sustema's tactical operation center consoles and modular video wall solutions.
Combined Operation Centers (COS)
Combined operations centers are large common areas overseeing the operations of various sub-divisions. This type of command center is often used for air and space traffic control, broadcasting and process control applications.
For example, in the U.S., the Air & Space Operations Center (AOC) integrates multiple divisions into one strategic center to benefit from increased coordination among different actors and access to specialized information. The divisions managed under this COS include:
the strategy division (SRD)
the combat plans division (CPD)
the combat operations division (COD)
Intelligence, Surveillance
Reconnaissance Division (ISRD)
the Air Mobility Division (AMD)
Whenever more than one military division is needed, for instance the naval or aviation divisions, these can be incorporate into the Joint Air and Space Operations Center (JAOC).
In a case where the international operations (NATO) pertaining to the air and space sectors are needed, the AOC joins to become the Combined Air and Space Operations Center (CAOC). “Keeping these systems operating requires hundreds of people, working in satellite communications, imagery analysis, network design, computer programming, radio systems, systems administration and other fields.” US Air Forces Central.
Learn more about Sustema's combined operation center consoles and modular video wall solutions.
About Sustema Inc.
Over the last 30 years, Sustema has successfully helped thousands of customers in North America to organize and manage their mission-critical environments, command centers, 911 dispatch centers, war rooms, IT labs, data centers, and collaborative environments. Are you looking for control room furniture? Let’s start working on your project, simply fill out this form.