Outsourced NOC vs. In-House NOC: 5 Factors to Consider in 2025

If you're here, you're probably considering one of the core questions in ITSM: should we build our own NOC or outsource it?

For companies with substantial IT infrastructures, it's a make-or-break decision. And while conventional wisdom might whisper "keep control, build in-house," I've watched that thinking shift dramatically over the years. 

The control and assurance once afforded by keeping the NOC in-house have largely been upstaged by third-party service providers that have bridged those gaps and developed platform capabilities that simply wouldn’t be viable in-house investments due to low utilization. In other words, today's top-tier outsourced NOC partners offer all the control you need while bringing some serious advantages to the table.

Let me walk you through what you should really be considering in 2025.

1. Operational Maturity and Access to Expertise

The expertise gap is wider than you might think. Building a high-performing NOC requires specialized know-how that simply doesn't make sense for most teams that need a support operation to have in-house. And keeping NOC specialists who truly understand this domain is tough in today's job market.

I've seen countless teams underestimate this challenge and start in on greenfield NOC builds, only to resort to outsourcing after they've spent many thousands of dollars proving to themselves they weren't in a position to take on such a project.

What's even trickier is developing an operational framework that addresses all the quirks and challenges a NOC faces daily. Without this foundation, you're basically setting up a game of whack-a-mole with network issues—which, sadly, is what most NOCs still are today.

Here's what I've learned after decades in this business: high-performing NOCs aren't just about smart people and fancy tools. A look behind the curtain reveals a sophisticated governance structure that integrates back-office support teams and various tools and processes that unlock the efficiencies that have become increasingly necessary to meet desired service levels.

They rely on a battle-tested governance structure that seamlessly integrates support teams with finely-tuned processes. This level of operational maturity typically takes years to develop in-house, but you can tap into it immediately with the right outsourcing partner.

Assumptions based on a partial understanding of challenges and opportunities can inadvertently hinder the NOC from the beginning. This can lead to immediate problems in network operations and create long-term difficulties, as operational limitations complicate and increase the cost of extending support to new services.

Ask yourself:

• Do we really have the expertise to spot and fix the root causes of NOC operational headaches?
• Can we build and maintain the operational framework a successful NOC needs?
• How long can we wait until our in-house NOC hits its stride, and what business risks are we carrying until then?

2. Relative Costs

When organizations run a genuine cost analysis, the results often raise eyebrows. Let's break down what you're really looking at.

Read our other guide for a more complete cost outlay of a new NOC build.

Ask yourself:

• Have we really tallied up all the staffing costs, including the less obvious ones?
• What's the true price tag on all the technologies we'll need?
• Are we accounting for the hidden costs that inevitably pop up—the known unknowns?
• How do these numbers stack up against outsourced solutions? Does it make more sense to cut the CAPEX and outsource with predictable OPEX instead?

3. Speed to Service

If you plan to build an in-house NOC, time will almost never be on your side. Most teams we talk to that are considering standing up an operation internally significantly underestimate how long it takes to build a fully operational in-house NOC.

The journey typically looks something like this:

Meanwhile, turning up support with an outsourced NOC partner can compress this timeline dramatically:

• Requirements gathering: 2-4 weeks to understand your environment.
• Onboarding: 4-8 weeks to integrate systems and processes.
• Full service: 6-12 weeks from kick-off to operation.

This accelerated timeline means you start realizing the benefits much faster, avoiding the long, painful learning curve of building these capabilities internally. I've seen this difference play out countless times, and it's rarely a close contest.

Ask Yourself:

• How quickly do we actually need these capabilities up and running?
• What's the cost of waiting a year or more for a fully mature in-house NOC?
• Can we afford the inevitable stumbles during the learning phase?

4. Technology That Actually Makes a Difference

Modern NOC operations aren't what they were even five years ago. Today, technologies like AIOps, machine learning, and automation aren't just nice-to-haves — they're essential for delivering the level of service your business demands. That only becomes more true with large supported environments.

Let's unpack that.

Ask yourself:

• Do we have the right people to implement and optimize advanced NOC technologies?
• Can we justify the investment these technologies require given our size?
• How will we keep our stack current as new innovations emerge?

5. Service Levels That Actually Mean Something

One area that often gets overlooked in this decision is the approach to service level management. This might sound dry, but it makes all the difference in the world to your actual experience.

Beyond the Basic SLAs

Most organizations fixate on standard SLAs like response time and availability. That's fine, but mature NOC operations go much deeper with objectives that provide meaningful insights:

These metrics tell you what's really happening with your network support, not just whether someone acknowledged a ticket within five minutes. Read our other guide for a deeper dive into the metrics all NOCs should be tracking—and using.

No more finger-pointing

One of the most frustrating aspects of managing network issues is the blame game. Sophisticated NOC providers establish clear accountability through detailed reporting that shows exactly where time is spent during incident resolution.

This transparency helps identify the real bottlenecks — whether they're in the NOC itself, with third-party vendors, or within your internal teams. New in-house NOCs typically struggle to provide this level of visibility, lacking the metrics framework and historical data needed to drive improvement.

Getting better every day

Mature NOC operations don't just maintain service levels; they systematically identify and address inefficiencies. Our formal continual service improvement processes ensure that service quality consistently increases over time, rather than plateauing after the initial implementation.

Ask yourself:

• Do we have a framework for measuring NOC performance beyond basic SLAs?
• How will we establish accountability across all the teams involved in incident resolution?
• What processes will ensure our NOC keeps improving month after month?

Finding Your Path Forward

While I've clearly laid out the advantages of outsourcing NOC operations for many organizations, the right choice ultimately depends on your specific situation. Here's when each approach might make sense:

The Bottom Line

I've been watching organizations make this decision for more than two decades now. The choice between building an in-house NOC or partnering with a specialist provider is one of those strategic decisions that reverberates through your organization for years.

By carefully weighing operational requirements, costs, implementation timelines, technology needs, and service level expectations, you can make a choice that aligns with where your business is heading.

While an in-house NOC might be the right call in specific situations, most organizations I work with find that outsourcing delivers a powerful combination of cost efficiency, expertise, advanced technology, and faster implementation. The right partner can deliver these benefits while maintaining all the control and visibility you require.

As you weigh your options, think beyond your immediate needs to how your requirements will evolve as your organization grows and technology continues to advance. The right decision now will position you for success as you maintain the performance and availability of your critical IT infrastructure in the years ahead.

Next Steps

Want to see how our approach to outsourced NOC support might fit your organization? Reach out for a conversation about your IT service strategy and NOC support needs, or grab our free white paper below for more insights.