The Client

The client provides infrastructure services to the citizens of Stockholm.

They operate a centralized Network Operations Center (NOC) that manages a wide variety of alarms and calls, covering everything from applications, servers, and networks to escalators, elevators, and similar systems.

The Challenge

One of the client’s vendor-specific systems reached its end-of-life, creating a risk of “blind spots.” Additionally, 80 new systems were about to be added to an already burdened environment (12 screens and 30+ systems per operator).

The requirements for the new system were:

• Capability to manage 100+ different systems and subsystems on a single screen.
• Enabling non-technical staff to assess, prioritize, and escalate issues to the correct resources both within and outside the organization.
• Seamlessly handling the entire IT infrastructure alongside business-specific systems.

The Solution

Together with the client, Compose IT implemented IBM Tivoli NetCool as the central platform, connecting all subsystems.

NetCool collects alarms and metrics from the underlying systems and standardizes the alarms, making them fully readable and actionable for NOC operators. Integration between NetCool and the client’s service desk system ensures that the flow from alarms to incidents functions automatically.

The Result

• No missed alarms.
• All alarms are readable—a significant challenge, given the differences in how a server and an elevator report issues.
• Every alarm is tied to an action plan, enabling operators to know immediately what needs to be done.
• The technical organization has access to the same information as the NOC/ServiceDesk.
• Alarm systems and the service desk are fully integrated.
• All alarms are collected, even those that don’t escalate to incidents, for reporting and follow-up purposes.
• Alarm noise was reduced by 80%.

Most importantly, only business-critical ALARMS are visible and acted upon.