13
May
2026

Internet2 Network Operations Center Gets a New Virtual Front Door

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By Amber Rasche - Communications Manager, Internet2

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

New Gateway Platform Offers Improved Visibility, Data Access, and Self-Service Capabilities

The Internet2 Network Services team is working with GlobalNOC to transition the Internet2 community from the current Network Operations Center (NOC) website to the new GlobalNOC Gateway platform. The Gateway platform becomes the primary access point for Internet2 NOC interactions starting June 1, 2026.

Alongside resources like Internet2 Insight Console — used to visualize, manage, and troubleshoot network services — the Gateway serves as a front door for engaging with network operations. It’s where network operators and campus IT teams go to submit and track tickets, access maintenance and outage notifications, and manage other NOC interactions.

Internet2 network noc map connections

The Internet2 NOC, with service desk and break-fix support provided by GlobalNOC at Indiana University, is available 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. For the research and education (R&E) community, modernizing the NOC’s virtual front door adds value by improving visibility and expanding self-service capabilities. It also provides new, authenticated access to tailored data views through the InCommon Federation or guest accounts.

In preparation for the transition, we asked Chris Wilkinson, senior director of network infrastructure and operations at Internet2, and Luke Fowler, ​executive director of software and network engineering at GlobalNOC, three questions about what’s changing, why it matters, and what the community can expect next.

The NOC website is a virtual front door for Internet2 network operations. What’s changing with the transition to the Gateway, and how will it benefit the Internet2 community?

Chris Wilkinson: This work is part of a broader effort to modernize how Internet2 supports R&E community network operations. Internet2 Insight Console has expanded significantly in recent years, giving institutions self-service tools to visualize, provision, and troubleshoot a subset of their network services. The new Gateway reflects the same direction for the operational side of that experience. Both efforts are a direct response to what we hear consistently from the community: expectations around transparency, real-time visibility, and self-service have grown, and the tools we provide should keep pace. Bringing those capabilities into the Internet2 NOC’s virtual front door is a natural next step.

Luke Fowler: The Gateway gives the Internet2 community another convenient option to interact with Internet2 NOC services. Instead of sending the NOC an email or calling to open a ticket, check the status of an existing ticket, or receive notifications about current outages and upcoming maintenance, community members can visit the Gateway to do those same things using an intuitive web-based interface. Like everything at the Internet2 NOC, it’s available 24x7x365!

How will the new Gateway site change the day-to-day experience for network operators and campus IT teams at institutions connected to the Internet2 network?

Luke Fowler: Community members who interact with the Internet2 NOC will start by authenticating to the Gateway using their InCommon credentials or other existing credentials, and will then complete a simple registration process. Once authorized to use the Gateway, they will have access to a set of tools tailored directly to them and their connections to the Internet2 network. By leveraging authentication information, the NOC knows who each user is, what organization they’re associated with, and what Internet2 network services they use. Authenticating is a major paradigm shift, but the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Each user will now be able to see all the notifications the NOC has sent to them and all the tickets their organization has open with the NOC, all in one place. If a community member needs to update an existing ticket with new details, they’ll be able to do that right in the Gateway — NOC staff will see the update right away.

What should the Internet2 community expect next, after the initial rollout of the Gateway?

Chris Wilkinson: Right now, our focus is on making the transition to the Gateway as smooth as possible so that access to the Internet2 NOC and the comprehensive service provided by GlobalNOC is interruption-free. We want to ensure the community is informed and that the changeover on June 1 is as seamless as possible. Looking further ahead, both Internet2 and GlobalNOC have initiatives underway to develop AIOps, or artificial intelligence for IT operations capabilities, which will improve how we detect and respond to network events and information queries. The plan is to integrate those capabilities directly with Insight Console, GlobalNOC tools, and the broader operational software platforms. Internet2 is also working toward the next generation of Insight Console, which is known internally as Periscope. That effort will expand the console’s reach to deliver end-to-end awareness across all Internet2 services, including those out in the broader community. More to share on both fronts as those efforts progress.

If you have questions or need assistance as the June 1 transition approaches, the Internet2 NOC is available to help 24/7: