Creating an Effective Security Operations Function

When one think of a Security Operations Center (SOC), it often have an image of a large room, full of people sitting in neat rows, with their attention split between their desktop monitors and a big screen up-front - similar to the Houston Space Center during a Space Shuttle launch. Of course, such places exist, but in many organizations, the reality is quite different. While almost every enterprise has a security operations function, it can take many forms. In some cases, it's a formally designated group, with dedicated staff and facilities. In other cases, security operations consist of just a handful of people with multiple responsibilities who deal with IT security problems as they arise.