3 Truths and 1 Lie About NetOps, SecOps, Observability, and State Governments

What happens when a state’s network crashes or its security is breached? Critical services may come to a halt, important systems could go offline, and sensitive data might be exposed—creating a ripple effect that impacts everyone. Network operations (NetOps) and security operations (SecOps) are on the front lines, ensuring services are safe and running. Although they focus on different challenges, they’re actually two sides of the same coin. So, how can they work together to keep state functions secure and resilient, no matter the disruption?

Building Reliable and Secure Systems

Reliable networks and strong security form the backbone of essential services such as public safety, tax filing, healthcare, and administrative operations. But as state and local governments face increasing demands for modernization, NetOps and SecOps are about to be hit by a serious deluge of data. According to GovTech, public sector IT spending is expected to reach $177 billion by 2028, driven by digital transformation.

NetOps ensures these statewide systems perform seamlessly by monitoring network traffic in real time and planning proactively for challenges. During severe weather, NetOps can prioritize bandwidth for emergency response systems to keep first responders and public safety platforms operational. Similarly, during peak usage periods such as tax filing season, NetOps can adjust resources to ensure uninterrupted access to critical applications.

At the same time, SecOps protects these systems from evolving cyberthreats, including ransomware, unauthorized access, and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. With continuous monitoring, advanced threat detection, and strict access controls, SecOps identifies and mitigates risks while safeguarding sensitive data such as health and financial records via encryption, multifactor authentication, and real-time anomaly detection. During high-stakes events such as elections, SecOps plays a critical role in neutralizing unusual network activity—which may be malicious attempts by bad actors to disrupt state processes.

These, along with other proactive approaches, ensure citizens and agencies have reliable access to the critical services they depend on. But, as the saying goes, “Teamwork makes the dream work.”

Working Together Helps States Run Better

Collaboration between NetOps and SecOps is essential for ensuring seamless and secure statewide operations. State agencies rely on these teams to develop and enforce best practices that safeguard critical network pathways and ensure service continuity. Equally important is equipping these teams with the tools to generate actionable intelligence, interpret advanced analytics, and enhance both service delivery and security across their digital infrastructure.

Shared dashboards and automated alerts provide the intelligence teams need to anticipate and address performance issues quickly. Real-time observability allows NetOps to monitor traffic, troubleshoot issues, and optimize configurations, while SecOps can swiftly detect and nullify threats such as DDoS attacks. Together, NetOps and SecOps can adapt to evolving risks, ensuring operational stability in a dynamic environment.
These collaborative efforts hinge on three essential truths about operational success, where performance and security take center stage.

3 Truths About Ops Success

When it comes to keeping state operations seamless and secure, these truths make all the difference:

1. Service reliability: Reliable service is the foundation of success. NetOps keeps critical applications such as tax filing, public safety, and healthcare running smoothly by tackling network disruptions head-on. SecOps complements this by safeguarding those same services from malware, DDoS attacks, and unauthorized access—whether under pressure or under attack. Together, they ensure systems stay online and secure.
2. Data security and trust: NetOps and SecOps work hand in hand to safeguard information such as tax records and health data. They enforce encryption, monitor access points, and detect plausible anomalies in real time, reinforcing public trust in state services while ensuring compliance with regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the IRS Safeguards program.
3. Coordinated response: Agility is key to staying ahead of challenges. By leveraging shared observability tools, NetOps and SecOps align their efforts, quickly share insights, and resolve issues before they escalate. This teamwork ensures critical state functions continue uninterrupted, even in the face of dynamic challenges.

These truths demonstrate that operational success hinges on the partnership between NetOps and SecOps, where performance, security, and collaboration work hand in hand to build resilient systems. But there is still one more point to consider.

The Lie: Observability Automatically Solves Every Problem

Observability is not a magic wand. Some may believe that simply having observability tools in place means all issues will be detected and resolved easily. But as the three truths show, success depends on more than that—it requires collaboration, strategy, and actionable insights from both NetOps and SecOps. The right solutions help teams to act on insights and align their efforts for maximum impact.

Building Operational Excellence with NETSCOUT, NetOps, and SecOps

With NETCOUT solutions such as nGenius Enterprise Performance Management and Omnis Cyber Intelligence, NetOps, and SecOps teams gain real-time insights and advanced analytics into network and service environments, improving mean time to knowledge (MTTK) and mean time to resolution (MTTR). These capabilities help teams proactively address performance issues, optimize resources, and maintain consistent service delivery.

When NetOps and SecOps align their efforts with NETSCOUT’s real-time observability insights, they transform operational truths into actionable strategies. Together, they create a strong foundation for secure and resilient statewide operations.

Read this case study to see how a large state turned to NETSCOUT to enhance its IT environment and strengthen its security posture.