From Tools to Transformation: How NMaaS Powers a Virtual Network Operation Center
Running a modern research and education network is a challenge that grows more complex yearly. The tools for monitoring, managing, and securing these networks are robust but resource-intensive. They often demand dedicated infrastructure, expert installation, and constant maintenance, which creates a barrier to innovation for many organizations.
The Network Management as a Service (NMaaS) platform is designed to remove those barriers. By moving network management tools into a secure, cloud-based environment, NMaaS allows institutions to access, deploy, and operate advanced capabilities on demand — without installing or maintaining them locally. This approach saves time and money and opens the door to new operational models, including the Virtual Network Operation Center (vNOC).
At BalticNOG 2025, Łukasz Łopatowski from the Poznań Supercomputing and Networking Center (PCSS) and Vojdan Kjorveziroski from the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje (UKIM) will take the audience deep inside this concept. Their session, “Virtual Network Operation Center Enabled by the NMaaS Platform”, will show how NMaaS can centralize network operations across geographically distributed infrastructures, bringing unprecedented flexibility, scalability, and resilience to research and education networks.
The vision behind NMaaS
Within the European GÉANT project, NMaaS has evolved into a service platform that makes sophisticated network tools available as a managed service. A vNOC built on NMaaS can integrate multiple monitoring and management applications into a unified environment, allowing teams to oversee networks across different countries and organizations from a single, secure interface.
This model has practical implications: faster incident response, better coordination between distributed teams, and the ability to roll out new services without complex procurement or infrastructure deployment cycles.
About the speakers
Łukasz Łopatowski has been with PCSS since 2007 as a Software Engineer and System Architect. Over nearly two decades, he has contributed to numerous EU and national R&D projects focused on next-generation networks and research infrastructure management. Since 2015, he has been at the forefront of NMaaS within GÉANT, leading its design, development, and operational strategy. His work blends technical expertise with a deep understanding of how large-scale networks serve the research and education community.
Vojdan Kjorveziroski is a PhD student and research assistant at UKIM’s Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering in Skopje, North Macedonia. His research interests span cloud computing, computer networks, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, and distributed systems. A co-author of more than twenty research papers published in international journals and conferences, he has been involved in multiple national and international projects. Within GÉANT, he plays a key role in NMaaS infrastructure and operations, ensuring the platform’s reliability and adaptability to user needs.
An Invitation to Explore the Next Era
This isn’t just a technical showcase — it’s about a shift in how network operations can be delivered. For smaller research networks, NMaaS lowers the entry barrier to advanced capabilities. It offers a scalable way to coordinate and standardize operations for large, distributed infrastructures.
Łukasz and Vojdan will share the conceptual framework and the practical experiences of implementing NMaaS as the backbone for a Virtual Network Operation Center. Attendees can expect real examples, lessons learned from multi-year deployments, and insights into the future of network management in the European research ecosystem.
BalticNOG 2025 will be held in Vilnius, Lithuania, from September 24 to 25, 2025. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from two of the people shaping the future of collaborative network operations.
🔗 Click here to get your tickets today!
