Telecommunication Operations Center

This is the NWS central communications data switching and monitoring facility. Top-level organizational management of this facility is from the Office of Operational Systems (OPS). The Telecommunication Operations Center (TOC) is a component of the OPS and manages the NWS Telecommunication Gateway (NWSTG). The organizational structure of the TOC consists of four branches:

• The Operations Support and Performance Monitoring Branch
• The Telecommunication Gateway Operations Branch
• The Telecommunication Software Branch
• The Telecommunication Infrastructure Branch

The NWSTG is the data central communication switching and monitoring facility and has four major operational components:

The Central Data Switching System

This system is called the "Gateway". The NWSTG operates and ensures continuous acquisition and dissemination of NWS and other domestic and foreign hydrometeorological data and products. The central switching system of the NWSTG controls the exchange of data with remote locations. The primary remote locations are with the NWS specialized modeling centers (AWIPS and NCF), the commercial meteorological community, and major international communication switching centers. The international switching centers are on the Main Trunk Network (MTN) of the WMO's Global Telecommunication System. This system also operates the Operational Meteorological (OPMET) data bank. It contains aviation METAR, TAF, and SIGMET data. The OPMET data bank supports the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) World Area Forecast Center (WAFC). A short history of the central switching system describes major modernization upgrade phases that began in the 1950s.

The Gateway operates web servers and file servers. The web and file servers store all nationally-generated forecast products and globally received observational data. The web service provides browser access to retrieve data and forecasts. The file servers provide a file transfer service for retrieval of operational model forecasts and observational data.

The ASOS Monitoring Center (AOMC)

The AOMC monitors the quality of the sensors in thousands of ASOS automatic observing sites across the United States.

The AWIPS Network Control Facility (NCF)

The AWIPS/NCF manages the AWIPS Wide Area Network (WAN) and the Satellite Broadcast Network (SBN). Data streams of the SBN are called NOAAPort.

A staff for data acquisition and dissemination management

This staff manages the processes that determine the routing of data from the Central Data Switching System and establishes message heading identification content and use.