Optimal operation of a combined sewer network with distributed storage facilities aims to use the whole retention capacity of all reservoirs efficiently before overflows take place somewhere in the considered network system. An efficient real-time network control (RTNC) strategy has been emerging as an attractive approach for reducing substantially the overflows from a sewer network compared to the conventional fixed or manually adjusted gate setting method, but the related concrete framework for RTC development has not been throughly introduced so far. The main goal of this study is to give a detailed description of the RTNC systems via reviewing several guidelines published abroad, and finally to suggest methods for the proper application of RTNC on distributed storage facilities. Especially, this study is focused on emphasizing the importance of hierarchical structure of RTNC system that consists of three control layers (management, global control and local control). Further, with regard to the global control layer which is responsible for the central overall network control, the wide-ranging details of two components (adaption and optimization layers) are also presented. This study can provide the valuable basis for the RTNC implementation in the particular sewer network with distributed multiple storage facilities.