NTB: Revolutionizing media technology through cloud innovation

Picture perfect: How SoftwareOne redefined NTB’s media landscape

NTB, an independent Norwegian news agency, stands at the forefront of news, visual content, entertainment, communication services, and technology production and delivery. With an impressive media bank containing over 400 million images and videos, NTB is the largest image agency in the Nordics. serves a vast array of businesses, ranging from large to small spanning both public and private sectors, making it the largest image and video bank in the Nordics.

The media landscape’s rapid evolution called for NTB to enhance its digital capability, especially during peak news events for fast image transfers, while also integrating new customers seamlessly and responding swiftly to surges in end-user demand. Recognizing the need for a modern, efficient, and scalable solution, NTB turned to SoftwareOne to overhaul its IT infrastructure.

"Our customer base has evolved, and we now cater to more large-scale clients than previously. A new IT solution was imperative, so we sought a proactive partner who would also serve as knowledgeable advisors. Choosing SoftwareOne was a natural decision. With its assistance, we have developed a solution that is safe, stable, secure, and scalable,” states Terje Ravnsborg, the director of technology and development at NTB.

“Cloud economics and cost control were also very important to us,” emphasizes Terje Ravnsborg, NTB's Director of Technology and Development, “Previously, it had been a headache.  Now, with SoftwareOne's input in facilitating the move to the cloud-native platform,  we have achieved clarity and control. At the same time, we have had valuable recommendations on how we can further reduce costs and maximize the utilization of every invested penny," Ravnsborg points out.

SoftwareOne got us across the finish line

Ravnsborg is delighted: "SoftwareOne took charge of the main planning and architecture, and we depended on its consultants’ expertise throughout the process. We are extremely satisfied them – they were pivotal in getting us to and across the finish line. Their constant availability, regardless of the time, day or night – no matter when we needed them – was invaluable."

The streamlined workflow from photographer to desk, now automated, underscores the project's emphasis on technology and product development, leading to quicker image uploads and smoother onboarding for new clients. The photographers have been vocal in their praise for the service and have commended the new solution for being "better, simpler, and faster." NTB now aims to further expand its customer base.

Security played a key role throughout the planning and implementation of the new system. SoftwareOne's architect collaborated closely with NTB's security director during the process and served as a strategic advisor. SoftwareOne established a robust security solution with IAM (Identity and Access Management), ensuring effective identity and access management. This not only fortified NTB's security posture but also provided peace of mind for its wide-ranging clientele.

Finding the right level and scaling options

Over the past five years, NTB has seen significant growth. From an internal operation with five developers, it has expanded to become a team of 27 developers. SoftwareOne's solution has significantly streamlined their work, with SoftwareOne continuing to oversee operations.

"It was crucial for NTB's developers to be able to write and deploy code as effortlessly as possible,” says Ravnsborg. “On the previous platform, building the infrastructure was time-consuming. SoftwareOne facilitated the implementation of Continuous Integration, and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) ensuring peak performance, flexibility, and scalability which has enabled the developers to write code and have it automatically deployed.

NTB can broaden its client base

"Furthermore, SoftwareOne's experience with AWS as a cloud provider has been advantageous. It helped us secure financial aid from AWS, enabling us to explore different solutions and support the innovative technology that NTB is developing," Ravnsborg remarks.

"Thanks to the robust infrastructure, we can now accommodate the biggest clients and media companies and plan international expansion without compromising stability, speed, or security," he concludes.