Portfolio Skills

Delve into our background: Browse through a selection of our projects based on our skills and see some of the innovative software, applications and web services we have created for and with our clients. We develop for many platforms and work with Windows, UNIX, Linux and OS X servers.

ING – Digital Asset Management

ING – Digital Asset Management

ING Group

FRS  Image Bank 

ING Group – FRS Image Bank

The ING Group is a global financial institution of Dutch origin with 115,000 employees. They have 60 million customers in almost 60 countries. These include individuals and families as well as small and large companies, institutions and even governments. As a result, the ING Group offers a wide range of banking products and services. While banking is their core business, they excel in the field of insurance and asset management. Consequently the ING Group includes a number of leading brands, including Postbank and RVS Verzekering.

In 2002, we introduced a customized FRS MediaBank web-application within the Postbank for the management and distribution of brand images (logos, photos, PDFs). Because of the good experiences and the excellent hosting facilities offered by BSL, ING asked BSL to introduce the Image Bank within several other divisions.

 

Image Bank

Access anywhere, anytime

We delivered the ING Image Bank as a web-service, using Oracle. Since our FRS asset management software is designed for easy customisation, the Image Bank is a fully customised system. First of all, ING has a strong corporate identity, so we designed a user-friendly interface based on the ING house style. And by introducing the Image Bank, ING could immediately start managing all of their marketing material. This includes all campaign texts, PDF’s and images. As a result, ING employees and their creative partners can quickly create and distribute new material.

The entire Image Bank can be accessed using any web browser. So authorized users can access the ING Image Bank anytime and anywhere via their favorite browser. Designers, creative consultants and photographers can easily add images, page layouts and illustrations. Furthermore, the ING content managers can check and enrich the content by adding descriptions and keywords using a custom designed asset management application. And with the integrated search technology from Autonomy K2 (now HPE IDOL), all information in the database can be automatically categorized and indexed.  Due to this feature, users can find content at lightning speed.

“Modifying FRS and adapting it to the exact requirements of the ING represented a challenge. Furthermore, as other members of the ING Group adopted the image bank, they asked to introduce their individual house styles. As a result we had to create multiple interfaces using a single database. Due to our experience, we could offer a unique product to each organisation in a cost-efficient manner. Also our tried and trusted FRS multimedia modules meant that each update was delivered quickly.”

Eric

Software architect, Bright Side of Life

At BSL, you have come to the right place for…

Flexibel management

Innovative BSL technology ensures that data and user management is possible from almost anywhere in the world. So ING’s business units can each individually manage their assets. And system administrators can change group and user rights, wherever they have access to the internet. As a result, the ING Image Bank offers a user-friendly way to manage a complex system, while at the same time offering enormous flexibility. Flexibility that makes it possible to share ING designs, images and campaign material with third parties, such as design bureaus, photographers and printers.

Fast search technology

By using Autonomy search technology, all information in the database can be automatically categorized and indexed. So users can find content at lightning speed. Autonomy offers many possibilities for smart search queries. As a result, users can search with so-called ‘wildcards’, or combine search terms with AND / OR / NOT. Therefore by using advanced search technologies and a user-friendly interfaces, users can quickly and easily find the desired results.

User-friendly software

At BSL, we strive to develop user-friendly applications. During the design and development of the ING Image Bank, much attention was paid to ease-of-use. And this included making it easy to customise search results for each user. For example, they can choose how many images are shown on each page. We also keep the screen displays simple, and use icons to access more information about each image.

We’ve got a great track record developing image databases, and online multimedia archives. The ING is just one example of us delivering a solution that can be easily integrated within the existing production workflow. Let us help you to manage your digital assets. Get in touch – no strings attached!

Martyn Simpson

Director, Bright Side of Life

CRV – Multimedia Web Application

CRV – Multimedia Web Application

Coöperatie Rundveeverbetering

CRV Multimedia Database

CRV – Multimedia Database

CRV Holding B.V. (CRV) is an innovative organization based in the Netherlands. It was established as an international center of excellence for animal husbandry and cattle improvement. In particular, the CRV aims to create added value for professional dairy and beef farmers . They do so by offering high-quality products and services. Alongside its home market, the CRV’s products and services are available in more than 50 countries.

An important part of CRV’s service is the maintenance of extensive cattle records (text, images and videos). They wanted to manage their photo archive in digital form, for direct use by online publications. To this end, we designed their Digital Photo Archive (DFA). The DFA was based on our Digital Asset Management software (FRS). Our engineers have since created their Multimedia Database (MMB). The MMB subsequently contains thousands of photos of dairy and breeding cattle. And hundreds of videos too. What’s more, the MMB is fully integrated within the CRV network infrastructure and workflows.

CRV Multimedia Database – Web Application
CRV Multimedia Database – Web Application

Manage files with a unique database

With the Multimedia Databank (MMB), the CRV can automatically import multiple images. In a variety of formats. Our software first compresses them, then stores them centrally in different resolutions. It also automatically adds attributes, and couples source descriptions to the images. Especially relevant, we can enrich the data using links that we make with other data sources within CRV.  Authorized employees can then update this information using a custom web application we developed. What is more, they can add or update further attributes associated with each animal. And finally, they can make selections from the database contents (including photos, videos and descriptions). They can then share these selections with CRV partners worldwide.

Because we store the files in an Oracle database, MMB is stable, fast and reliable. Moreover, the use of Oracle Text means that CRV employees can use 40 different search attributes to  find the right material.

Manage files with a unique database

With the Multimedia Databank (MMB), the CRV can automatically import multiple images. In a variety of formats. Our software first compresses them, then stores them centrally in different resolutions. It also automatically adds attributes, and couples source descriptions to the images. Especially relevant, we can enrich the data using links that we make with other data sources within CRV.  Authorized employees can then update this information using a custom web application we developed. What is more, they can add or update further attributes associated with each animal. And finally, they can make selections from the database contents (including photos, videos and descriptions). They can then share these selections with CRV partners worldwide.

Because we store the files in an Oracle database, MMB is stable, fast and reliable. Moreover, the use of Oracle Text means that CRV employees can use 40 different search attributes to  find the right material.

CRV Multimedia Database – Web Application

At BSL, you have come to the right place for…

Multilingual database

The CRV Multimedia Database is multilingual in every respect. Firstly because the interface is available in several languages. But users can translate the contents too. And carry out searches in different languages as well. This means the CRV can share its unique database contents with international subsidiaries and partners. Colleagues and customers worldwide have secure, fast access to its photo archive and film material.

Database expertise

We have years of experience working with multimedia database solutions. And our modular approach makes us flexible. Which means we have the expertise to integrate our solutions with your current infrastructure. Our developers have created links between the Multimedia Database (MMB) and the International Cattle Information System (IRIS). With one press of a button, our software first reads data from the IRIS system. Next it couples the data to individual images. In addition, the MMB registers studbook records, breeding values, and milk production figures. This link therefore not only saves time. It also ensures that CRV employees have continual access to up-to-date and accurate data.

Intelligent search engines

BSL has expertise with many search and business intelligence technologies. These include Autonomy, ExaleadOracle TextElastic Search and Sybase FTS. Which means we can index the entire contents of documents. To do so, we use language intelligence and semantic search techniques to recognize words, sentences, concepts and synonyms. Applying these technologies, we can therefore find and select the most relevant information. Even from millions of documents.

“We gave the Multimedia Database an extra dimension when we rolled it out for use by the CRV.  I’m referring to the multi-lingual support. But also the additional features we developed. In particular, how we helped support the CRV’s workflow. One of the main challenges was to implement the product so that all departments had optimum benefit from the database.  And to ensure it became part of their daily work processes.”

Eric

Software Architect, Bright Side of Life

CRV Multimedia DB Brochure

CRV Multimedia DB Brochure

CRV Multimedia DB Brochure

CRV Multimedia DB

CRV maintains a comprehensive database of herd records including many photos. The Bright Side of Life (BSL) was therefore asked to develop the Digital Photo Archive (DPA), an image database. Based on BSL’s standard Asset Management software (FRS), the DPA is now a multimedia DB (MMB), a unique database containing thousands of dairy and breeding stock images, as well as hundreds of videos…

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Contact BSL
Contact BSL