Geotechnics is about building in—and with—the ground. When major infrastructure projects like tunnels or offshore wind farms are underway, a thorough understanding of the ground and its environment is essential. That’s where NGI—the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, a private foundation—steps in.
“We are Norway’s leading geotechnical center of expertise. Our team consists of dedicated researchers who truly care about their field. Our job is to deliver geotechnical solutions that serve Norwegian society—both onshore and offshore,” says Arne Thune Wiiger, Head of IT Operations at NGI.
NGI conducts research, development, and innovation in geosciences, aiming to find solutions that ensure we build, live, and move safely on solid ground. That means their technical infrastructure must also be rock solid.
Arne Thune Wiiger, Head of IT Operations at NGI, is highly satisfied with the new IT solution they have implemented.
“IT is at the heart of daily operations for a large part of our workforce,” Arne explains. “That includes our researchers, who rely heavily on technology to perform calculations. IT is embedded in every layer of NGI—it’s our toolbox.”
A Need for a Sparring Partner
Arne’s department has long handled everything from system monitoring to user support. But that made it difficult to direct enough energy toward innovation—at a time when NGI is undergoing a significant digital transformation.
To ensure their IT solutions evolved in step with the organization, it became necessary to offload some responsibilities.
“We’re a small department covering a wide spectrum of needs. Our research teams have highly specialized, often varying requirements. We’ve often had to bring in external experts for deep technical advice—but that’s not optimal. We needed someone to take over the technical side—server operations and housing—and also act as a strategic sparring partner. That’s why we chose Embriq.”
NGI’s mission is to ensure that we build, live, and move about on safe ground. They are involved in major projects aimed at providing better and more sustainable solutions for society. Photo: Sverre Hjørnevik
Scalable Solutions Bring Flexibility
NGI required a scalable setup—one that would allow them to order or discontinue services from Embriq as needed. This flexibility has made room for greater innovation.
“In addition to core operations, we requested options for the rest of the service catalog, including network and helpdesk. Embriq proved highly adaptable. Other vendors often claim to deliver A-to-Z solutions—but only on their terms. That’s not viable in a research setting. You can’t be innovative if you’re forced into a rigid system. We rely on partners who see opportunities, not limitations. Embriq met us where we were. Now we have a long-term strategic partner,” says Arne.
Stable Operations—Even While Moving
Migrating parts of your infrastructure to a new provider is one thing. Doing it while relocating offices is another. NGI is currently building its new headquarters at Campus Ullevål—one of the first new buildings in what is set to become Oslo Science City. During construction, NGI had to temporarily relocate to Nydalen, with the move scheduled for February 28. This meant both updating and relocating their IT systems—without downtime.
“We had to move our systems while keeping everything operational. This process started while everyone was still working remotely. We had to ensure uptime so our researchers could run tests. IT couldn’t be an obstacle. Embriq took over operations so we could focus on the move. It freed up a lot of our time,” says Arne.
The new Campus Ullevål is still under construction. NGI is currently based in temporary facilities in Nydalen.
A New Era and a New Focus
NGI is now settled into its temporary home, and Embriq manages large portions of its IT operations. Everything previously housed in NGI’s data center is now operated by Embriq and hosted offsite. All systems are monitored 24/7, year-round—a major shift from when Arne’s team handled the monitoring in-house.
“It’s a relief not having to ensure that hardware, software, and equipment are always running. When the phone rings, we no longer have to jump up and fix an issue—we can focus on application development and innovation instead. Embriq owns the operations now—maybe we’ll finally be able to take proper vacations,” Arne laughs.
We Needed Someone to Challenge Us
NGI’s IT department can now finally focus on the digital transformation journey. The transition began with phasing out in-house infrastructure and establishing the collaboration with Embriq. Now, they’re beginning to reap the rewards.
“Uptime has significantly improved, and we have a world of opportunity ahead. This is when the fun begins. Embriq is a technically strong partner who challenges our thinking and shows us what’s possible. That’s exactly what we needed,” says Arne.
The focus is now shifting toward business-aligned activities and innovation.
“We haven’t worked with Embriq for very long, but we already see this is a great match. They’re proactive—whether in operations, security, or innovation. Going forward, we plan to pick both the low-hanging and high-hanging fruit—together with Embriq,” Arne concludes.
Curious how Embriq can help your organization with digital transformation and IT operations? Read more here