Meet our experts: Alexander Groh // Information Management

Hello Alex, you've been with Delvag since 2020. How did you find your way to us and how did you get started?

I have to start with how I found Delvag in the first place, because it was a big coincidence. My neighbor works at Lufthansa Industry Solutions and had heard that I wanted to change careers and suggested that I look around at Delvag. There was actually a suitable position and I joined straight away. The start was challenging, as only 10 days after I started, my colleagues were sent home due to the coronavirus pandemic. Fortunately, I was able to get to know a lot of my colleagues in the first few days and was personally introduced to them. That definitely made it easier for me to get used to working from home.

You are part of the operations team in Information Management. What does this area look like and what exactly are your tasks?

Our team consists of the Service Desk and Operations. The Service Desk mainly deals with direct problems from users and is the first point of contact for colleagues experiencing technical difficulties. Operations is located behind it. Among other things, we take care of the infrastructure. This includes the servers and hardware that are used, but also the meeting room technology. So far, my focus has been on the server infrastructure and the connection to the cloud. This has shifted a little since last year. Since August 2024, I have also been acting as deputy team leader, where the corresponding tasks arise.

What does a typical working day look like for you? Are there any challenges that you regularly face?

A typical workday usually begins in the morning with an initial check of the ticket system and central monitoring tools, often while still working from home. This allows potential disruptions or bottlenecks to be identified and prioritized at an early stage. For example, if there is a high number of incidents related to VPN access or if monitoring reports critical system conditions such as insufficient hard disk space or CPU overload, it is already clear at the start of the day which issues will require special attention in the context of incident or problem management. This proactive approach is in line with the principles of structured ITSM (IT Service Management) and helps to ensure stable and efficient IT operations. A typical day also includes our daily meeting, where we update each other as a team and identify current tasks where we can support each other. This gives the days structure in addition to the many spontaneous tasks.

Your team works on the provision and operation of Delvag's IT infrastructure. What are some of the most important systems that you and your team are responsible for?

Basically, all systems are important, regardless of what the application running on the system looks like. There are colleagues who can't work without certain applications. However, our VM-Ware environment (virtual servers on which the applications run), which we completely renewed at the end of 2024, is particularly important. This means that in addition to the virtual servers that we provide, there is now also the storage, i.e. the data storage for another very important system is also provided. Something else that is definitely essential is our laptops, which are also maintained by our company. Ultimately, nobody can work without functioning notebooks. 

So you have technical responsibility for the employees. How do you ensure that everything runs smoothly?

Through extensive testing. Whether tools, applications or systems: before something goes online, it is usually tested in four waves. First in our team, then tests and checks take place in the department. Then it goes to a selected test group and then to the specialist departments. We have people in all departments who test innovations and report directly to us. These steps are always carried out before an innovation is rolled out to the entire workforce.

Let's move on to security and data protection: security aspects are particularly important these days. What measures do you take to ensure data protection and IT security in the company?

We achieve this by always keeping the systems up to date. This means constantly patching and updating the hardware and software, as well as checking the firewall rules to see if they are necessary. We are also connected to Lufthansa's systems, where the logs of our systems are also checked for irregularities. We are also informed by the manufacturers of our hardware and software if security gaps occur. We therefore take precautions at many levels to meet our responsibilities.

We are increasingly dealing with the topic of AI across all departments. To what extent is AI or automation being used in your area and what benefits does this bring to your work?

We use automation and AI on a daily basis. Especially for analyzing and comparing large logs or for creating PowerShell scripts, AI is a great support to avoid mass manual input. This saves us an enormous amount of time and ultimately makes our work more resource-conscious and efficient.

In conclusion: What do you think makes a good IT team, and how do you manage to work so well together as a team?

I think good collaboration works through open and transparent communication with each other. It's important that we trust each other, that we know which topics are in good hands with the others and where we can reach each other most quickly. The regular team meetings are also important, where you can exchange ideas, even if it's only a short daily meeting. This is important to maintain an overview and keep colleagues up to date. The feedback culture is also particularly important for good teamwork. You have to remain open to feedback and also be prepared to give feedback. Mistakes can always happen. The important thing is how you communicate them and deal with them. That works well for us.

Thank you very much for the interview!

About Alexander Groh
Alexander Groh has been Deputy Head of Service Desk and Operations as well as Information Management Consultant at Delvag since March 2020. With over 25 years of experience in the IT industry, he brings extensive technical expertise and long-standing leadership experience to the table. Early in his career, he gained hands-on experience in support roles at various IT service providers before taking on entrepreneurial responsibilities—first with GrohCom System Support from 2004 and later as Managing Director of GrohCom GmbH. Today, he contributes to the continuous development of IT services within the Delvag Group with his strong practical orientation and structured approach to processes.

From Nicholas Gorny
Corporate Communications Delvag
kommunikation@delvag.de