LM IT Services AG

Future Day 2026

jmandel — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:29:47 +0000

Insight into the digital working world of tomorrow

This year's Future Day saw us invite three female pupils and five male pupils to gain first-hand experience of the digital working world. The aim was not only to provide insights but also to actively demonstrate how modern IT and marketing processes interlock.

The focus was on a practical project that participants could work on themselves, from the initial idea to its concrete implementation.

From idea to digital product

The central element of the day was the development of a Digital homework organiser. The participants were first given an overview of the issue and the benefits of the application by our trainer, Paul. They then worked independently on the content. It quickly became clear: digital solutions don't arise by chance, but are consistently geared towards user needs. This made it tangible how an idea becomes a product step by step.

Marketing meets AI: Making content understandable

Another focus was on the question of how digital solutions are communicated externally. As part of the project, the participants created their own blog post. Supported by Microsoft Copilot Learned how to structure, formulate understandably, and target content effectively. Together, texts were developed, revised, and refined.

The use of AI made it clear how much modern tools support content creation today, without replacing the creative process. Only through clear communication do ideas become understandable, tangible, and usable. This is precisely where the The interplay of IT and marketing an, a central component of our daily work at LM.

A significant contribution to career guidance

The Future Day 2026 For us, it was more than just an insight day. It is an important component in introducing young people to digital topics at an early stage and giving them realistic insights into various professional fields.

We were delighted to welcome the students and hope they experienced the day as exciting and varied as we did.

If you want to delve deeper and not only get to know the digital working world but also actively shape it, then take a look at our careers page. There you will find Current entry-level opportunities, apprenticeships and further information about your future at LM.

To our job offers

Der Beitrag Zukunftstag 2026 erschien zuerst auf LM IT Services AG.

Multi-agent systems

jmandel — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:37:00 +0000

About the author

Henry Ohl

Consultant

How multi-agent systems turn AI from a single model into a team

Artificial intelligence is currently developing faster than any other technology, and the way we work with it is changing fundamentally. Until a few years ago, the focus was primarily on large language models (LLMs). Today, we are at a point where these models are no longer the sole focus, but are becoming building blocks in a larger system: Multi-agent systems. While classic AI applications perform a task on demand, multi-agent systems go a decisive step further. They consist of several specialised agents, analyse goals, coordinate tasks independently, carry out sub-processes, check each other and refine results step by step. In short, they work like a digital team.

Find out more about our AI solutions

About the author

Henry Ohl

Consultant

What makes multi-agent systems so special?

Although a single AI model can take on many tasks, it quickly reaches its limits when it comes to more complex requirements. This is precisely where multi-agent systems come in. Instead of relying on an all-rounder, their structure follows the principle of „Division of labour instead of jack of all trades“: Several specialised agents take on different roles, analyse goals, coordinate tasks and check each other's results. This clear specialisation significantly increases the quality and reliability of the results - for example through the following roles:

Planner / Coordinator

Breaks down a goal into meaningful steps

Research agent

Collects and evaluates information

Analysis agent

Checks data, draws conclusions

Executing agent

Creates content, executes processes

Quality agent

Monitors quality & consistency

Compliance agent

Checks rules, guidelines & risks

Why this will be relevant in 2026

The phase of pure prompting - i.e. „do this, do that“ - is slowly coming to an end. Many companies are realising that the next productivity boost will only come when AI can do more than just formulate answers. It needs to understand tasks, plan processes, execute work steps, check results and continuously improve them. As a result, AI is developing from a pure creative assistant into a active labour force within a workflow. For companies, this means one thing above all: processes can no longer just be supported selectively, but can be fully automated.

How multi-agent systems work - simply explained

Imagine a company wants to carry out a competitive analysis for a new product. In the past, we would have asked an LLM to draw up a list that would have been laborious to rework. A multi-agent system works differently. The result is consistent, thorough and often completed faster than a team could do it manually.

Define goal

„Create a complete competitive analysis of our new product segment.“

Planner agent

Breaks down the task: identify the market, research competitors, compare prices, analyse features, evaluate opportunities/risks.

Research agents (parallel)

Search various sources, prepare information.

Analysis agent

Summarises data, evaluates trends, identifies patterns.

Content agent

Formulates the final analysis, creates presentations or reports.

Quality and compliance agents

Remove errors, check contradictions, pay attention to company rules.

Why this development is so important for companies

For companies, the use of AI is no longer just about completing individual tasks faster. The decisive factor is how well entire processes can be supported or automated. This is precisely where multi-agent systems show their potential: the interaction of several specialised agents allows tasks to be distributed more efficiently, results to be checked more effectively and processes to be expanded more flexibly. This results in the following for companies Several key advantages:

speed

Many sub-processes run in parallel instead of one after the other

Quality & reliability

Built-in control mechanisms reduce errors, hallucinations and inconsistencies.

Scalability

New agents can be added or specialised quickly without having to redevelop entire workflows.

What does this mean for us at LM IT?

At LM, we bundle expertise, practical experience and real-life use cases in strategic projects. Multi-agent systems are an integral part of our AI expertise and form the foundation for innovative services, products and consulting offerings. We systematically expand our internal expertise, identify specific added value and actively support our customers on their AI journey. At the same time, we ensure that AI-supported solutions are anchored in our portfolio for the long term. Our focus is on developing a deep understanding of how AI can be specifically orchestrated and seamlessly integrated into real business processes.

Conclusion

2026 is a key year for the transformation of AI: away from individual solutions and towards automated, orchestrated AI systems that act like digital teams. Multi-agent systems open up new opportunities for companies to speed up complex processes, reduce errors and implement innovations more quickly.
We are at the beginning of a phase in which AI is no longer just providing support, it is working with us. And that is precisely why it is now so important to understand these technologies, try them out and develop them further together.

My personal motivation

In my spare time, I started working intensively with creative AI tools early on, from music and images to more complex workflows. What began as private experimentation showed me how enormously versatile AI can be when used for more than just content creation.

Find out more about our AI solutions

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Der Beitrag Multi-Agent-Systeme erschien zuerst auf LM IT Services AG.

Cooperation with the University of Osnabrück

jmandel — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 08:43:06 +0000

Hands-on learning with added value

How can modern technologies such as Microsoft 365, SharePoint and Artificial Intelligence be conveyed in such a way that they are not only understood but also applied?

This is precisely where our long-standing Cooperation with the University of Osnabrück For several years, we have been supporting students in the field of business informatics with practical workshops and providing insights into real-world application cases from everyday business life.

Knowledge that works in practice

As part of our collaboration, we regularly run courses where we teach key topics related to modern work environments – from Microsoft 365 and SharePoint to current developments in the field of AI. The focus is consciously not just on theory, but on practical application:

How can we digital workflows Make efficient?

How does it work Collaboration across locations?

And how can AI support daily Automating tasks?

Ein wesentlicher Bestandteil der Workshops ist die Working on realistic scenarios. The students develop solutions in groups for typical challenges that occur in companies on a daily basis. A current example: the intelligent processing of incoming emails. The aim was to develop a solution using Microsoft technologies that automatically classifies, prioritises and forwards requests to the correct departments.

Such tasks create a realistic picture of how modern technologies are used in a corporate context and what role topics such as Cloud, Automation and AI playing.

Positive resonance and sustainable learning effect

This year again, the feedback from the participants was very positive, with particular emphasis on the strong practical relevance and the opportunity to work directly with current technologies.

This precise transfer of knowledge into concrete application scenarios ensures a sustainable learning effect and specifically prepares students for the demands of practical work.

Our claim: Combining theory and practice

Our collaboration with the University of Osnabrück has been an integral part of our commitment for many years and takes place on a regular basis. Our goal: Not just imparting knowledge, but applying it directly.

The demands on modern IT landscapes are evolving rapidly, especially with the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence. This makes it all the more important not only to know about technologies but also to understand their sensible application. This is precisely where we come in: with practical formats, concrete use cases, and the clear goal of imparting knowledge in such a way that it makes a real difference in everyday working life.

Find out more about our AI solutions

Der Beitrag Zusammenarbeit mit der Universität Osnabrück erschien zuerst auf LM IT Services AG.

LM AI League

jmandel — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:04:00 +0000

Kick-off of the LM AI League: Developing AI use cases together

With football shirts, stadium sausages and exciting presentations, the starting signal was given at LM for the LM AI League. The internal format combines knowledge building, practical experimentation and friendly competition on the topic of artificial intelligence.

The aim of the initiative is to further expand AI expertise within the company and at the same time develop concrete use cases that create real added value in everyday working life.

Kick-off of the LM AI League: Developing AI use cases together

The aim of the initiative is to further expand AI expertise within the company and at the same time develop specific use cases that create real added value in everyday working life.

Find out more about our AI solutions

Knowledge building at the start

At the start of the AI League, the focus was initially on learning together. In several workshops participants were able to focus on various AI topics and expand their knowledge. These included the possibilities offered by Microsoft Copilot and Copilot Chat, the development of customised agents in the Microsoft 365 Copilot, as well as workflows, triggers and actions in Copilot Studio. Participants were free to choose which workshops they would like to attend. In this way, everyone was able to receive further training in the areas that are particularly relevant to their own work.

Seven teams develop their own use cases

After the workshop phase, things got sporty: the participants were divided into seven mixed teams. The teams will meet regularly throughout the year to exchange ideas and develop their concepts step by step. The focus is on the question, how AI can be used in everyday working life, for example, to support processes, make better use of existing tools or develop new solutions for employees and customers.

At the end, a winning team is honoured. It is not only the developed use case itself that counts. Active participation, newly acquired Microsoft certifications or badges are also included in the assessment. Equally important is the transfer of knowledge within the company, for example when teams share their experiences and best practices with others.

A format for innovation and collaboration

The AI League is accompanied by joint events and dialogue formats throughout the year. This creates a framework in which new ideas are encouraged, knowledge is shared and employees can work together on solutions. The coming months will show which use cases emerge from the teams. One thing is already certain: The LM AI League brings people together, promotes dialogue and at the same time strengthens AI skills throughout the company.

Find out more about our AI solutions

Der Beitrag LM AI League erschien zuerst auf LM IT Services AG.

ZukunftsMacher KI: We support the next generation of AI designers

mmoeller — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 12:59:58 +0000

Ready for the working world of tomorrow

The world of work is changing rapidly - we are convinced that the future will be characterised by close collaboration between humans and AI agents. This makes it all the more important to prepare the next generation for this reality today.

This is precisely where the nationwide education competition FutureMaker AI on. As a joint project of the PwC Foundation, supported by PwC Germany and Microsoft, the initiative pursues a clear goal: young people should Artificial intelligence not only use it, but critically understand it, reflect on it responsibly and actively help shape it. The programme is part of the AI Skilling Alliance (Microsoft) in Germany.

Find out more about our AI solutions

Our work on site in the schools

Today, our team consisting of Florian Schmedt, Melissa Cummings, Veronika Wagner, Lara Bems and Michael Deters visited two different schools. As part of the first module, the kick-off workshop, they visited the Arnold-Janssen-Gymnasium (AJG) and the Private Bischöfliche Fürstenberg-Realschule Recke.

The aim of the interactive workshops was to teach students practical skills for using AI technologies and to sensitise them to ethical issues. The focus was on the following topics:

Understanding AI

It was worked out interactively how AI works and which common myths can be refuted.

Recognising risks

Our colleague Veronika Wagner emphasised the importance of raising awareness of risks such as deepfakes and hallucinations.

Establish rules

The students, who already showed a good instinct for fakes, jointly developed their own binding class rules for the safe use of AI.

Three phases to the AI solution: start of the Team Challenge

The programme FutureMaker AI is structured in three successive modules. Following the successful completion of the first module - the interactive kick-off workshops at the schools - the classes are now entering the second phase of the project: the „Team Challenge“. This practical phase runs from February to April 2026.

Creative solutions

In groups of five, the students develop their own creative solutions.

Social change

The aim is to overcome social challenges through the use of AI.

Project topics

Possible project priorities are climate / sustainable economy, equal access to opportunities, education in transition or strengthening democracy.

Virtual mentoring

During this one-month phase, our corporate volunteers will continue to support the teams as mentors in virtual consultation hours.

The grand finale in May

The Team Challenge will be followed by the third and final module. The highlight of the initiative is the final event, which is planned for the beginning of May. On 6 May, the best ideas will be presented on the big stage at Microsoft in Berlin. There, the projects will be evaluated by a jury - our colleagues will also be present to provide valuable feedback and honour the winners.

If you don't have digital skills today, you will lose opportunities tomorrow.

We are delighted to make a direct contribution to digital education and the future viability of our region through our voluntary commitment.

Find out more about our AI solutions

Der Beitrag ZukunftsMacher KI: Wir fördern die nächste Generation der KI-Gestalter erschien zuerst auf LM IT Services AG.

Copilot Ready?

jmandel — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:23:52 +0000

Why governance now determines success or risk

Imagine this: A file with salary information is somewhere on SharePoint - not perfectly protected. A colleague uses Microsoft Copilot, to request a project summary and suddenly the salary data of all employees appears. Sounds like a horror scenario?

Such cases make it clear that innovation without the appropriate framework quickly becomes a risk. If technology and compliance do not work hand in hand, blind spots arise in which data gets out of hand.

About the author

Dr Marija Stambolieva

Senior Consultant Compliance Management, Information Security, Data Protection & AI Officer

About the author

Dr Marija Stambolieva

Senior Consultant Compliance Management, Information Security, Data Protection & AI Officer

Why governance now determines success or risk

Imagine this: A file with salary information is somewhere on SharePoint - not perfectly protected. A colleague uses Microsoft Copilot to request a project summary and suddenly the salary data of all employees appears. Sounds like a horror scenario?

The invisible risk - when we don't know our data

Data is distributed across Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive and local folders. But what is confidential? What can be shared, with whom and for how long? These questions are often not clearly answered. With AI, this lack of clarity becomes problematic: AI models link data sources. What was already confusing before becomes intelligently confusing - a dangerous combination.

Standards and regulations such as ISO 27001, NIS-2, DORA, the GDPR or the EU AI Regulation all emphasise the same principle: Know your data. Because you can't protect what you don't know, let alone use it responsibly for AI.

Microsoft 365 toolbox

The good news: Microsoft 365 offers integrated tools, to create clarity, for example about authorisation and labelling policies.

Authorisations

Copilot only accesses content for which the respective user already has at least read authorisation. Existing role and authorisation concepts in the Microsoft environment remain completely intact, including confidentiality designations, retention policies and administrative guidelines.

When connecting additional data sources, such as local folders, administrators must be configured in the Copilot connectors ensure that the authorisations are configured correctly. If, for example, content is shared there for the entire organisation instead of only for people with actual access in the original data source, this can lead to unwanted data access.

Confidentiality designations (labels)

Microsoft Purview allows you to define labels (e.g. public, internal, confidential) that combine data classification and protection mechanisms. These labels remain persistent - even if documents are moved, shared or exported.

Protection mechanisms such as encryption, content marking (watermarks, header/footer) and access controls remain bound to the document by the configured label.

Governance & compliance - from rules and regulations to practised responsibility

Technology alone is not enough. Providers such as Microsoft offer protection mechanisms, but the responsibility for implementation lies with the company itself. Governance is the framework, that combines technology, compliance and corporate culture. For example, authorisations must be clearly defined and admins must know how to implement settings correctly. Before this happens, however, it must be clarified who develops the authorisation concept, who monitors its implementation and how responsibility is distributed between management, authorised representatives and the IT team.

Guidelines are the organisational backboneAI guidelines regulate the handling of AI within the organisation. Labelling policies define which data classifications and protection mechanisms apply. Of course, this organisational part is time-consuming - classifying data, coordinating rules, carrying out training, checking implementation. But the economic added value is clear: those who take governance seriously protect their values, fulfil regulatory standards and gain the trust of customers and partners.

Conclusion

Secure data is not a nice-to-have, but the Basis for the successful use of AI. Investing in governance and close cooperation between IT and compliance not only protects against risks, but also creates the basis for the secure and responsible use of modern technologies.

If Microsoft Copilot is not only to be activated technically, but also introduced in a structured and sustainable manner, the decisive step begins with a clear strategy: technical preparation, defined governance guidelines, employee training and specific use cases all need to be considered together. We support companies in precisely this initial step: from analysing the initial situation and secure piloting to productive use, including the governance framework and initial measurement of success.

To the introductory offer

Do you have any questions?

Would you like to know how Copilot can be used securely and compliantly in your organisation? Together, we will analyse your existing Microsoft 365 structure, check authorisations, governance frameworks and compliance requirements and show you specifically where there is a need for action. Let us clarify in a structured way how you can enable innovation without overlooking risks.

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Der Beitrag Copilot Ready? erschien zuerst auf LM IT Services AG.

AI Hackathon 2026

jmandel — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:11:46 +0000

From idea to agent - a day full of AI at LM

It's early in the morning, the coffee machines are running at full speed and a day begins at LM on which AI is not discussed, but built. Colleagues from Development and Platform Services came together to pursue precisely this goal at the LM x AI Hackathon: AI solutions not only for our customers, but also to actively promote it internally at LM. We wanted to show that artificial intelligence can also create added value for us. It is a tool, an opportunity and a challenge at the same time. And above all, it can change our day-to-day work. So we asked ourselves: how can we turn existing use cases into real, functioning agents?

Practice instead of theory

The tasks were anything but abstract. We set ourselves real questions from our projects. Things that we deal with every day. With Copilot Studio, Microsoft Foundry (incl. Foundry Local) and Azure AI we structured ideas, connected data sources and built the first agents. Not as a quick demo, but as resilient approaches that can grow.

The use cases at a glance

Reuse Knowledge Agent

An AI agent who answers complex technical questions about infrastructure and technology projects. It is based on standards, existing documentation and empirical values from past projects. A particular focus was placed on the structured preparation of knowledge and the automated creation of documents.

Technologies used: Azure AI Search, Copilot Studio, Foundry, Power Automate

ISMS Agent

An agent to support information security and governance issues. In addition to answering queries, it automatically prepares ISO-compliant documentation so that important guidelines and evidence can be created in a structured manner. This creates a solid basis that simplifies and accelerates compliance work.

Technologies used: Microsoft Foundry, Copilot Studio, Azure AI

Partner Profiler Agent

This agent supports the structured research and evaluation of partner companies. Public data sources, partner information and digital profiles are bundled, analysed and prepared - as a sound basis for decision-making for further steps.

Technologies used: Microsoft Foundry, Copilot Studio, Azure AI

Local chat (Foundry Local)

Another exciting case was a local chat based on Microsoft Foundry Local. This agent enables secure access to company information directly on site, without a cloud connection, and provides quick answers to internal questions - ideal for data-sensitive scenarios.

Technologies used: Microsoft Foundry Local, Copilot Studio, Azure AI

Teamwork that works

What made the hackathon special? The collaboration. Mixed teams, open discussions, quick coordination and yes, pizza and caffeine as loyal companions. It was a day in which knowledge was shared, perspectives broadened and solutions developed together. This is exactly how we envision innovation.

And now?

The first agents have been built, but this is just the beginning. In the coming weeks, we will continue to refine them and check which use cases can be scaled up. The hackathon has shown us that AI is not an end in itself. It becomes valuable when it makes our work easier, more efficient and smarter. A big thank you to everyone who took part - for their ideas, commitment and courage to try out new things. We are already looking forward to the next hackathon. Who knows what stories we'll be able to tell then?

Impressions of the AI Hackathon

Do you have any questions?

We support companies in this, Artificial intelligence in a practical and meaningful way - from the initial idea to the development of AI agents and integration into existing systems. With in-depth expertise and modern Microsoft technologies, we create solutions that simplify processes and deliver real added value. How can we support you in realising your AI projects?

Make an appointment directly

Der Beitrag KI Hackathon 2026 erschien zuerst auf LM IT Services AG.

AXAITRA as a guest at LM IT

jmandel — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:02:47 +0000

Exchange, insights and a shared outlook

Last Friday, we welcomed a special visitor to LM IT Services AG: representatives of the AXAITRA Group were guests at our company to introduce themselves personally and provide insights into the company and our shared future. All colleagues were invited - and the interest was great: our event room was filled to capacity.

The guests from AXAITRA were Robert Helgert (CEO), Johannes Lindinger (Corporate Development) and Werner Leibrandt (COO). Jennifer Friedrich (Business Manager) was also connected online. A brief round of introductions by the guests was followed by a presentation on the AXAITRA Group, its focus and the partner network, which includes LM IT recently acquired.

The focus was on the idea behind AXAITRA: specialised IT companies in various European countries are brought together in a targeted manner to complement each other, learn from each other and grow together. The aim is to pool expertise, create synergies and work together as partners, without losing the individual strength of each company. At the same time, AXAITRA is pursuing the clear goal of building a leading European IT service provider and Microsoft partner. A particular focus is on the topics of AI and the democratisation of artificial intelligence in order to make modern technologies practical and widely usable for companies.

The message was clear: LM IT will remain independent. Our existing structure, our culture and our way of working will be consciously preserved. At the same time, we will benefit from the collaboration within the Group - professionally, strategically and in terms of perspective. AXAITRA also emphasised why LM IT is a Strong partner within the network: our broad positioning, the combination of end customer business and many years of collaboration with Microsoft as well as our diverse expertise. Another important point was the human component. For AXAITRA, it is not only technical expertise that plays a role, but also the fact that the collaboration is based on trust, openness and shared values.

Following the official part of the event, there was plenty of time for personal discussions, questions and an open exchange in a relaxed atmosphere at the get-together with snacks and drinks. We would like to thank our guests from AXAITRA for the visit, the frank words and the exciting insights and look forward to further collaboration within the Group.

Impressions of the event

Der Beitrag AXAITRA zu Gast bei LM IT erschien zuerst auf LM IT Services AG.

Switching off SMTP Basic Auth in Exchange Online

jmandel — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 11:16:51 +0000

What companies should know now

Microsoft drives the Switching off outdated authentication procedures further progress. An important milestone here is the end of SMTP Basic Authentication in Exchange Online, which will be reached by April 2026 at the latest. Companies that still rely on traditional SMTP authentication with user name and password must act in good time to avoid disruptions in email delivery. This article provides an overview of the background, affected scenarios and possible alternatives.

About the author

Nico Gau

IT specialist for system integration

About the author

Nico Gau

IT specialist for system integration

What companies should know now

Microsoft drives the deactivation of outdated authentication procedures further progress. An important milestone here is thehe end of SMTP Basic Authentication in Exchange Online, which will be reached by April 2026 at the latest. Companies that still rely on traditional SMTP authentication with user name and password must act in good time to avoid disruptions in email delivery. This article provides an overview of the background, affected scenarios and possible alternatives.

Why is SMTP Basic Auth switched off?

SMTP Basic Auth is considered an insecure legacy procedure, because the user name and password are stored permanently and neither token nor certificate mechanisms are used. This significantly increases the risk of attacks such as credential stuffing and password theft. Microsoft is therefore consistently moving away from this approach and instead favours Modern authentication methods such as OAuth, API-based services and certificate-based relays to sustainably increase the security of Microsoft 365 clients.

Why is SMTP Basic Auth switched off?

Which systems are typically affected?

Many of these systems run inconspicuously in the background until the mail dispatch suddenly stops working. In practice, the shutdown mainly affects:

Multifunction printer & scanner

ERP and merchandise management systems

Monitoring & alerting tools

Legacy applications and scripts

Third-party applications without OAuth support

What alternatives are there?

Microsoft recommends several ways to implement secure and supported e-mail delivery in the future. Which solution is suitable depends heavily on the intended use.

1. high volume email (HVE) in Exchange Online

Suitable for:

Internal mail dispatch within your own Microsoft 365 organisation (e.g. system messages, internal notifications).

Technical background:

HVE uses modern authentication mechanisms and is specially designed for automated, high-volume dispatch within the tenant.

Cost image:

Included in many Microsoft 365 plans.

No additional infrastructure costs.

Restrictions on external dispatch.

Assessment:

Inexpensive and uncomplicated, but functionally limited.

2 Azure Communication Services - Email

Suitable for:

Applications, cloud workloads and external notifications with a high degree of automation.

Technical background:

API-based e-mail dispatch via Azure, independent of classic Exchange mailboxes. High scalability and modern security mechanisms.

Cost image:

Usage-based billing (per e-mail sent).

Additional Azure resources required.

No classic SMTP access for legacy devices.

Assessment:

Very flexible and future-proof, but more for modern applications than for classic devices.

3. SMTP relay via local Exchange SE server

Suitable for:

Legacy devices and applications that do not support OAuth or API integration.

Technical background:

A local Exchange server acts as a relay and handles secure sending to Exchange Online - without Basic Auth in the cloud.

Cost image:

Operation and maintenance of a local server.

Infrastructure and administration costs.

No usage-dependent costs per e-mail.

Assessment:

Proven solution for existing environments, but with ongoing operating costs.

Which solution is the right one?

There is no universal solution. It makes sense in many environments, combine several approaches, for internal emails, a relay for scanners and Azure Communication Services for applications. An important basis for this decision is transparency: in the Exchange Admin Centre can be used to track whether and which applications or devices are still using SMTP Basic Auth.

Which solution is ultimately suitable depends largely on the type of application or device, the internal or external mail destination, the security requirements and the respective cost and operating model.

Conclusion: Act now, avoid pressure later

Even if April 2026 still seems a long way off, experience shows that legacy systems and external third-party providers in particular should be analysed at an early stage. A structured analysis creates planning security and prevents unexpected failures during productive operation.

Our tip: Start evaluating your SMTP dependencies now. We will be happy to support you with analyses, architecture decisions and implementation.

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Der Beitrag Abschaltung von SMTP Basic Auth in Exchange Online erschien zuerst auf LM IT Services AG.

Our corporate influencer programme

jmandel — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:45:42 +0000

Visibility does not arise by chance

From 16 to 190 points in just one year - that sounds like a huge leap. For Vivien, that was exactly the reality: she is the climber of the year in the Corp. Influencer programme of LM IT Service AG. But she is not alone. Since 2024, LM has been providing all employees with targeted support to increase their visibility on social media. We give them the two most important resources for this: time and training. The focus is on LinkedIn, the central platform for B2B communication.

The programme is having an impact: 90 % of participants have significantly increased their score over the past year. For programme manager Gunnar Kesebom-Knudsen, who developed the score, this is clear evidence that the initiative is motivating colleagues who have hardly dealt with the topic before. „It's not about monetary rewards, but about motivation, support and appreciation,“ says Gunnar. „And the results speak for themselves.“ At the top of the ranking this year is Michael Deters. His score has more than doubled from 233 to 691 points within twelve months. Christin Beckschulte, who improved from fifth to second place, and Marija Stambolieva in third place also made significant gains in the past year.

The situation is even more extreme for our „Rising Star of the Year“ Vivien Schmandt. Her score exploded from a barely existent 16 to 190 points and increased tenfold within a year. Gunnar believes that the company's chosen path has been vindicated, as it has obviously motivated colleagues to engage with the topic of social who had not done so before. Particularly striking: this year, four members of the Management Board are among the top 21, a clear indication of the growing importance of the programme in the company. In 2024, Management Board member Antje Henneke was still alone with this title.

"„At the beginning, I wouldn't have thought that a little more activity on LinkedIn would make such a difference. The programme has helped me to give my own topics more space - and to make visible what we achieve at LM every day.“"

Michael Deters, winner of the „LM Influencer of the year” trophy”

The programme will continue at LM in the coming year. It is important to the programme manager that everything is based on intrinsic motivation. „At LM, there is no monetary remuneration for the in-house influencers. There is time, motivation, support and ... perhaps most importantly, appreciation. That's what we want to achieve with the trophy presentation and communication.“ The past 12 months are always assessed - so the race starts all over again today. Nobody can rest on their laurels. The hunt for Michael Deters is officially on.

Here you can find all Linkedin profiles of our winners. Feel free to visit them.

Michael Deters

Project Manager and AI Business Development Manager

Christin Beckschulte

Vice Division Manager

Dr Marija Stambolieva

Data Strategy & Infosec Consultant / Information Security Officer

Vivien Schmandt

Project Manager

Der Beitrag Unser Corporate Influencer Programm erschien zuerst auf LM IT Services AG.