Since its establishment in 1990, Systemhaus Dresden (SHD) has been a pivotal IT service provider in Saxony, evolving into a key player in the cybersecurity field. Founded by Frank Karow and Falk Ambos shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the company emerged as one of Saxony's initial privately owned IT firms. Over the years, management responsibilities have transitioned from the original founders to successors including Marco Graef and, more recently, Toralf Lips.
Dresden-based IT evolution
Having started with a team of 45 in its early years, SHD now boasts 180 employees. The leadership has seen strategic changes by incorporating new managing directors over time; Marco Graef stepped in as managing director late in 2021 while Karow and Ambos have gradually stepped away from day-to-day management roles. Ambos stepped down in early 2023, and Toralf Lips joined the management team in September 2024. Karow eventually followed in departing from the board in early 2025, although he remains involved through SHD’s parent company, ITTC Group.
Focus on security and growth
Since 1998, SHD has maintained a robust collaboration with storage provider NetApp
Specialising in cybersecurity, SHD advises companies, hospitals, and public sectors on IT security, infrastructure, and cloud management. This commitment extends to participation in specialist forums, like the "KRITIS Roundtable," where practical security implementation, including EU NIS2 directive compliance, is discussed. SHD has also expanded its geographical footprint, launching branches in Hamburg and Berlin.
Since 1998, SHD has maintained a robust collaboration with storage provider NetApp, strengthened by the support of a dedicated manager. Ulrike Zacheiß took on this managerial role in late 2024, further cementing the collaboration. Meetings between SHD representatives, including directors Lips and Graef, and NetApp officials Henning Rahe, Martin Gross, and Sebastian Hausmann, underscore their shared commitment to leveraging market opportunities and fostering innovation.
Strategic objectives
Business Development Head and NetApp Alliance Manager, Udo Böhm, has overseen this partnership since its inception, ensuring alignment with NetApp technologies. "Our solution and service portfolio aligns with a large number of NetApp's top technology partners," stated Böhm. Zacheiß added, "This partner has excellent technical expertise and, with over 25 years, is one of the oldest NetApp business partners in Germany."
CEO Marco Graef highlighted plans to bolster growth in the SME sector alongside NetApp. Co-director Toralf Lips pointed to ongoing investments in employee training as a key aspect of SHD's success. “NetApp’s strategic focus on growth topics such as data security, compliance, hybrid services, and intelligent infrastructure is an excellent fit for us as a system integrator and guarantees further joint growth,” commented Böhm, highlighting the mutually beneficial nature of the partnership.
SHD (Systemhaus Dresden) has been operating as a systems integrator in Saxony and beyond since 1990. The two company founders have already handed over management to their successors.
Frank Karow and Falk Ambos studied information technology at the Technical University of Dresden – then still in East Germany – in the mid-1980s. When the Berlin Wall fell, they knew immediately that they wanted to become self-employed. As early as 1990, they founded Systemhaus Dresden GmbH (SHD), making SHD one of the first privately owned IT service providers in Saxony.
Dresden-based IT service provider
After ten years, the number of employees rose to 45; SHD now employs 180 people. At the end of 2021, Karow and Ambos promoted industrial engineer Marco Graef, who had been with SHD since 2018, to managing director. Ambos relinquished his position as managing director at SHD at the beginning of 2023, and since September 2024, Toralf Lips has been part of the management team of the Dresden-based IT service provider.
At the beginning of 2025, company founder Frank Karow also stepped down from the management board. However, as a member of the advisory board of SHD's parent company, the ITTC Group, he will remain connected to the Dresden-based IT service provider.
Implementing security regulations
Since its founding in 1990, SHD has developed into Saxony's leading cybersecurity specialist. The systems integrator now advises and supports private sector companies, hospitals, and public institutions on topics related to IT security, IT infrastructure, and cloud management.
Furthermore, the company is active in specialist forums and, for example, launched the "KRITIS Roundtable." There, hospitals nationwide share their experiences in implementing security regulations for critical infrastructure, such as the practical application of the EU NIS2 directive. And in the meantime, SHD has also established branches outside of Saxony: in Hamburg and Berlin.
Special business relationship
The Saxon systems integrator maintains a special business relationship with the storage provider NetApp, dating back to 1998. SHD is always supported by a dedicated NetApp manager. Ulrike Zacheiß took over this role in the fall of 2024.
Manufacturers and partners meet regularly in larger groups, as was the case at the end of April 2025 in Dresden. SHD's two managing directors, Toralf Lips and Marco Graef, participated in the on-site meeting – together with Udo Böhm, Head of Business Development and NetApp Alliance Manager at the IT service provider. NetApp sent Henning Rahe (Senior Director Partner Sales Germany), Ulrike Zacheiß (Partner Manager), Martin Gross (Manager Focus Partner Sales Germany), and Sebastian Hausmann (Senior Manager Solutions Engineering) to Dresden.
Capitalise on market opportunities
The discussion explored ways to jointly drive innovation, capitalise on market opportunities, and further develop the collaboration in a targeted manner. SHD manager Böhm has been responsible for the partnership with NetApp since 1998 and therefore knows very well what his customers expect from this provider: "Our solution and service portfolio aligns with a large number of NetApp's top technology partners," the manager stated.
NetApp's new partner manager, Zacheiß, is already looking forward to supporting SHD: "This partner has excellent technical expertise and, with over 25 years, is one of the oldest NetApp business partners in Germany."
Intelligent data infrastructure
“We have a strong traditional presence in the SME sector and are now pursuing the clear goal together with NetApp of consistently realising growth potential there – to the mutual benefit of both parties,” says SHD CEO Marco Graef .
His co-managing director, Toralf Lips, emphasises that through years of continuous investment in sales and technical training of their own employees – regarding NetApp products – they are now among the leading sales partners of the storage provider.
“NetApp’s strategic focus on growth topics such as data security, data compliance, hybrid cloud services and intelligent data infrastructure is an excellent fit for us as a system integrator and guarantees further joint growth,” adds SHD’s NetApp manager Böhm.
