althorlabs
Independent engineeringSamuel S
Washington, D.C. / Remote

I build the software around the model.

AI tools and workflow automation, from the first integration to the permissions, review steps, and operating docs your team needs.

Azure · Entra ID · Microsoft 365 · TypeScript · Python

01 / Selected work

What I’ve been building.

02 / An architecture example

What should a tool call be allowed to do?

Take an assistant looking after a document queue. Open each request to follow the decision. This is an illustrative policy design; it runs no tools and uses no live data.

Example service / document queueRequest → policy → result
01Read the queue statusAllowed
Request
queue.status for the assigned queue.
Policy
The caller has read access to this queue. Return counts and job state, excluding document contents.
Result
Return the permitted fields and record who requested them. No service state changes.

Permission to observe a queue does not grant permission to change it.

02Retry a failed jobApproval required
Request
queue.retry for one failed job.
Policy
Create a proposal containing the job ID and current version. A reviewer must approve that exact action.
Result
Recheck permissions and job state before execution. If either changed, the approval cannot be reused. Record the observed outcome.

A timeout leaves the outcome unknown. Check the job before attempting another retry.

03Export another team’s documentsDenied
Request
documents.export outside the caller’s assigned queue.
Policy
The caller does not have access to the target documents. Stop before requesting their contents.
Result
Return an access error and record the denied request. Model confidence does not change the caller’s permissions.

An approval workflow cannot create access the reviewer is not authorized to grant.

Read the note on MCP tool boundaries
03 / Working together

Bring me the part that’s stuck.

I work directly with the team responsible for the system. We agree on the scope and deliverables before work starts.

Review an existing system

Trace an authentication problem, examine a tool boundary, or work through a retrieval pipeline. Get a written set of findings and proposed changes.

Review packages and prices →

Build an integration

Connect a model to business data and workflows, including permissions, failure handling, and the documentation needed to maintain it.

Discuss the scope →

Work with your engineers

Ongoing design and code review for a team that wants another experienced engineer involved in the decisions.

Discuss ongoing support →
04 / Lab notes

The decisions behind the code.

All notes → / Download the security review checklist →

05 / About

Samuel, behind Althor Labs.

I’m a solutions architect and software engineer in the Washington, D.C. area. My client work centers on Azure, Entra ID, Microsoft 365, and Power Platform, alongside TypeScript and Python.

I also build and operate my own systems. Spire is where I work through infrastructure problems that need sustained attention: service visibility, access control, and recovery when an action’s result is uncertain.

Find me on GitHub ↗

Have something in mind?

What are you trying to build?

Send the current setup, the part that is stuck, and any deadline. A rough description is enough.