Melbourne's Exhibition and Convention Centre has implemented a system to monitor database activity following a state government security audit.

As one of the world’s largest users of an event business management system, a specialist database application developed for large event facilities, the exhibition centre is reliant on the millions of records contained within the database.

The centre's IT manager Phillip Noble described the lack of database monitoring as a "bad work practice".

The previous system was manual, he said, but the audit identified the need to have real-time monitoring in place that is operational 24x7.

"We have more than a million service orders contained within the system. As each one relates to essential transactions that translate into millions of dollars, it’s crucial that these remain in a secure environment and we can track what’s coming in and going out," Noble said.

As a result Net IQ Security Manager was implemented and was chosen mainly because, with other Net IQ products already in place, the centre could avoid staff retraining.

Noble said the solution centralises the management of security products on a single console, monitors activity and responds to suspicious activity.

The software also has an audit reporting feature and ensures there is compliance across all security tools.

"For example, I am alerted if there is a non-compliant firewall or antivirus is outdated," he said.

David Taylor, CEO of NetIQ Australia and New Zealand, said the implementation met the government's statutory requirements.

"Detection times for security breaches are reduced and policy violations can be monitored; it has also eliminated the need for in-house IT security expertise," Taylor said.