SPT uses one iSeries system with three separate partitions to run a mixture of ERP and home-grown applications.

Outsourced to Kaz, the iSeries runs all of SPT's corporate systems, from manufacturing through to retail, and disaster recovery is achieved with real-time replication.

John Pap, chief information officer at SPT, told Computerworld Australia the iSeries, while very secure, needed to be taken to the next level to satisfy the compliance requirements of Goodyear.

"There's no question of the iSeries security, but Sarbanes-Oxley requires proof of security and reporting to prove to external auditors that nobody has gained inappropriate access," he said.

SPT therefore justified the investment in security solutions software from NetIQ which provides a "multifaceted approach" to restricting and tracking iSeries data and application access, according to the company.