Why Australian banks must invest in secure and reliable databases
Australia's financial sector is in the midst significant transformation as customers expect banking to feel as intuitive and immediate as using a smartphone. Australian's now complete more than 500 million mobile wallet payments each month, and every tap, transfer and approval carries an expectation of speed, accuracy and security. In an era of instant everything, even a brief pause feels outdated.
Data lies at the heart of these expectations, and the databases that store, secure and serve that data have become critical infrastructure for every bank. It is the most valuable asset to manage. Yet insights from the SolarWinds 2025 State of the DBA Report show that 44% of database administrators (DBAs) across ANZ are contemplating leaving their role, due to rising complexity and unclear expectations. Many spend 27% of their weekly hours putting out fires, leading to burnout and greater risk of mistakes.
When the teams responsible for core banking data are stretched this thin, the likelihood of outages, performance issues and security gaps rise sharply. With tighter regulation, rapid fintech competition and customers who expect uninterrupted services around the clock, secure and reliable databases are no longer just back-office infrastructure. They are the foundation of long-term growth, regulatory compliance and customer trust.
Below are three reasons banks must prioritise this investment in secure, reliable databases now.
Stay ahead of regulations and build trust
Australia's privacy laws are tightening under the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024. Similar to Europe's GDPR, the reforms demand a stronger standard for how organisations gather, use and protect personal data.
The regulatory shift comes at a time when DBAs are already overwhelmed. With 75% experiencing alert fatigue and nearly half describing its impact as severe. As banks juggle more complex, hybrid environments, maintaining governance and consistent audit processes is no longer a bonus, but essential.
Customers notice the difference, too. A single error or misstep can fracture trust, and in banking, trust is the foundation of everything. Modern database platforms are changing the equation by embedding core protections into the infrastructure itself. Built-in encryption, ongoing audit trails, and real-time monitoring help detect and resolve problems before they become breaches. For banks, this infrastructure is more than technology; it is a safety net and a visible commitment to customers that their privacy is taken seriously.
Deliver real-time banking without failures
Banking today is instant and continuous. Customers check balances during the morning commute, move money between accounts in seconds and authorise payments through third-party apps at all hours. Reliability has become the baseline expectation, not a differentiator.
Despite the digital progress, many banks continue to rely on decades-old infrastructure that can't keep up with today's scale and speed, leading to delays, declined payments, and mounting customer frustration that slowly erodes trust.
The DBA report highlights that AI-driven tools are already delivering real benefits as 62% of teams can diagnose performance issues faster, 60% see more reliable execution of routine tasks, 54% spend less time on repetitive manual work, and 53% are freed to focus on higher-value improvements. For banks aiming to deliver seamless, real-time digital experiences, these gains translate into more stable systems, quicker issue resolution and a stronger foundation for innovation.
When database performance and reliability are continuously optimised, banks are better positioned to support new services, from embedded finance and open banking to advanced analytics and AI-driven personalisation.
Prevent downtime and protect business continuity
In banking every second matters. Downtime can be potentially damaging, even a brief outage can interrupt major transactions, blocking customer access and disrupting critical operations. Gartner estimates the average cost of downtime at $5,600 per minute, not taking into account the reputational damage that can linger far longer.
The pressures highlighted in the DBA Report show why banks must act now. By providing unified tools, AI-driven support and ongoing training, DBAs can move from putting out fires to actively strengthening the reliability of their systems.
Many banks are embracing observability-driven database platforms that provide real-time insight into system health. Combined with reliable disaster recovery plans and redundancy strategies, modern database systems ensure that banking remains resilient and trust stays intact.
Databases: the backbone of banking's future
Australia's banking sector is at a turning point. As regulations tighten, customer expectations rise and digital innovation gains momentum, databases are becoming the factor in whether banks can meet expectations.
Databases keep institutions compliant, enable instant services, and support seamless operations. But this backbone is only as strong as the people and systems that support it. The DBA Report makes clear both the strain these teams are under and the opportunities banks have to better equip them.
Banks that embrace unified observability, AI-driven automation and ongoing skills development for their DBAs aren't just keeping pace with evolving expectations, but are leading and shaping a future for Australian banking that is resilient, responsive and grounded on trust.
