CA World 2011: Q&A: Russ Artzt, CA co-founder

This [the centre] is talking to customers and also experiencing it ourselves. We all play with the cloud a lot and using open source and the familiar Apple model, such as the App Store and all that. It's a very different model to the client/server model. It needs to scale well. It presents some new challenges like security that have to be dealt with.

It's about getting them [customers] involved with how it works and expected outcomes. IT's still too complicated. So it's a journey our customers and partners are on [to try and simplify that experience].

Things in the cloud are not so clear cut. They also need to find what pace they need to go at. The more help we can provide the better.

Cloud computing will clearly be a big focus for CA going forward. What else can we expect from you?

Our partners and customers are all looking for a way of moving to the cloud without impacting on their existing business and systems. Companies need help and direction on this journey.

Cloud is definitely an enormous focus for us going forward. We're looking to make the journey to the cloud easier for customers so that will be a focus [at the innovation centre and] for company as a whole. We'll continue to deliver new cloud products and support, in addition to our legacy products.

Customers are going to need help. Things in the cloud are not so clear cut. They also need to find what pace they need to go at. The more help we can provide the better.

Companies expect solutions to help them manage devices such as smartphones and smart tablets. This new technology is proliferating.

In the future people will have small appliances that won't have applications on them or storage. It will all be browser based and virtual.

Look at what Steve Jobs and Apple have created. They have put a lot of effort into user [focused] design. A lot of businesses are replacing their PCs with Apple desktops. It's because it's so much easier. IT is still too complicated. You have to be technical to achieve what you want to. Customers start expecting this [level of simplicity and usability].