CFOs, who often leverage technology to drive efficiency and cut costs, can be understandably frustrated when their costly, cloud-based data management systems have issues outside their control.
According to Extreme Networks’ 2025 State of Cloud Networking Report, finance leaders have recently been some of the loudest and most frustrated executives when it comes to the performance of their cloud computing networks when compared to other executives.
Though platformization — defined as an effort to consolidate networking, AI and security into a single integrated platform — and ROI are expected to rise in the long term, many CFOs are reporting that issues with their networks are hurting their financial performance. More than half (55%) said their operations have been stunted as a result of lackluster cloud computing performance.
Identifying the problem
Frustration from CFOs may be stemming from app sprawl, often referred to as app overload. Three-quarters of all executives surveyed said their cloud networks feature three applications or more. Eighty-five percent of that same group said they believe multiple tools have increased their security risks, an area where many CFOs are collaborating more frequently.
Surveyors called CFO expectations “lofty,” likely because their expectations are the highest among the C-suite. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of CFOs said they expect platform optimization to improve operational efficiency. Another 68% of CFOs provided more detail on those efficiencies, saying they expect platformization to result in better usability and integration.
These challenges have resulted in avoidable problems for finance teams. On top of network performance’s impact on financial operations, half (50%) said they are frustrated with their current network provider(s) and over a third (36%) of CFOs said they have difficulties getting clear network insights.
Expectations of improvement
Though the integration and maintenance process has been frustrating for a large portion of finance leaders, most have not lost confidence in cloud networking systems’ value to their businesses. The data suggests that CFOs are taking a two-front approach to integrating cloud networking systems: upskilling their staff accordingly and roadmapping ROI on the initiative.
Upskilling can be a major expense that some CFOs have said is worth every penny, but a small portion of executives surveyed here said budget constraints are the biggest hurdle. Ninety-three percent of all executives surveyed said they are investing in AI training for staff, particularly in IT. The small portion (7%) of those who aren’t training employees cite budget concerns as the cause.
Unsurprisingly, technology executives are a bit more confident about the quick ROI on investments in cloud networks. Eighty-eight percent of CIOs and CISOs said they expect to see ROI from cloud upgrades within two quarters, an idea that less than three quarters (70%) of chief operating officers, chief marketing officers and vice presidents of IT agreed with.
Data security is also an important initiative throughout the process. By having a system with built-in security, surveyors advise that CFOs, who are the most skeptical and have the highest expectations from these services, can increase peace of mind without increasing headcount or the size of their tech stack.
Though security incidents are still affecting over a third (36%) of organizations, this may be a way for finance leaders to alleviate some of the pressure around the risk associated with putting data, the finance team’s most valuable commodity, into a cloud server system.
The State of Cloud Networking 2025 report by Extreme Networks surveyed 200 C-level executives and VPs of IT. While it breaks down insights by role, including CFOs, the report does not indicate how many CFOs were included in the sample.
