We all fell in love with the cloud. It promised flexibility, speed, and cost savings. And to be fair, it has delivered those things on the most part. But somewhere along the line, something crept in under the radar: cloud sprawl. 

Cloud sprawl is when cloud usage grows faster than an organisation’s ability to manage it. Unused resources pile up, duplicated tools appear across departments, and costs quietly spiral out of control. If left unchecked, cloud sprawl can lead to ballooning budgets, increased risk, and fragmented infrastructure. 

In this article, we’ll explain how to spot the signs, share simple ways to bring your cloud estate back under control, and explore how hybrid IT can help prevent cloud sprawl for good. 

What is cloud sprawl?

Cloud sprawl happens when an organisation’s cloud services and applications expand without proper visibility, management, or strategic oversight. This typically stems from decentralised decisions, lack of governance, or fast growth without a defined cloud strategy. 

It affects everything from public cloud infrastructure (IaaS) to SaaS apps and even shadow IT – where departments procure tools without involving central IT teams. 

Signs you might be suffering from cloud sprawl

If you’re not sure whether cloud sprawl is creeping into your business, here are some common red flags: 

• You don’t have a clear inventory of all cloud services in use. 

• Cloud bills keep rising, but usage metrics don’t explain the cost. 

• You’re paying for idle or underused cloud infrastructure. 

• Different teams use similar or overlapping tools (e.g., multiple file-sharing or collaboration apps). 

• Your IT team struggles to monitor or secure all cloud platforms consistently. 

Spotting these issues early is key to reducing cloud waste and tightening IT governance. 

How to prevent cloud sprawl: governance and consolidation

Cloud sprawl prevention doesn’t require a complete IT overhaul – but it does demand clearer oversight and smarter consolidation. Here’s how you can start regaining control: 

1. Conduct a cloud inventory
   Audit your current cloud landscape. Which apps and services are active? Who owns them? What value are they delivering?
2. Establish cloud governance policies
   Set clear rules for cloud procurement, usage, and approval. Define who can spin up resources, and under what conditions.
3. Consolidate and standardise
   Where teams are using similar tools, standardise on one. For example, consolidate file-sharing platforms or collaboration tools across departments.
4. Implement monitoring and alerts
   Use cloud management tools to monitor spend, detect idle resources, and track usage trends. Set automated alerts to flag anomalies.
5. Educate and align your teams
   Most cloud sprawl happens with good intentions. Equip your teams with guidance on approved tools and platforms to reduce shadow IT.

Where hybrid it helps control cloud sprawl

One of the smartest ways to reduce cloud sprawl is not to rely on public cloud for everything. 

Hybrid IT lets you blend cloud and on-premises infrastructure – so you run the right workloads in the right place, with better visibility and control. Here’s how hybrid environments support cloud sprawl management: 

• Run predictable workloads on-prem to reduce ongoing cloud costs. 

• Keep sensitive or regulated data in private cloud or on-site to avoid compliance risks. 

• Use public cloud only where it adds real agility – like for seasonal spikes or innovation projects. 

• Centralise monitoring and security across environments for better governance. 

With the right hybrid architecture, you can avoid overreliance on cloud platforms, streamline resources, and scale strategically – without waste or surprise bills. 

Stop cloud sprawl before it costs you more

Cloud sprawl isn’t just a technical issue – it’s a business risk. Unchecked, it leads to higher costs, security vulnerabilities, and inefficient operations. 

At the 848 Group, we help UK businesses take back control of their IT estates. Whether you’re already facing cloud sprawl or want to prevent it from creeping in, we’ll help you design a hybrid IT environment that’s cost-efficient, secure, and built for long-term growth. 

With deep expertise across public cloud, private infrastructure, and hybrid architectures, we’re the partner you need to get clarity, control, and value from your IT. 

Let’s turn your cloud from cluttered to controlled. 

Talk to our hybrid IT experts today.