Cloud computing provides organizations access to a vast array of virtual computing resources, along with ease of purchase. While both advantages are driving the high demand for cloud services, their combination can lead to the problem of cloud “creep”—purchasing more cloud services than you really need.

Cloud creep is becoming more and more of a challenge as organizations move into the cloud. With the cloud, any business area within an organization—not just IT—can easily identify and readily purchase cloud solutions to address its specific needs.

In addition, the virtual nature of the cloud makes it difficult to keep track of what you’ve actually purchased and the associated cost. Solutions not previously available internally can be purchased a la carte, leaving underutilized computing platforms chugging along indefinitely. When physical computing equipment is unloaded, unboxed and self-managed, what you’ve invested in and why is more apparent and easier to appreciate.

As more business areas get involved in IT purchasing and with the difficult challenge of keeping track of virtual purchases, cloud creep can set in. Your organization can end up buying far more than you need.

The overall impact of cloud creep is cost savings erosion. The cloud promises to reduce your IT costs as you share virtual resources among other organizations. However, while you might experience short-term savings based, for example, on a lower price per unit of service, cloud creep can and will erode your long-term savings.

Your total cost of ownership will be much higher than it should be because you’re buying more than you need. In this respect, the “elasticity” of the cloud, i.e., its ability to grow almost instantly on demand, can become both a technological blessing and an economical curse.

Cloud creep is something every organization needs to be aware of and address. And, it’s best to do so before you move into the cloud.

In preparing for the cloud, it’s critical to adopt a change management strategy that takes into account cloud creep. Who is involved in making IT purchase decisions within your organization, both in IT and in other areas? How are those decisions made and how should they be made post cloud?

What are your pre-cloud computing resource needs? How will the cloud increase or decrease them? Who will decide when to shut down equipment that is no longer needed? It’s important to define the “who, what, when, how and why” of IT purchasing before moving to a cloud model to avoid the problem of cloud creep.

It’s also important to establish a strong governance model to overcome cloud creep in your post-cloud environment. Such a model will ensure that cloud resources and spending are aligned on an ongoing basis with your business objectives and requirements.

By understanding the risk of cloud creep and its prevalence, and by adopting an effective change management and governance approach, you can ensure your organization benefits from both the short- and long-term cost savings the cloud affords, driving your overall cloud success.