Ultimately, this poses an even greater long-term danger than the current short-term risks that cloud sprawl presents.

FORBES: The Cloud: IT Execs See Huge Opportunities, And Serious Risks

This has led to a relatively new form of IT sprawl: cloud sprawl.

FORBES: The Cloud Hits the Mainstream: More than Half of U.S. Businesses Now Use Cloud Computing

Fortunately, there are steps that companies can take to manage cloud sprawl without sacrificing the opportunities that public cloud services can deliver.

FORBES: The Cloud: IT Execs See Huge Opportunities, And Serious Risks