|
Forecast
Period
|
2026-2030
|
|
Market
Size (2024)
|
USD
1.21 Billion
|
|
Market
Size (2030)
|
USD
3.08 Billion
|
|
CAGR
(2025-2030)
|
16.85%
|
|
Fastest
Growing Segment
|
BFSI
|
|
Largest
Market
|
North
America
|
Market Overview
The Global Cloud
Discovery Market was
valued at USD 1.21 Billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 3.08 Billion by
2030 with a CAGR of 16.85% through 2030. Global Cloud Discovery refers to the process and
tools used to identify, map, and monitor all cloud-based assets, applications,
and services within an organization’s IT environment.
This includes uncovering hidden or unauthorized
cloud usage, often referred to as “shadow IT.” Cloud discovery solutions
provide visibility into both public and private cloud services, enabling
organizations to ensure compliance, manage costs, and strengthen security
postures. These tools automatically scan cloud networks to detect workloads,
configurations, and data flows, giving IT teams a complete picture of their
cloud ecosystem.
The market for cloud discovery is witnessing rapid
growth due to the widespread adoption of multi-cloud and hybrid cloud
strategies. As businesses increasingly migrate operations to the cloud,
managing and securing a complex array of cloud assets becomes a challenge.
Organizations need effective ways to monitor cloud activity, avoid compliance
risks, and detect vulnerabilities. Cloud discovery tools address this need by
offering real-time insights, automated reporting, and integration with broader
cloud security and governance platforms. Additionally, regulatory requirements
such as GDPR, HIPAA, and ISO standards are pushing companies to implement
technologies that ensure cloud visibility and control.
The cloud discovery market is expected to expand
significantly, driven by trends like digital transformation, remote work, and
the rise in SaaS usage across enterprises. The increasing frequency of data
breaches and misconfigured cloud resources is also prompting companies to
invest in discovery and visibility tools. Technological advancements such as AI
and machine learning are being incorporated into cloud discovery platforms to
enhance predictive analytics and threat detection capabilities. As a result, vendors
in this space are likely to offer more scalable, intelligent solutions that can
adapt to dynamic cloud environments. With the growing need for centralized
visibility, risk management, and policy enforcement, the Global Cloud Discovery
Market will continue to attract significant investment from enterprises across
industries.
Key Market Drivers
Surge in Multi-Cloud and Hybrid Cloud Deployments
Enterprises around the world are rapidly adopting
multi-cloud and hybrid cloud strategies to enhance operational flexibility,
reduce dependency on single vendors, and improve cost optimization. However, as
organizations distribute their workloads across different cloud
platforms—public, private, and on-premises—the complexity of managing these
environments grows exponentially. This creates a pressing need for centralized
tools that can provide comprehensive visibility across all cloud resources.
Cloud discovery platforms serve this exact purpose by offering real-time
mapping, monitoring, and analysis of distributed cloud assets. They assist in
identifying unauthorized usage, inefficient configurations, and potential
security vulnerabilities.
The Global Cloud Discovery Market is significantly
influenced by this paradigm shift, as businesses seek to gain tighter control
over increasingly fragmented cloud infrastructures. Visibility gaps across
multiple environments can lead to compliance violations, shadow information
technology risks, and performance inefficiencies. Cloud discovery tools ensure
operational integrity by continuously scanning for new services, ensuring
compliance with internal policies, and automatically detecting changes in configurations
or data flows. As more organizations integrate workloads across Amazon Web
Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and private platforms, demand for
robust cloud discovery solutions is set to escalate. A 2024 survey
conducted by Flexera highlighted that 89 percent of global enterprises have
implemented a multi-cloud strategy, and 80 percent operate within a hybrid
cloud environment. This widespread adoption underscores the increasing
complexity of cloud ecosystems, necessitating robust discovery tools to
maintain visibility, ensure compliance, and optimize resource allocation across
platforms.
Heightened Cloud Security and Compliance
Requirements
The increasing reliance on cloud infrastructure has
exposed enterprises to new types of cyber threats and compliance risks.
Misconfigured resources, unsecured endpoints, and shadow information technology
activities can open doors to unauthorized access, data leaks, and regulatory
violations. As governments and industry bodies implement stricter compliance
frameworks such as the General Data Protection Regulation, Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act, and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard,
organizations are under pressure to ensure full visibility into their cloud
environments. Cloud discovery tools play a pivotal role in achieving this
visibility, offering automated compliance mapping and real-time alerts for
policy deviations.
From a business continuity and reputational
standpoint, data breaches caused by cloud mismanagement can have catastrophic
consequences. In response, companies are ramping up investments in
security-first cloud architecture, with discovery platforms forming a
foundational element. These tools not only detect rogue applications and shadow
accounts but also provide audit trails and historical activity logs that are
crucial for forensic investigations and regulatory audits. As the compliance
landscape becomes more complex, particularly in highly regulated sectors such
as finance and healthcare, cloud discovery will remain a mission-critical
component of any enterprise cloud security strategy. IBM’s 2023 “Cost of a Data Breach” report revealed
that 82 percent of breaches involving cloud environments stemmed from
misconfigured resources. This statistic demonstrates the critical need for
cloud discovery tools, which help organizations proactively identify
configuration flaws and maintain regulatory compliance across expanding cloud
infrastructure landscapes.
Real-Time Visibility and Optimization of Cloud
Costs
As cloud infrastructure scales, so do the
associated operational costs, often spiraling due to underused resources, idle
services, or redundant applications. Enterprises are becoming increasingly
cost-conscious in their cloud investments, aiming to optimize expenditures
without compromising on performance or scalability. Cloud discovery tools offer
granular visibility into resource utilization, identifying areas of
inefficiency and providing actionable insights to streamline cloud spending.
This cost intelligence is essential for Chief Information Officers and Chief
Financial Officers who are held accountable for optimizing cloud budgets in
dynamic business environments. Amazon
Web Services internal analysis revealed that up to 35 percent of cloud
expenditures are wasted due to over-provisioned or idle resources. This
inefficiency has prompted organizations to adopt cloud discovery tools, which
enable real-time monitoring, cost analytics, and proactive measures to
right-size resources and reduce financial waste.
More than just a cost-control tool, real-time cloud
discovery supports continuous cloud governance by aligning spending with
strategic objectives. Through dynamic reporting and usage-based analytics,
organizations can forecast expenses, allocate budgets more effectively, and
enforce policy-based cost controls. Discovery platforms also support
rightsizing and workload balancing, ensuring that every dollar spent on cloud
services delivers maximum business value. As cloud services move from a capital
to an operational expenditure model, visibility into ongoing costs becomes
indispensable, making cloud discovery solutions a necessity.
Acceleration of Digital Transformation and Remote
Work Models
The global acceleration of digital transformation
initiatives—fueled by evolving customer expectations, market disruption, and
competitive pressure—has led to massive adoption of cloud-native technologies.
Enterprises are embracing digital-first strategies that depend heavily on
scalable, agile, and decentralized cloud environments. In parallel, the
normalization of remote and hybrid work models post-2020 has further
intensified the complexity of enterprise information technology landscapes.
Cloud discovery tools provide the visibility and control required to manage
this sprawling digital infrastructure, particularly when employees access
resources from outside traditional network perimeters. According to a 2024 report by GitLab, 86 percent of
companies globally have adopted fully or partially remote work models. This
shift has amplified the need for cloud discovery platforms that ensure secure,
compliant access to cloud-based tools and services, while maintaining
centralized oversight of increasingly distributed digital environments.
This shift has turned cloud visibility from a
luxury into a necessity. Distributed teams often utilize unauthorized tools and
services to enhance productivity, but without centralized oversight, such
actions introduce risk and inefficiency. Cloud discovery platforms help detect
these usage patterns in real-time, ensuring that remote access remains secure,
compliant, and aligned with organizational objectives. Additionally, with
companies increasingly moving mission-critical workloads to the cloud to support
24/7 availability, the role of discovery in ensuring resilience and
responsiveness becomes even more vital.
Download Free Sample Report
Key Market Challenges
Complexity and Fragmentation of Modern Cloud
Environments
The ever-evolving structure of modern enterprise
cloud infrastructure poses a significant challenge to the Global Cloud
Discovery Market. As organizations increasingly adopt diverse cloud
configurations—ranging from public cloud to private cloud, and hybrid
multi-cloud environments—the ability to gain a unified, accurate view of all
cloud assets becomes exceedingly complex. Each cloud service provider operates
with distinct architecture, access protocols, tagging systems, and visibility
tools. This results in an environment where cloud resources are not only
distributed across different platforms but also structured in varying, often
incompatible formats. Consequently, cloud discovery solutions must integrate
with multiple vendor ecosystems while accounting for differences in security
policies, metadata frameworks, and application interfaces. In such a landscape,
achieving seamless interoperability is not a trivial task and significantly
elevates the technical burden on discovery platforms.
Further complicating this challenge is the
proliferation of ephemeral resources, containerized workloads, serverless
computing, and infrastructure as code—technologies that are increasingly
prevalent in modern digital transformation strategies. These resources are
dynamic by nature, spinning up and down within minutes or seconds, making
traditional asset discovery methods obsolete. Discovery tools must therefore
evolve to support real-time monitoring and incorporate advanced technologies
such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to keep pace with these
transient computing models. Failing to do so leaves organizations exposed to
security vulnerabilities, misconfiguration risks, and compliance blind spots.
In addition, the volume and velocity of data generated by such complex cloud
systems can overwhelm discovery engines, resulting in inaccurate inventories
and visibility gaps. This operational complexity creates a barrier to
widespread adoption of cloud discovery solutions, especially among organizations
that lack specialized expertise or resources to manage sophisticated
multi-cloud landscapes effectively.
Data Privacy, Sovereignty, and Regulatory
Constraints
One of the most pressing and often underestimated
challenges for the Global Cloud Discovery Market is navigating the complex web
of data privacy, sovereignty, and regional regulatory requirements. Different
countries and jurisdictions have enacted a variety of laws governing how data
is collected, processed, and transferred—particularly when cloud services span
across borders. For example, regulations such as the European Union’s General
Data Protection Regulation, China’s Cybersecurity Law, and India’s Personal
Data Protection Bill impose strict requirements on data localization, user
consent, and cross-border data sharing. Cloud discovery platforms, by design,
require broad access to organizational cloud data in order to scan, map, and
monitor resources. This level of access can trigger compliance risks if not
managed appropriately. The mere act of discovering and cataloging data stored
in certain jurisdictions may violate local laws if data is transmitted or
analyzed outside of approved regions.
Compounding this challenge is the growing trend of
regulatory fragmentation, where national governments are increasingly enforcing
localized versions of data governance policies. This has led to a landscape
where multinational corporations must comply with multiple, sometimes
conflicting, legal frameworks. Cloud discovery solution providers are therefore
under pressure to architect their platforms in a way that respects data
residency laws while still offering comprehensive visibility. This necessitates
costly infrastructure investments such as regional data centers, localized data
processing capabilities, and advanced encryption technologies to ensure lawful
access and storage. Additionally, organizations may be reluctant to deploy
third-party cloud discovery tools due to concerns over data exposure, vendor
trustworthiness, and control over sensitive information. As concerns about
surveillance, data misuse, and digital sovereignty intensify, customer
hesitation can slow the adoption of cloud discovery technologies and limit
market expansion, particularly in highly regulated sectors such as financial
services, healthcare, and government operations.
Key Market Trends
Integration of Artificial Intelligence and Machine
Learning in Cloud Discovery
One of the most transformative trends in the Global
Cloud Discovery Market is the integration of artificial intelligence and
machine learning into discovery platforms. As cloud environments become more
dynamic and complex, traditional rule-based discovery methods struggle to
maintain pace. Artificial intelligence-driven systems offer intelligent pattern
recognition, anomaly detection, and predictive analytics, enabling
organizations to identify hidden or unauthorized cloud assets in real time.
These technologies enhance the accuracy and efficiency of discovery processes,
reducing manual intervention and lowering operational risks. They can also
learn from historical behavior to automatically classify workloads, flag
unusual access, and suggest remediation measures proactively.
The evolution toward self-learning discovery
platforms is particularly valuable in large, distributed enterprises where
thousands of cloud services may be provisioned across regions and departments.
Machine learning models can sift through enormous volumes of data to highlight
misconfigurations, duplicate resources, and non-compliant usage patterns. By
continuously optimizing and adapting based on usage trends, these intelligent
systems not only improve visibility but also contribute to smarter governance and
cost control. As regulatory environments become more complex, artificial
intelligence and machine learning will remain integral to delivering scalable,
adaptive, and secure cloud discovery capabilities.
Convergence of Cloud Discovery with Security and
Compliance Tools
Another major trend influencing the Global Cloud
Discovery Market is the convergence of discovery functionalities with cloud
security and compliance platforms. Enterprises are increasingly seeking unified
solutions that provide both asset visibility and actionable governance
features. Instead of deploying separate tools for security monitoring,
compliance auditing, and asset discovery, organizations now prefer integrated
platforms that streamline these functions into a centralized dashboard. This
convergence enhances operational efficiency, simplifies reporting, and ensures
consistent policy enforcement across all cloud environments.
As cyber threats and compliance mandates grow more
stringent, the demand for holistic platforms continues to rise. Cloud discovery
tools are being bundled with compliance management frameworks, vulnerability
assessment tools, and identity access governance systems. These unified
solutions allow security and information technology teams to collaborate
effectively, ensuring that every discovered resource is automatically assessed
for compliance and protected from potential risks. This integrated approach not
only strengthens security postures but also reduces the total cost of ownership
and vendor management complexity for organizations adopting enterprise-grade
cloud operations.
Growing Emphasis on Shadow Information Technology
Detection and Control
The rapid proliferation of unauthorized or
unmonitored cloud applications—commonly referred to as shadow information
technology—has become a central concern for enterprises. As departments
independently adopt Software-as-a-Service applications or cloud platforms
without involving central information technology teams, visibility gaps are
created. This has driven a significant trend in the Global Cloud Discovery
Market: the prioritization of shadow information technology detection and
governance. Discovery tools are evolving to automatically identify unsanctioned
cloud services and quantify their risk based on usage patterns, access
controls, and data handling practices.
Organizations are responding by implementing
stricter policies and deploying advanced discovery tools that integrate with
network traffic analysis, single sign-on systems, and expense management
software to detect shadow activity. These platforms also provide remediation
options, such as disabling unapproved accounts or flagging risky vendors. By
actively addressing shadow information technology, enterprises can avoid
compliance breaches, prevent data loss, and reduce unnecessary expenditure. As
the trend of decentralized decision-making continues, the need for
comprehensive shadow information technology visibility will remain a top
priority in enterprise cloud strategies.
Segmental Insights
Component Insights
In 2024, the Solution segment
emerged as the dominant component within the Global Cloud Discovery Market.
This segment includes the core software platforms and automated tools designed
to discover, map, and monitor cloud-based assets across public, private, and
hybrid infrastructures. The demand for real-time visibility into cloud
resources, compliance assurance, and automated inventory tracking has
significantly boosted the adoption of standalone cloud discovery solutions.
Enterprises across industries are increasingly prioritizing cloud governance,
asset optimization, and risk mitigation—objectives that are primarily addressed
through advanced discovery platforms. As a result, solution offerings accounted
for the largest revenue share in the market.
One of the primary drivers
for the dominance of the solution segment is the growing complexity of
multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments. Organizations require scalable and
intelligent software tools that can continuously identify cloud instances, services,
and workloads—many of which are ephemeral and transient. Furthermore, the
integration of features such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and
real-time analytics within these solutions has increased their value
proposition. Businesses are also investing in cloud discovery software to
comply with rising regulatory pressures and to reduce instances of shadow
information technology, which can only be effectively managed through
sophisticated technological platforms.
The solution segment is
expected to maintain its leadership position throughout the forecast period.
This sustained dominance is supported by continuous product innovation,
expanding use cases across sectors such as financial services, healthcare, and
manufacturing, and increasing cloud dependency among mid-sized and large
enterprises. While services—including consulting, integration, and
support—remain critical to enabling effective solution deployment, it is the
software tools themselves that form the foundation of strategic cloud
visibility and governance initiatives. As cloud ecosystems grow in scale and
complexity, the need for robust, automated cloud discovery solutions will
continue to outpace the demand for standalone services.
Organization Size Insights
In 2024, the large
enterprise segment dominated the Global Cloud Discovery Market and is expected
to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. Large enterprises
typically operate complex multi-cloud and hybrid environments, requiring
advanced cloud discovery solutions to ensure visibility, compliance, and
security across diverse infrastructures. These organizations have greater
financial resources and technical expertise, enabling them to invest in
comprehensive discovery platforms that integrate with broader cloud management
and governance frameworks. Additionally, the rising emphasis on regulatory
compliance, risk management, and operational efficiency among global
corporations continues to drive sustained adoption. As digital transformation
accelerates and cloud environments expand, large enterprises will remain the
primary contributors to market growth in this segment.
Download Free Sample Report
Regional Insights
Largest Region
In 2024, North America firmly established itself as
the leading region in the Global Cloud Discovery Market, driven by its advanced
technological infrastructure, high cloud adoption rates, and strong presence of
major cloud service providers. The region is home to some of the world’s
largest enterprises, many of which operate complex multi-cloud and hybrid
environments that demand robust cloud discovery solutions to ensure visibility,
security, and compliance. The United States, in particular, has demonstrated
significant investment in cloud-native technologies, artificial intelligence,
and cybersecurity—all of which align closely with the growing need for
comprehensive cloud discovery tools.
The regulatory environment in North America
continues to evolve, prompting organizations to adopt cloud discovery platforms
that help manage compliance with data protection and privacy mandates. The
strong presence of leading technology vendors, coupled with aggressive digital
transformation initiatives across sectors such as finance, healthcare, and
government, further reinforces the region’s dominance. Additionally, the
prevalence of remote and hybrid work models in North America continues to fuel
the demand for continuous monitoring and real-time visibility, making the
region a sustained leader in the global cloud discovery landscape.
Emerging Region
In 2024, South America rapidly emerged as a
high-potential growth region in the Global Cloud Discovery Market, fueled by
accelerating digital transformation and increasing cloud adoption across key
economies such as Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia. Organizations in the region
are embracing cloud-based infrastructures to enhance operational efficiency,
agility, and data-driven decision-making. This shift has created a growing need
for cloud discovery solutions that provide visibility, security, and compliance
across expanding cloud environments. Additionally, government support for
digital initiatives and the rising presence of international cloud providers
have contributed to market expansion. As awareness and investment grow, South
America is positioned as a promising frontier for cloud discovery adoption.
Recent Developments
- In March 2025, Google Cloud announced its
acquisition of Wiz, a prominent cloud security platform, for USD 32 billion marking
the largest acquisition in the company's history. Wiz is known for its
agentless, multi-cloud visibility and real-time risk detection capabilities.
This strategic move significantly strengthens Google Cloud’s security and cloud
discovery offerings, positioning it more competitively against major industry
players such as Microsoft and Amazon Web Services.
- In March 2025, ServiceNow announced a definitive
agreement to acquire Moveworks, a leading AI assistant and enterprise search
provider. This acquisition will integrate Moveworks’ intuitive AI experiences
with ServiceNow’s agentic AI and automation capabilities, enhancing employee
engagement and productivity. The move strengthens ServiceNow’s platform for
enterprise-wide AI adoption, streamlining workflows and redefining the user
experience across customer service, employee operations, and enterprise search with
seamless, AI-driven interactions.
- In April 2024, BMC Software announced the
acquisition of Netreo, a provider of network and application observability
solutions. This strategic acquisition enhances the BMC Helix platform by
integrating full-stack performance monitoring capabilities. It also extends
BMC’s cloud and container discovery functionalities, enabling more advanced,
AIOps-driven workflows and delivering deeper operational insights across hybrid
and multi-cloud environments.
Key Market
Players
- Amazon.com,
Inc.
- Google
LLC
- McAfee,
LLC
- ServiceNow,
Inc.
- Cisco
Systems, Inc.
- IBM
Corporation
- Microsoft
Corporation
- BMC
Software, Inc.
|
By Component
|
By Organization Size
|
By End Use
|
By Region
|
|
|
|
- BFSI
- IT & Telecom
- Government
- Retail & Ecommerce
- Healthcare
- Education
- Others
|
- North America
- Europe
- Asia
Pacific
- South
America
- Middle East & Africa
|
Report Scope:
In this report, the Global Cloud Discovery Market
has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry
trends which have also been detailed below:
- Cloud Discovery Market, By
Component:
o Solution
o Services
- Cloud Discovery Market, By
Organization Size:
o Large Enterprise
o SMEs
- Cloud Discovery Market, By
End Use:
o BFSI
o IT & Telecom
o Government
o Retail & Ecommerce
o Healthcare
o Education
o Others
- Cloud Discovery Market, By Region:
o North America
§ United States
§ Canada
§ Mexico
o Europe
§ Germany
§ France
§ United Kingdom
§ Italy
§ Spain
o Asia Pacific
§ China
§ India
§ Japan
§ South Korea
§ Australia
o Middle East & Africa
§ Saudi Arabia
§ UAE
§ South Africa
o South America
§ Brazil
§ Colombia
§ Argentina
Competitive Landscape
Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Cloud
Discovery Market.
Available Customizations:
Global Cloud Discovery Market report with
the given market data, TechSci Research offers customizations according to a
company's specific needs. The following customization options are available for
the report:
Company Information
- Detailed analysis and profiling of additional
market players (up to five).
Global Cloud Discovery Market is an upcoming report
to be released soon. If you wish an early delivery of this report or want to
confirm the date of release, please contact us at [email protected]