Balance Sheet Components - Carrying Amount of Goodwill by Geographical Regions (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, Beginning	$ 2,986,064	$ 1,063,200
Asset held for sale adjustments		1,605
Impact of foreign currency exchange	166,443	(343,143)
Balance, Ending	4,411,762	2,986,064
Reportable geographical components \| Americas
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, Beginning	469,438	460,203
Impact of foreign currency exchange	(3,188)	9,235
Balance, Ending	1,561,512	469,438
Reportable geographical components \| EMEA
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, Beginning	2,281,306	374,070
Asset held for sale adjustments		1,605
Impact of foreign currency exchange	165,600	(358,771)
Balance, Ending	2,610,899	2,281,306
Reportable geographical components \| Asia-Pacific
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, Beginning	235,320	228,927
Impact of foreign currency exchange	4,031	6,393
Balance, Ending	239,351	235,320
Telecity Group plc
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting adjustments		2,215,567
Telecity Group plc \| Reportable geographical components \| EMEA
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting adjustments		2,215,567
Digital Realty
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting adjustments		48,835
Digital Realty \| Reportable geographical components \| EMEA
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting adjustments		$ 48,835
Verizon
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting adjustments	1,095,262
Verizon \| Reportable geographical components \| Americas
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting adjustments	1,095,262
Itconic, Zenium and IO
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting adjustments	163,993
Itconic, Zenium and IO \| Reportable geographical components \| EMEA
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Purchase accounting adjustments	$ 163,993

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77989000&loc=SL49117168-202975

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Amount of increase (decrease) from adjustments after acquisition date under purchase accounting of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 16
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84229725&loc=d3e961-128460

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

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Amount of transfers into (out of) an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

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Amount of increase (decrease) from foreign currency translation adjustments and purchase accounting adjustments of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 16
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84229725&loc=d3e961-128460

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
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-Section 50
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

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