Debt Of The Operating Partnership (Summary Of Outstanding Indebtedness Of The Operating Partnership - Unsecured Term Loan) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012 Unsecured Term Loan [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]		Sep. 30, 2012 Unsecured Term Loan [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 SGD [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 SGD [Member] Unsecured Term Loan [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]		Sep. 30, 2012 GBP [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 GBP [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 GBP [Member] Unsecured Term Loan [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]		Sep. 30, 2012 EUR [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 EUR [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 EUR [Member] Unsecured Term Loan [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]		Sep. 30, 2012 AUD [Member] Unsecured Term Loan [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Debt of the Operating Partnership [Line Items]
Revolving credit facilities interest rates	Various
Maturity Date	Apr. 16, 2017
Balance/Principal Outstanding	$ 754,935	[1]	$ 410,905		$ 154,391	[2]			$ 90,697	[2]			$ 63,657	[2]	$ 35,285	[2]
Revolving credit facility basis spread on variable rate	145
Weighted-average interest rate	1.89%		1.67%		1.81%				1.97%				1.57%		5.03%
Exchange rate				0.81	0.81		1.62	1.55	1.62		1.29	1.30	1.29		1.04

[1] (4) Balances as of September 30, 2012 are as follows (balances, in thousands): Denomination of Draw Balance as of September 30, 2012 Weighted-average
interest rate U.S. Dollar ($) $ 410,905 1.67 % Singapore Dollar (SGD) 154,391 (a) 1.81 % British Pound Sterling (£) 90,697 (a) 1.97 % Euro (€) 63,657 (a) 1.57 % Australian Dollar (AUD) 35,285 (a) 5.03 % $ 754,935 1.89 % (a) Based on exchange rates of $0.81 to 1.00 SGD, $1.62 to £1.00, $1.29 to €1.00 and $1.04 to 1.00 AUD, respectively, as of September 30, 2012.

[2] Based on exchange rates of $0.81 to 1.00 SGD, $1.62 to £1.00, $1.29 to €1.00 and $1.04 to 1.00 AUD, respectively, as of September 30, 2012.