Capital And Comprehensive Income (Schedule Of Distributions) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Series C Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	$ 1,402	[1],[2]
Preferred stock dividend per share amount	$ 1.094
Preferred stock, conversion date	Apr. 17, 2012
Preferred stock, dividend rate	4.375%			4.375%
Shares issued upon conversion	0.5480
Series C Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	1,402	[1],[2]
Preferred stock dividend per share amount	$ 1.094
Preferred stock, conversion date	Apr. 17, 2012
Preferred stock, dividend rate	4.375%			4.375%
Shares issued upon conversion	0.5480
Series D Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividend/Distribution payable date			Dec. 31, 2012
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	6,515	[3]
Preferred stock dividend per share amount	$ 1.375		$ 1.375
Preferred stock, dividend rate	5.50%			5.50%
Series D Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	6,515	[3]
Preferred stock dividend per share amount	$ 1.375
Preferred stock, dividend rate	5.50%			5.50%
Series E Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividend/Distribution payable date			Dec. 31, 2012
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	15,093	[4]
Preferred stock dividend per share amount	$ 1.750		$ 1.750
Preferred stock, dividend rate	7.00%			7.00%
Series E Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	15,093	[4]
Preferred stock dividend per share amount	$ 1.750
Preferred stock, dividend rate	7.00%			7.00%
Series F Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividend/Distribution payable date			Dec. 31, 2012
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	5,911	[5]
Preferred stock dividend per share amount	$ 1.656		$ 1.65625
Preferred stock, dividend rate	6.625%			6.625%
Series F Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	5,911	[5]
Preferred stock dividend per share amount	$ 1.656
Preferred stock, dividend rate	6.625%			6.625%
Common Stock [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividend/Distribution payable date			Jan. 15, 2013
Dividends/Distributions, common stock/units	248,492	[6]
Preferred stock dividend per share amount			$ 2.920
Common Units, annual rate of distribution per unit	$ 2.920
Common Stock [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, common stock/units	258,975	[6]
Preferred stock dividend per share amount	$ 2.920
February 14, 2012 [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Date dividend/distribution declared	Feb. 14, 2012
Dividend/Distribution payable date	Mar. 30, 2012
February 14, 2012 [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Date dividend/distribution declared	Feb. 14, 2012
Dividend/Distribution payable date	Mar. 30, 2012
February 14, 2012 [Member] | Series C Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	1,402	[1],[2]
February 14, 2012 [Member] | Series C Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	1,402	[1],[2]
February 14, 2012 [Member] | Series D Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	2,398	[3]
February 14, 2012 [Member] | Series D Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	2,398	[3]
February 14, 2012 [Member] | Series E Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	5,031	[4]
February 14, 2012 [Member] | Series E Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	5,031	[4]
February 14, 2012 [Member] | Common Stock [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, common stock/units	78,335	[6]
February 14, 2012 [Member] | Common Stock [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, common stock/units	81,917	[6]
April 23, 2012 [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Date dividend/distribution declared	Apr. 23, 2012
Dividend/Distribution payable date	Jun. 29, 2012
April 23, 2012 [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Date dividend/distribution declared	Apr. 23, 2012
Dividend/Distribution payable date	Jun. 29, 2012
April 23, 2012 [Member] | Series D Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	2,394	[3]
April 23, 2012 [Member] | Series D Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	2,394	[3]
April 23, 2012 [Member] | Series E Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	5,031	[4]
April 23, 2012 [Member] | Series E Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	5,031	[4]
April 23, 2012 [Member] | Series F Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	2,888	[5],[7]
April 23, 2012 [Member] | Series F Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	2,888	[5],[7]
April 23, 2012 [Member] | Common Stock [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, common stock/units	80,478	[6]
April 23, 2012 [Member] | Common Stock [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, common stock/units	83,982	[6]
July 19, 2012 [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Date dividend/distribution declared	Jul. 19, 2012
Dividend/Distribution payable date	Sep. 28, 2012
July 19, 2012 [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Date dividend/distribution declared	Jul. 19, 2012
Dividend/Distribution payable date	Sep. 28, 2012
July 19, 2012 [Member] | Series D Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	1,723	[3]
July 19, 2012 [Member] | Series D Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	1,723	[3]
July 19, 2012 [Member] | Series E Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	5,031	[4]
July 19, 2012 [Member] | Series E Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	5,031	[4]
July 19, 2012 [Member] | Series F Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	3,023	[5]
July 19, 2012 [Member] | Series F Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, preferred stock/units	3,023	[5]
July 19, 2012 [Member] | Common Stock [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, common stock/units	89,679	[6]
July 19, 2012 [Member] | Common Stock [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Dividends/Distributions, common stock/units	$ 93,076	[6]

[1] $1.094 annual rate of dividend per share.

[2] Effective April 17, 2012, Digital Realty Trust, Inc. converted all outstanding shares of its 4.375% series C cumulative convertible preferred stock, or the series C preferred stock, into shares of its of common stock in accordance with the terms of the series C preferred stock. Each share of series C preferred stock was converted into 0.5480 share of common stock of Digital Realty Trust, Inc.

[3] $1.375 annual rate of dividend per share.

[4] $1.750 annual rate of dividend per share.

[5] $1.656 annual rate of dividend per share.

[6] $2.920 annual rate of dividend per share.

[7] Represents a pro rata dividend from and including the original issue date to and including June 30, 2012.