Debt Of The Operating Partnership (Summary Of Outstanding Indebtedness Of The Operating Partnership - Unsecured Senior Notes) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified									3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended					3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2013 Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 4.250% Notes Due 2025 [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Jan. 18, 2013 4.250% Notes Due 2025 [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Series B [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Series B [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Series C [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Series C [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Series D [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Series D [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Series E [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Series E [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Series F [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Prudential Shelf Facility [Member] Series F [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Notes [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] 4.50% Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] 4.50% Notes Due 2015 [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Notes [Member] 4.50% Notes Due 2015 [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] 5.875% Notes Due 2020 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] 5.875% Notes Due 2020 [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Notes [Member] 5.875% Notes Due 2020 [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] 5.250% Notes Due 2021 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] 5.250% Notes Due 2021 [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Notes [Member] 5.250% Notes Due 2021 [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] 3.625% Notes Due 2022 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] 3.625% Notes Due 2022 [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Notes [Member] 3.625% Notes Due 2022 [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] 4.250% Notes Due 2025 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] 4.250% Notes Due 2025 [Member] Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Debt of the Operating Partnership [Line Items]
Interest Rate						4.25%			9.32%		9.68%		4.57%		5.73%		4.50%				4.50%	4.50%		5.875%	5.875%		5.25%	5.25%		3.625%	3.625%		4.25%	4.25%
Maturity Date									Nov. 05, 2013		Jan. 06, 2016		Jan. 20, 2015		Jan. 20, 2017		Feb. 03, 2015					Jul. 15, 2015			Feb. 01, 2020			Mar. 15, 2021			Oct. 01, 2022			Jan. 17, 2025
Subtotal			$ 4,696,774				$ 175,000	$ 175,000	$ 33,000	$ 33,000	$ 25,000	$ 25,000	$ 50,000	$ 50,000	$ 50,000	$ 50,000	$ 17,000	$ 17,000	$ 2,182,920			$ 375,000	$ 375,000		$ 500,000	$ 500,000		$ 400,000	$ 400,000		$ 300,000	$ 300,000		$ (607,920)	[1]
Unamortized discounts			(15,948)		(4,800)														(15,948)	(11,779)
Principal Outstanding (Senior notes)																			2,166,972
Unsecured senior notes, net of discount	$ 2,341,972	$ 1,738,221	$ 2,341,972	$ 1,738,221			$ 175,000												$ 2,166,972	$ 1,563,221

[1] Based on exchange rate of $1.52 to £1.00 as of March 31, 2013 and $1.63 to £1.00 as of December 31, 2012.