Income Per Unit (Schedule Of Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share) (Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities	23,606,308	18,102,941
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities	20,999,639	15,660,185
Potentially Dilutive 2029 Debentures [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities	6,806,254	6,590,470
Potentially Dilutive 2029 Debentures [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities	6,806,254	6,590,470
Series D Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities		1,909,146
Series D Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities		1,909,146
Series E Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock/Units [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities	5,674,269	4,381,703
Series E Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock/Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities	5,674,269	4,381,703
Series F Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock/Units [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities	3,598,608	2,778,866
Series F Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock/Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities	3,598,608	2,778,866
Series G Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock/Units [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities	4,920,508
Series G Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock/Units [Member] | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities	4,920,508