Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details 6) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010
Income (Loss) Per Share-Basic and Diluted
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations	$ 65,530	$ 48,928	$ 142,691	$ 82,153
Total Income (Loss) from discontinued operations	187,517	(7,176)	184,975	(14,562)
Net income (loss) attributable to Iron Mountain Incorporated	252,684	41,292	326,144	66,858
Weighted-average shares-basic	201,653,000	203,006,000	200,941,000	203,294,000
Effect of dilutive potential stock options (in shares)	1,538,373	1,199,318	1,266,761	1,161,801
Effect of dilutive potential restricted stock, RSUs and PUs (in shares)	119,319	4,602	73,489	2,346
Weighted-average shares-diluted (in shares)	203,310,692	204,209,920	202,281,250	204,458,147
Earnings per share-basic:
Income (Loss) from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.32	$ 0.24	$ 0.71	$ 0.40
Total Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.93	$ (0.04)	$ 0.92	$ (0.07)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to Iron Mountain Incorporated-basic (in dollars per share)	$ 1.25	$ 0.20	$ 1.62	$ 0.33
Earnings per share-diluted:
Income (Loss) from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.32	$ 0.24	$ 0.71	$ 0.40
Total Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.92	$ (0.04)	$ 0.91	$ (0.07)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to Iron Mountain Incorporated-diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 1.24	$ 0.20	$ 1.61	$ 0.33
Antidilutive stock options, RSUs and PUs, excluded from the calculation (in shares)	2,126,488	8,273,166	5,413,769	8,337,720
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts and Credit Memo Reserves
Period to charge -off uncollectible balances of receivable as circumstances warrant			no later than one year past due
Income Taxes:
Effective tax rates (as a percent)	31.50%	51.70%	24.70%	54.30%
Statutory income tax rate (as a percent)			35.00%
Increase (decrease) in effective tax rate due to gains (losses) (as a percent)	(2.20%)	10.30%	(7.00%)	12.10%
Gross interest and penalties recorded		1,578		2,750
Reduction in gross interest and penalties recorded	647		1,256
Accrued interest and penalties recorded	10,084		10,084		11,610
Concentrations of Credit Risk
Number of global banks with cash, cash equivalent and restricted cash held on deposit	6		6		7
Number of "Triple A" rated money market funds with cash, cash equivalent and restricted cash held on deposit	3		3		4
Cash, cash equivalent and restricted cash	306,532		306,532		293,798
Money market funds and time deposits	$ 268,219		$ 268,219		$ 241,151

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The amount of income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of related tax effect, per each diluted share of common stock outstanding during the reporting period.

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