Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

(a) Principles Of Consolidation And Basis Of Presentation

(a) Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation

The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements include all of the accounts of Digital Realty Trust, Inc., the Operating Partnership and the subsidiaries of the Operating Partnership. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited, but have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (U.S. GAAP) for interim financial information and in compliance with the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, they do not include all of the disclosures required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation have been included. All such adjustments are considered to be of a normal recurring nature, except as otherwise indicated. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be obtained for the full fiscal year. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010.

The notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements of Digital Realty Trust, Inc. and the Operating Partnership have been combined to provide the following benefits:

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enhancing investors' understanding of the Company and the Operating Partnership by enabling investors to view the business as a whole in the same manner as management views and operates the business;

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eliminating duplicative disclosure and providing a more streamlined and readable presentation since a substantial portion of the disclosure applies to both the Company and the Operating Partnership; and

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creating time and cost efficiencies through the preparation of one set of notes instead of two separate sets of notes.

There are few differences between the Company and the Operating Partnership, which are reflected in these condensed consolidated financial statements. We believe it is important to understand the differences between the Company and the Operating Partnership in the context of how we operate as an interrelated consolidated company. Digital Realty Trust, Inc.'s only material asset is its ownership of partnership interests of the Operating Partnership. As a result, Digital Realty Trust, Inc. does not conduct business itself, other than acting as the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership, issuing public equity from time to time and guaranteeing certain unsecured debt of the Operating Partnership. Digital Realty Trust, Inc. itself does not hold any indebtedness but guarantees some of the unsecured debt of the Operating Partnership, as disclosed in these notes. The Operating Partnership holds substantially all the assets of the Company and holds the ownership interests in the Company's joint ventures. The Operating Partnership conducts the operations of the business and is structured as a partnership with no publicly traded equity. Except for net proceeds from public equity issuances by Digital Realty Trust, Inc., which are generally contributed to the Operating Partnership in exchange for partnership units, the Operating Partnership generates the capital required by the Company's business through the Operating Partnership's operations, by the Operating Partnership's direct or indirect incurrence of indebtedness or through the issuance of partnership units.

The presentation of noncontrolling interests in operating partnership, stockholder's equity and partners' capital are the main areas of difference between the condensed consolidated financial statements of Digital Realty Trust, Inc. and those of the Operating Partnership. The common limited partnership interests held by the limited partners in the Operating Partnership are presented as limited partners' capital within partners' capital in the Operating Partnership's condensed consolidated financial statements and as noncontrolling interests in operating partnership within equity in Digital Realty Trust, Inc.'s condensed consolidated financial statements. The common and preferred partnership interests held by Digital Realty Trust, Inc. in the Operating Partnership are presented as general partner's capital within partners' capital in the Operating Partnership's condensed consolidated financial statements and as preferred stock, common stock, additional paid-in capital and accumulated dividends in excess of earnings within stockholders' equity in Digital Realty Trust, Inc.'s condensed consolidated financial statements. The differences in the presentations between stockholders' equity and partners' capital result from the differences in the equity issued at the Digital Realty Trust, Inc. and the Operating Partnership levels.

To help investors understand the significant differences between the Company and the Operating Partnership, these condensed consolidated financial statements present the following separate sections for each of the Company and the Operating Partnership:

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condensed consolidated face financial statements; and

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the following notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements:

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Debt of the Company and Debt of the Operating Partnership;

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Income per Share and Income per Unit; and

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Equity and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Net of the Company and Capital and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss of the Operating Partnership.

In the sections that combine disclosure of Digital Realty Trust, Inc. and the Operating Partnership, these notes refer to actions or holdings as being actions or holdings of the Company. Although the Operating Partnership is generally the entity that enters into contracts and joint ventures and holds assets and debt, reference to the Company is appropriate because the business is one enterprise and the Company operates the business through the Operating Partnership.

(b) Cash Equivalents

(b) Cash Equivalents

For the purpose of the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows, we consider short-term investments with original maturities of 90 days or less to be cash equivalents. As of September 30, 2011, cash equivalents consist of investments in money market instruments.

(c) Share Based Compensation

We account for share based compensation using the fair value method of accounting. The estimated fair value of the stock options granted by us is being amortized on a straight-line basis over the vesting period of the stock options. The estimated fair value of the long-term incentive units and Class C Units (discussed in note 12(b)) granted by us is being amortized on a straight-line basis over the expected service period.

For share based compensation awards with performance conditions, we estimate the fair value of the award for each of the possible performance condition outcomes and amortize the compensation cost based on management's projected performance outcome. In the instance management's projected performance outcome changes prior to the final measurement date, compensation cost is adjusted accordingly.

(d) Income Taxes

(d) Income Taxes

Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (the Parent Company) has elected to be treated and believes that it has been organized and has operated in a manner that has enabled the Parent Company to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. As a REIT, the Parent Company generally is not required to pay federal corporate income taxes on its taxable income to the extent it is currently distributed to its stockholders.

However, qualification and taxation as a REIT depend upon the Parent Company's ability to meet the various qualification tests imposed under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), including tests related to annual operating results, asset composition, distribution levels and diversity of stock ownership. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the Parent Company has been organized or has operated or will continue to operate in a manner so as to qualify or remain qualified as a REIT. If the Parent Company fails to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, it will be subject to federal income tax (including any applicable alternative minimum tax) on its taxable income at regular corporate tax rates.

The Operating Partnership is a partnership and is not required to pay federal income tax. Instead, taxable income is allocated to its partners, who include such amounts on their federal income tax returns. As such, no provision for federal income taxes has been included in the Operating Partnership's accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements.

Even if the Parent Company and the Operating Partnership are not subject to federal income taxes, they are taxed in certain states in which they operate. The Company is also taxed in non-U.S. countries where it operates that do not recognize U.S. REITs under their respective tax laws. The Company's consolidated taxable REIT subsidiary is subject to both federal and state income taxes to the extent there is taxable income. Accordingly, the Company recognizes and accrues income taxes for its taxable REIT subsidiary, certain states and non-U.S. jurisdictions, as appropriate.

We assess our significant tax positions in accordance with U.S. GAAP for all open tax years and determine whether we have any material unrecognized liabilities from uncertain tax benefits. If a tax position is not considered "more-likely-than-not" to be sustained solely on its technical merits, no benefits of the tax position are to be recognized (for financial statement purposes). As of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, we have no assets or liabilities for uncertain tax positions. We classify interest and penalties from significant uncertain tax positions as interest expense and operating expense, respectively, in our condensed consolidated statements of operations. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, we had no such interest or penalties. The tax years 2008 through 2010 remain open to examination by the major taxing jurisdictions with which the Parent Company and its subsidiaries file tax returns.

See Note 9 for further discussion on income taxes.

(e) Presentation Of Transactional-Based Taxes

(e) Presentation of Transactional-based Taxes

We account for transactional-based taxes, such as value added tax, or VAT, for our international properties on a net basis.

(f) Asset Retirement Obligations

(f) Asset Retirement Obligations

We record accruals for estimated retirement obligations as required by current accounting guidance. The amount of asset retirement obligations relates primarily to estimated asbestos removal costs at the end of the economic life of properties that were built before 1984. As of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, the amount included in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities on our condensed consolidated balance sheets was approximately $1.3 million.

(g) Assets And Liabilities Measured At Fair Value

(g) Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value

Fair value under U.S. GAAP is a market-based measurement, not an entity-specific measurement. Therefore, our fair value measurements are determined based on the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. As a basis for considering market participant assumptions in fair-value measurements, we use a fair-value hierarchy that distinguishes between market participant assumptions based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity (observable inputs that are classified within Levels 1 and 2 of the hierarchy) and the reporting entity's own assumptions about market participant assumptions (unobservable inputs classified within Level 3 of the hierarchy).

Level 1 inputs utilize quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access. Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 2 inputs may include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, as well as inputs that are observable for the asset or liability (other than quoted prices), such as interest rates, foreign exchange rates, and yield curves that are observable at commonly quoted intervals. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, which are typically based on an entity's own assumptions, as there is little, if any, related market activity. In instances where the determination of the fair-value measurement is based on inputs from different levels of the fair-value hierarchy, the level in the fair-value hierarchy within which the entire fair-value measurement falls is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair-value measurement in its entirety. Our assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair-value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers factors specific to the asset or liability.

(h) Construction Management Revenue

(h) Construction Management Revenue

Construction management revenue is recognized under the percentage-of-completion method of accounting. Revenues are determined by measuring the percentage of total costs incurred to date to estimated total costs for each construction management contract based on current estimates of costs to complete. Contract costs include all labor and benefits, materials, subcontracts, and an allocation of indirect costs related to contract performance. Indirect costs are allocated to projects based upon labor hours charged. As long-term design-build projects extend over one or more years, revisions in cost and estimated earnings during the course of the work are reflected in the accounting period in which the facts which require the revision become known. At the time a loss on a design-build project becomes known, the entire amount of the estimated ultimate loss is recognized in the condensed consolidated financial statements. Change orders are recognized when they are approved by the client.

Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings on uncompleted construction management projects are included in other assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings on uncompleted construction management projects are included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Customers are billed on a monthly basis at the end of each month, which can be in advance of work performed.

(i) Transactions Expense

(i) Transactions Expense

Transactions expense includes acquisition-related expenses and other business development expenses, which are expensed as incurred. Acquisition-related expenses include closing costs, broker commissions and other professional fees, including legal and accounting fees related to acquisitions and potential acquisitions.

(j) Capitalization Of Costs

(j) Capitalization of Costs

Direct and indirect project costs that are clearly associated with the development and redevelopment of properties are capitalized as incurred. Project costs include all costs directly associated with the development or redevelopment of a property, including construction costs, interest, property taxes, insurance, legal fees and costs of personnel working on the project. Indirect costs that do not clearly relate to the projects under development/redevelopment are not capitalized and are charged to expense as incurred.

Capitalization of costs begins when the activities necessary to get the development/redevelopment project ready for its intended use begins, which include costs incurred before the beginning of construction. Capitalization of costs ceases when the development/redevelopment project is substantially complete and ready for its intended use. Determining when a development/redevelopment project commences, and when it is substantially complete and ready for its intended use involves a degree of judgment. We generally consider a development/redevelopment project to be substantially complete and ready for its intended use upon recommissioning, which is when the redeveloped/developed project has been tested at full load, or receipt of a certificate of occupancy. We cease cost capitalization if activities necessary for the development/redevelopment of the property have been suspended. Capitalized costs are allocated to the specific components of a project that are benefited.

(k) Management's Estimates

(k) Management's Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates made. On an on-going basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to the valuation of our real estate properties, accounts receivable and deferred rent receivable, performance-based equity compensation plans, the completeness of accrued liabilities and Digital Realty Trust, Inc.'s qualification as a REIT. We base our estimates on historical experience, current market conditions, and various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may vary from those estimates and those estimates could vary under different assumptions or conditions.

(l) Segment Information

(l) Segment Information

All of our properties generate similar revenues and expenses related to tenant rent and reimbursements and operating expenses. The delivery of our products is consistent across all properties and although services are provided to a wide range of customers, the types of services provided to them are limited to a few core principles. As such, the properties in our portfolio have similar economic characteristics and the nature of the products and services provided to our customers and the method to distribute such services are consistent throughout the portfolio. Consequently, our properties qualify for aggregation into one reporting segment.