Equity And Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Net (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended					0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 15, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2011 Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Sep. 13, 2011 Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Apr. 10, 2007 Series C Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Series D Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Series D Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Series D Preferred Stock [Member]	Sep. 13, 2011 Series D Preferred Stock [Member]	Feb. 06, 2008 Series D Preferred Stock [Member]	Sep. 15, 2011 Series E Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Series E Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Series E Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Series E Preferred Stock [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Equity Distribution Agreements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equity Distribution Agreements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Equity Distribution Agreements [Member]	Jan. 22, 2010 Equity Distribution Agreements [Member]	Sep. 15, 2011 Digital Realty Trust, Inc. [Member] Series E Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Digital Realty Trust, Inc. [Member] Series E Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Original Equity Distribution Agreement [Member] Equity Distribution Agreements [Member]	Jan. 22, 2010 Amended And Restated Equity Distribution Agreement [Member]	Jun. 29, 2011 The 2011 Equity Distribution Agreements [Member]
Equity And Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Net [Line Items]
Aggregate offering price of the distribution agreement maximum																						$ 54,300,000			$ 400,000,000	$ 400,000,000	$ 400,000,000
Aggregate shares issued from the distribution agreement																				3,000,000	3,800,000	1,100,000
Common stock sold		106,039,279	91,159,221																6,800,000
Gross proceeds from the sale of common stock		462,447,000	613,854,000	83,750,000															400,000,000
Net proceeds from sale of common stock		280,000,000																	394,000,000	176,900,000	217,100,000
Issuance of common shares		4,800,000
Common Stock, shares issued		106,039,279	91,159,221																6,800,000
Average price per share		$ 59.17
Commissions		2,800,000
Equity distribution agreements at an average price																				$ 60.51	$ 57.66
Payment of commissions to sales agents																				2,700,000	3,300,000
Redemption value of OP units		291,500,000	244,500,000
Percentage of operating partnership common units issued		25.00%
Available indebtedness		17,800,000
Issuance date					April 10, 2007					February 6, 2008
Preferred Stock, issued					7,000,000					13,800,000													11,500,000
Cumulative dividend percentage					4.375%					5.50%													7.00%
Preferred stock for gross proceeds															$ 287,500,000
Preferred stock dividend per share amount					$ 1.09375	$ 1.094	$ 1.094			$ 1.375	$ 1.375	$ 1.375				$ 1.750	$ 1.750	$ 1.750					$ 1.750
Conversion rate - common units per liquidation preference								0.5420	0.5164				0.6200	0.5955
Preferred stock liquidation amount					$ 25.00					$ 25.00													$ 25.00
Dividend payable amount																								$ 0.515278
Description of condition for early preferred stock redemption																								Digital Realty Trust, Inc. is not allowed to redeem the series E preferred stock before September 15, 2016, except in limited circumstances to preserve its status as a REIT
Redemption price																							$ 25.00
Series E preferred stock, fail to pay dividends	6
Terms of conversion					Digital Realty Trust, Inc. may exercise this conversion option only if (1) the closing sale price per share of its common stock equals or exceeds 130% of the then-applicable conversion price of the series C preferred stock for at least 20 trading days in a period of 30 consecutive trading days (including the last trading day of such period) ending on the trading day immediately prior to the issuance of a press release announcing the exercise of Digital Realty Trust, Inc.'s conversion option; and (2) on or prior to the effective date of Digital Realty Trust, Inc.'s conversion option, Digital Realty Trust, Inc. has either declared and paid, or declared and set apart for payment, any unpaid dividends that are in arrears on the series C preferred stock					Digital Realty Trust, Inc. may exercise this conversion option only if (1) the closing sale price per share of its common stock equals or exceeds 130% of the then-applicable conversion price of the series D preferred stock for at least 20 trading days in a period of 30 consecutive trading days (including the last trading day of such period) ending on the trading day immediately prior to the issuance of a press release announcing the exercise of Digital Realty Trust, Inc.'s conversion option; and (2) on or prior to the effective date of Digital Realty Trust, Inc.'s conversion option, Digital Realty Trust, Inc. has either declared and paid, or declared and set apart for payment, any unpaid dividends that are in arrears on the series D preferred stock
Adjustment for dividend over a certain amount					$ 0.28625					$ 0.31
Aggregate number of shares issued in connection with exercise of conversion right					7,300,000					16,400,000
Liquidation preference					$ 25.00					$ 25.00													$ 25.00
Share cap																$ 0.8378