Research Shows Data Centres Remain a Corporate Priority, With 80% of Firms Planning Expansion

DUBLIN, March 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: DLR), the world's largest wholesale data centre provider, announced the results of a new study which shows that the majority of European companies are placing data centre expansion firmly on the corporate agenda in 2010. The research addressed large enterprises from France, Germany, Spain, the UK and Ireland, and reveals that data centres have remained a priority for organisations despite the challenging economy.

Key findings of the new study include:

• Four out of five companies (80 percent) surveyed are planning data centre expansions within the next year.
• Almost two thirds (62 percent) of companies have built a new data centre in the past 24 months.
• French companies have shown the broadest commitment to expansion, with nine out of ten (90 percent) planning to grow their data centres in 2010. In terms of immediate and definite expansion, German and UK/Irish companies showed the greatest commitment, with definite plans for 2010 growth reported by 30 percent and 29 percent of respondents, respectively.
• The largest enterprises (those with annual revenues of euro 20B+) showed the greatest commitment to expansion plans. 43 percent of companies in this category will definitely grow their data centres in 2010.

"After a turbulent year for many European businesses, a remarkably high proportion of them are planning data centre expansion projects in 2010. Even with the challenge posed by limited capital expenditure budgets, companies are treating data centre expansion as a necessity," said Bernard Geoghegan, Senior Vice President at Digital Realty Trust who oversees International Operations. "Our customers are reporting a pressing need to enlarge their data centres, which are recognised as business-critical assets which support plans for both recovery and future growth."

Other findings of note in the new study include:

• Four in five (79 percent) respondents who plan to expand in 2010 say they will use a partner to implement their expansion plans.
• Nearly half (49 percent) of European companies plan to expand their data centres in two or more locations, and 43 percent are looking to establish a data centre in a new location.
• The most popular cities in which to site a new data centre are London (29 percent), Paris (21 percent) and Frankfurt (19 percent), consistent with the results of last year's survey.
• On average, companies are seeking 1,400 square metres (15,100 square feet) of raised floor for their expanded data centres. Respondents from UK/Ireland are seeking the largest data centres, with ambitions for 1,580 square metres (17,000 square feet), while space requirements are lower in France (1,230 square metres (13,200 square feet)) and Spain (1,240 square metres (13,400 square feet)).

"As we see in the 2010 survey data, London and Paris in particular continue to see high demand for data centres. Each hosts European headquarters for multinational corporations, both are well positioned to address Western European markets, and consequently they are hubs for broader economic investment. It is also clear that companies are seeking to expand in multiple locations and establish facilities in new regions, suggesting that the European data centre market will see new growth areas during the coming years," Geoghegan added.

The study follows similar research released by Digital Realty Trust in early 2009, and is based on a detailed survey of senior decision makers who are either directly responsible for data centres or influence significant decisions related to data centre operations within large European organisations. The research was conducted by respected research firm Campos Research and Analysis on behalf of Digital Realty Trust.

About the Methodology

Metrics reported in this study are based on Web-based surveys of IT decision makers at large corporations in five European countries: the U.K., France, Germany, Spain and Ireland. All surveyed companies have annual revenues of at least euro 650M/600M pounds Sterling or 2,000+ employees. All survey participants are responsible for managing a datacentre, executing contracts for or implementing a new datacentre or expanding existing datacentres. The survey was conducted in January 2010.

About Campos Research and Analysis

Campos Research and Analysis conducts consumer research and business-to-business research, using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, to address the business issues of client companies. Campos Research and Analysis was founded in 1988 by Rusty Campos. Ellen Campos became a principal in the firm in 2000. Between them, the principals have nearly 50 years of research experience, both client-side in Fortune 500 companies and supply-side with Honomichl 50 market research companies. For more information, visit www.cr-a.com.

About Digital Realty Trust, Inc.

Digital Realty Trust, Inc. owns, acquires, redevelops, develops and manages technology-related real estate. The Company is focused on providing Turn-Key Datacentre® and Powered Base Building® datacentre solutions for domestic and international tenants across a variety of industry verticals ranging from information technology and Internet enterprises, to manufacturing and financial services. Digital Realty Trust's 84 properties, excluding one property held as an investment in an unconsolidated joint venture, contain applications and operations critical to the day-to-day operations of technology industry tenants and corporate enterprise datacentre tenants. Comprising approximately 1.4 million square metres (14.9 million rentable square feet) as of February 25, 2010, including 170,000 square metres (1.8 million square feet) of space held for redevelopment, Digital Realty Trust's portfolio is located in 27 markets throughout North America and Europe. For additional information, please visit Digital Realty Trust's website at http://www.digitalrealtytrust.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. Such forward-looking statements include statements related to the data centre expansion plans of other companies and expectations regarding demand for data centre space, data centre growth amounts and areas and the importance of data centre partners in corporate expansions. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the following: the impact of the ongoing deterioration in global economic, credit and market conditions; decreases in information technology spending, including as a result of economic slowdowns or recession; adverse economic or real estate developments in our industry or the industry sectors that we sell to (including risks relating to decreasing real estate valuations and impairment charges); financial market fluctuations; and changes in foreign currency exchange rates. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports and other filings by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 and subsequent reports.  The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For Additional Information:

SOURCE Digital Realty Trust, Inc.

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