SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 09, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:DLR, news, filings), the world’s largest wholesale datacenter provider, has completed its first POD Architecture Services(R) customer agreement with a Fortune 100 Financial Services company. Digital Realty Trust unveiled the service August of 2009 to provide design and construction services to companies that want to leverage Digital Realty Trust’s datacenter expertise and resources while retaining ownership of their datacenter facility. In this agreement, Digital Realty Trust is managing the construction process and schedule and providing numerous other support services for development of the datacenter, which will be owned and operated by the customer.
The data center project will serve as a key element of the financial institution’s global IT infrastructure. The first phase will feature 3375 kW of IT load and approximately 30,000 square feet of raised floor space. The project is underway and projected completion date is summer 2010.
“The value proposition for customers is clear: by using our POD Architecture Services the customer is able to complete large datacenter projects, faster, more cost effectively and with lower risk than if they take a purely do-it-yourself approach. When companies collaborate with us on their datacenter projects, they can save as much as tens of millions of dollars and months or even years by utilizing our supply chain, design and construction expertise, and other proprietary resources,” said Chris Crosby, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, at Digital Realty Trust. “We are continuing to receive a very positive response from the market for this service. It has a strong value proposition for companies that want to reduce the complexity and cost of their datacenter projects.”
Companies that utilize Digital Realty Trust’s POD Architecture Services(R) are able to:
- License Digital Realty Trust’s Turn-Key Datacenter(R) design package, including its proprietary Design Engineering Guidelines that include schematics, one-lines, BOMs, project/site basis – enabling companies to benefit from the efficiencies of Digital Realty Trust’s proven model;
- Utilize Digital Realty Trust’s air flow modeling methodology to determine the most energy-efficient floor layout;
- Access Digital Realty Trust’s supply chain for procurement of datacenter components – providing companies with significant pricing advantages and accelerated delivery of equipment via Digital Realty Trust’s vendor partnerships;
- Benefit from Digital Realty Trust’s proprietary Gating Process(R) – providing enterprises with a series of sign offs and checks that give them complete control of the program from Rough-Order-of-Magnitude to Final Product with input and final decision-making power. Unlike traditional development methods for build-to-suit projects, Digital Realty Trust’s Gating Process provides customers with transparency and inputs at key stages of the project — from scope and schematic through commissioning and completio;.
- Take advantage of Digital Realty Trust’s expertise in the specific challenges related to datacenter development and project management, including obtaining contracts, securing permits, coordination with local agencies and service providers and building the facility – another key component of Digital Realty Trust’s Gating Process;
- Benefit from Digital Realty Trust’s award-winning green datacenter and energy efficiency program and expertise; and
- Take possession of a fully commissioned facility that has undergone Level V Testing.
For more information about Digital Realty Trust’s POD Architecture Services, visit www.digitalrealtytrust.com.
About Digital Realty Trust, Inc.
Digital Realty Trust owns, acquires, redevelops, develops and manages technology-related real estate. The Company is focused on providing Turn-Key Datacenter(R) and Powered Base Building(R) datacenter 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 datacenter tenants. Comprising approximately 14.9 million square feet as of January 25, 2009, including 1.9 million square feet of space held for redevelopment, Digital Realty Trust’s portfolio is located in 27 markets throughout Europe and North America. 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, including statements related to the potential cost savings for customers utilizing Digital Realty Trust’s POD Architecture Services. These risks and uncertainties include the impact of the current deterioration in the global economy, including the turmoil in the financial and credit markets; the downturn of local economic conditions in our geographic markets; 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; decreases in real estate valuations and resulting impairment charges; our dependence upon significant tenants; bankruptcy or insolvency of one or more major tenants or a significant number of smaller tenants; defaults on or non-renewal of leases by tenants; our failure to obtain necessary debt and equity financing for refinancing current debt obligations, undertaking or completing redevelopment, completing acquisitions or other purposes; increased interest rates and operating costs; our failure to repay debt when due or our breach of covenants or other terms contained in our loan documents; financial market fluctuations; changes in foreign currency exchange rates; our ability to manage our growth effectively; difficulty acquiring or operating properties in foreign jurisdictions; our failure to successfully operate acquired or redeveloped properties; risks related to joint venture investments, including as a result of our lack of control of certain of these investments; delays or unexpected costs in development or redevelopment of properties; decreased rental rates or increased vacancy rates; increased competition or available supply of data center space; inability to successfully redevelop and lease new properties and space held for redevelopment; difficulties in identifying properties to acquire and completing acquisitions; our inability to acquire off-market properties; our inability to comply with the rules and regulations applicable to public companies; our failure to maintain our status as a REIT; possible adverse changes to tax laws; restrictions on our ability to engage in certain business activities; environmental uncertainties and risks related to natural disasters; changes in foreign laws and regulations, including those related to taxation and real estate ownership and operation; changes in real estate and zoning laws; and increases in real property tax 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, 2008 and the Company’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2009, June 30, 2009 and September 30, 2009. 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.
Turn-Key Datacenter, Powered Base Building, POD Architecture, POD Architecture Services and Connected Hosting Center are registered trademarks of Digital Realty Trust.
For Additional Information:
A. William Stein
Chief Financial Officer and
Chief Investment Officer
Digital Realty Trust, Inc.
+1 (415) 738-6500
Pamela Matthews
Investor/Analyst Information
Digital Realty Trust, Inc.
+1 (415) 738-6500
SOURCE Digital Realty Trust, Inc.
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