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Digital Realty Trust, the world’s largest wholesale datacenter provider, recently released a study with 83% of respondents in the data center industry planning a center expansion within the next 24 months.

The company surveyed 300 IT decision makers at large corporations in North America with annual revenues of at least $1 billion and/or at least 5,000 employees.

"These survey findings point to strong demand for data center space this year and next year as a large majority of enterprises expand their IT infrastructure. One of the most interesting pieces of data in this study is the lead role that power is now playing in these expansions. The need for additional power has become the main driver for data center expansion plans as companies seek facilities with adequate power and favorable utility rates to control operating costs," Chris Crosby, senior vice president of Corporate Development for Digital Realty Trust, said in a statement.

KEY FINDINGS
• 83% of respondents are planning data center expansions in the next 12 to 24 months.

• 36% of respondents have definite plans to make those expansions during 2010.

• 73% of respondents plan to add two or more facilities as part of their data center expansions.

• The need for additional power is the top reason for data center expansions, rising from fifth place on last year’s survey to first place this year.

• Data center and IT budgets are both projected to increase by 8% in 2010, up from 7% and 6%, respectively, last year.

• 53% of the companies planning to expand say they will do so by leasing from a wholesale data center provider.

• C-level executives have replaced the IT department as the final decision maker for data center partner decisions — serving as the primary influencer by a margin of 2:1.