Database Slideshow: Data Centers: Enterprise CIOs Look to Lease Space

Given the volume of data that all organizations must manage now to compete, it's not surprising that the vast majority are planning to expand their data-center space this year, according to an annual survey of the North American data-center market from Digital Realty Trust Inc. The biggest trends? Leasing out space, instead of buying, and taking a do-it-yourself approach, according to the report "What's Driving the U.S. Data Center Market, 2011 ." "Increasingly, enterprises appear to be favoring the lease model, as fewer companies are choosing to go it alone on these capital-intensive projects," says Michael F. Foust, CEO and director at Digital Realty Trust. "Unlike many of the large Internet companies, many enterprises that participated in the survey are choosing to lower costs and minimize development risks by working with a data-center specialist." Meanwhile, CIOs are finding more budget room for data-center operations than in the past, according to the research results. Approximately 300 IT decision makers at large corporations in North America took part in the research. Here are 10 selected highlights: