Segment Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Revenues:
Product revenues	$ 3,084,441	$ 3,074,367	$ 9,332,035	$ 9,049,610
Services revenues	2,193,735	1,905,834	6,351,912	5,383,547
Total consolidated revenues	5,278,176	4,980,201	15,683,947	14,433,157
Cost of sales	1,990,637	1,913,936	5,935,798	5,787,554
Gross profit	3,287,539	3,066,265	9,748,149	8,645,603
Gross profit percentage	62.30%	61.60%	62.20%	59.90%
Research and development	652,898	548,021	1,896,656	1,589,020
Selling, general and administrative	1,708,794	1,612,914	5,075,641	4,684,534
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	27,064	20,302	80,560	68,411
Total costs and expenses	2,388,756	2,181,237	7,052,857	6,341,965
Operating income	898,783	885,028	2,695,292	2,303,638
Other income (expense), net	(54,685)	(71,828)	(130,631)	(101,887)
Income before provision for income taxes	844,098	813,200	2,564,661	2,201,751
Income tax provision	185,434	171,086	590,600	465,456
Net income	658,664	642,114	1,974,061	1,736,295
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interest in VMware, Inc.	(32,326)	(36,465)	(111,367)	(107,004)
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	626,338	605,649	1,862,694	1,629,291
Information Storage
Revenues:
Product revenues	2,438,665	2,465,339	7,406,314	7,282,052
Services revenues	1,324,110	1,197,581	3,862,593	3,388,839
Total consolidated revenues	3,762,775	3,662,920	11,268,907	10,670,891
Cost of sales	1,625,910	1,583,727	4,893,097	4,733,529
Gross profit	2,136,865	2,079,193	6,375,810	5,937,362
Gross profit percentage	56.80%	56.80%	56.60%	55.60%
Information Intelligence Group
Revenues:
Product revenues	49,881	50,439	131,440	135,797
Services revenues	108,117	111,157	324,884	336,846
Total consolidated revenues	157,998	161,596	456,324	472,643
Cost of sales	50,471	59,436	156,839	176,361
Gross profit	107,527	102,160	299,485	296,282
Gross profit percentage	68.10%	63.20%	65.60%	62.70%
RSA Information Security
Revenues:
Product revenues	106,020	115,685	305,967	305,138
Services revenues	120,918	99,215	348,258	280,150
Total consolidated revenues	226,938	214,900	654,225	585,288
Cost of sales	81,330	69,664	196,104	277,817
Gross profit	145,608	145,236	458,121	307,471
Gross profit percentage	64.20%	67.60%	70.00%	52.50%
EMC Information Infrastructure
Revenues:
Product revenues	2,594,566	2,631,463	7,843,721	7,722,987
Services revenues	1,553,145	1,407,953	4,535,735	4,005,835
Total consolidated revenues	4,147,711	4,039,416	12,379,456	11,728,822
Cost of sales	1,757,711	1,712,827	5,246,040	5,187,707
Gross profit	2,390,000	2,326,589	7,133,416	6,541,115
Gross profit percentage	57.60%	57.60%	57.60%	55.80%
Research and development	367,792	316,380	1,077,907	932,581
Selling, general and administrative	1,102,888	1,099,329	3,325,212	3,179,639
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	0	0	0	0
Total costs and expenses	1,470,680	1,415,709	4,403,119	4,112,220
Operating income	919,320	910,880	2,730,297	2,428,895
Other income (expense), net	(49,863)	(43,223)	(107,276)	(76,169)
Income before provision for income taxes	869,457	867,657	2,623,021	2,352,726
Income tax provision	210,517	237,936	706,003	620,453
Net income	658,940	629,721	1,917,018	1,732,273
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interest in VMware, Inc.	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	658,940	629,721	1,917,018	1,732,273
VMware Virtual Infrastructure Within EMC
Revenues:
Product revenues	489,875	442,904	1,488,314	1,326,623
Services revenues	640,590	497,881	1,816,177	1,377,712
Total consolidated revenues	1,130,465	940,785	3,304,491	2,704,335
Cost of sales	135,588	130,683	400,327	390,438
Gross profit	994,877	810,102	2,904,164	2,313,897
Gross profit percentage	88.00%	86.10%	87.90%	85.60%
Research and development	196,888	148,576	574,282	412,575
Selling, general and administrative	435,454	368,187	1,273,696	1,057,615
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	0	0	0	0
Total costs and expenses	632,342	516,763	1,847,978	1,470,190
Operating income	362,535	293,339	1,056,186	843,707
Other income (expense), net	8,498	197	20,337	4,466
Income before provision for income taxes	371,033	293,536	1,076,523	848,173
Income tax provision	82,920	22,949	194,699	103,711
Net income	288,113	270,587	881,824	744,462
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interest in VMware, Inc.	(57,912)	(54,622)	(179,699)	(151,612)
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	230,201	215,965	702,125	592,850
Corp Reconciling Items
Revenues:
Product revenues	0	0	0	0
Services revenues	0	0	0	0
Total consolidated revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of sales	97,338	70,426	289,431	209,409
Gross profit	(97,338)	(70,426)	(289,431)	(209,409)
Research and development	88,218	83,065	244,467	243,864
Selling, general and administrative	170,452	145,398	476,733	447,280
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	27,064	20,302	80,560	68,411
Total costs and expenses	285,734	248,765	801,760	759,555
Operating income	(383,072)	(319,191)	(1,091,191)	(968,964)
Other income (expense), net	(13,320)	(28,802)	(43,692)	(30,184)
Income before provision for income taxes	(396,392)	(347,993)	(1,134,883)	(999,148)
Income tax provision	(108,003)	(89,799)	(310,102)	(258,708)
Net income	(288,389)	(258,194)	(824,781)	(740,440)
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interest in VMware, Inc.	25,586	18,157	68,332	44,608
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	$ (262,803)	$ (240,037)	$ (756,449)	$ (695,832)