Auction rate securities, at Fair Value

No definition available.

Name:	emc_AuctionRateSecuritiesAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	emc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description of the average credit rating indicative of likelihood of repayment of debt instruments given by credit rating agencies (for example, Standard and Poor's, Moody's, Fitch).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	emc_AverageDebtInstrumentCreditRating
Namespace Prefix:	emc_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Business Acquisiton, Gain From Change In Fair Value Subsequent To Acquisition

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	emc_BusinessAcquisitonGainFromChangeInFairValueSubsequentToAcquisition
Namespace Prefix:	emc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Financial Instruments Fair Value Assumptions Weighted Average Discount Rate

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	emc_FinancialInstrumentsFairValueAssumptionsWeightedAverageDiscountRate
Namespace Prefix:	emc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Investment Holding Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	emc_InvestmentHoldingPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	emc_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The highest interest rate in the aggregated short-tem debt instruments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	emc_InvestmentInterestRateRangeEnd1
Namespace Prefix:	emc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The lowest interest rate in the aggregated short-tem debt instruments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	emc_InvestmentInterestRateRangeStart1
Namespace Prefix:	emc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Joint Venture, Ownership Interest Percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	emc_JointVentureOwnershipInterestPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	emc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of Auction Rate Securities With Underlying Loans Which Have No Guarantees

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	emc_NumberOfAuctionRateSecuritiesWithUnderlyingLoansWhichHaveNoGuarantees
Namespace Prefix:	emc_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

-- None. No documentation exists for this element. --

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	emc_PercentageOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	emc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of Loans Guaranteed

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	emc_PercentageOfLoansGuaranteed
Namespace Prefix:	emc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt and equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)

-Number FAS115-1/124-1

-Paragraph 15D

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 12

-Subparagraph b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6871852&loc=d3e26610-111562

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 16

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)

-Number FAS115-1/124-1

-Paragraph 15C

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7534914&loc=d3e22054-111558

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)

-Number FAS115-1/124-1

-Paragraph 15E

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 13

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 14

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 133

-Paragraph 22

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(2))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 129

-Paragraph 2, 4

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Interest rate used to find the present value of an amount to be paid or received in the future as an input to measure fair value. For example, but not limited to, weighted average cost of capital (WACC), cost of capital, cost of equity and cost of debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (bbb)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueInputsDiscountRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The difference between the carrying value and the sale price of an investment. A gain would be recognized when the sale price of the investment is greater than the carrying value of the investment. This element refers to the Gain included in earnings and not to the cash proceeds of the sale.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainOnSaleOfInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Investments which are intended to be sold in the short term (usually less than one year or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer) including trading securities, available-for-sale securities, held-to-maturity securities, and other short-term investments not otherwise listed in the existing taxonomy.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph g

-Article 7

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 Security	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Business Acquisiton, Gain From Change In Fair Value Subsequent To Acquisition		$ 31,599,000	$ 0	$ 0
Number of Auction Rate Securities With Underlying Loans Which Have No Guarantees		2
Gain on sale of investment	28,900,000
Auction rate securities that have partial guarantees by the U.S. government, market value		17,000,000
Percentage of loans which collateralize auction rate securities guaranteed by FFELP		95.00%
Discount rate used to estimate fair value of investments		1.00%
Investment holding period		5 years
The rate used for the discount margin to determine the estimated fair value of investment in auction rate securities		1.00%	2.00%
Short term investment, not classified in investments due within one year		1,413,060,000	1,786,987,000
Minimum
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Coupon rate used to estimate fair value of invesments - low end of range		0.00%
Maximum
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Coupon rate used to estimate fair value of invesments - high end of range		4.00%
Foreign debt securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		1,273,023,000	987,074,000
Average credit rating		A+
Foreign Sovereign Debt Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Average credit rating		AA+
Percentage of securities deemed soverign debt		3.00%
Auction rate securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities		70,086,000	74,596,000
Average credit rating		AA
Variable Rate Demand Note
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Short term investment, not classified in investments due within one year		5,700,000
Contractual maturity date		Dec. 31, 2014
Terremark Worldwide, Inc. \| VMware
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Gain on sale of investment			56,000,000
XtremIO
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Business Acquisiton, Gain From Change In Fair Value Subsequent To Acquisition		$ 31,600,000
LenovoEMC
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Joint venture, ownership interest percentage		49.00%
Discount rate used to estimate fair value of investments		6.00%