Segment Information - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013 Country	Dec. 31, 2012 Country
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of broad categories	2
EMC Information Infrastructure
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of operating segments	3
United States
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets, excluding financial instruments, deferred tax assets, goodwill and intangible assets	4,067.1	3,993.6
International Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Long-lived assets, excluding financial instruments, deferred tax assets, goodwill and intangible assets	706.4	697.9
Geographic Concentration | Sales Revenue, Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of countries other than the US that accounted for 10% or more	0	0
Geographic Concentration | Long-lived Assets, Total
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of countries other than the US that accounted for 10% or more	0	0