Segment Information Segment information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Revenues:
Product sales revenue	$ 3,111,936	$ 3,068,857
Services revenues	2,275,447	2,025,521
Total consolidated revenues	5,387,383	5,094,378
Cost of sales	2,089,558	1,981,161
Gross profit	3,297,825	3,113,217
Gross profit percentage	61.20%	61.10%
Research and development	675,564	587,817
Selling, general and administrative	1,713,954	1,650,197
Restructuring and Acquisition-related Charges	147,724	25,893
Total costs and expenses	2,537,242	2,263,907
Operating income	760,583	849,310
Other income (expense), net	(69,569)	(32,421)
Income before provision for income taxes	691,014	816,889
Income tax provision	76,060	190,910
Net income	614,954	625,979
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interest in VMware, Inc.	(34,904)	(39,137)
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	580,050	586,842
Information Storage
Revenues:
Product sales revenue	2,481,026	2,454,735
Services revenues	1,330,079	1,234,172
Total consolidated revenues	3,811,105	3,688,907
Cost of sales	1,717,961	1,629,038
Gross profit	2,093,144	2,059,869
Gross profit percentage	54.90%	55.80%
Information Intelligence Group
Revenues:
Product sales revenue	43,610	36,062
Services revenues	112,306	109,491
Total consolidated revenues	155,916	145,553
Cost of sales	56,741	55,932
Gross profit	99,175	89,621
Gross profit percentage	63.60%	61.60%
RSA Information Security
Revenues:
Product sales revenue	99,736	96,489
Services revenues	132,572	110,028
Total consolidated revenues	232,308	206,517
Cost of sales	80,391	73,155
Gross profit	151,917	133,362
Gross profit percentage	65.40%	64.60%
EMC Information Infrastructure
Revenues:
Product sales revenue	2,624,372	2,587,286
Services revenues	1,574,957	1,453,691
Total consolidated revenues	4,199,329	4,040,977
Cost of sales	1,855,093	1,758,125
Gross profit	2,344,236	2,282,852
Gross profit percentage	55.80%	56.50%
Research and development	377,493	338,216
Selling, general and administrative	1,102,494	1,094,012
Restructuring and Acquisition-related Charges	0	0
Total costs and expenses	1,479,987	1,432,228
Operating income	864,249	850,624
Other income (expense), net	(59,919)	(28,502)
Income before provision for income taxes	804,330	822,122
Income tax provision	195,695	220,453
Net income	608,635	601,669
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interest in VMware, Inc.	0	0
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	608,635	601,669
VMware Virtual Infrastructure Within EMC
Revenues:
Product sales revenue	487,564	481,571
Services revenues	700,490	571,830
Total consolidated revenues	1,188,054	1,053,401
Cost of sales	134,523	128,185
Gross profit	1,053,531	925,216
Gross profit percentage	88.70%	87.80%
Research and development	205,507	178,665
Selling, general and administrative	460,232	404,593
Restructuring and Acquisition-related Charges	0	0
Total costs and expenses	665,739	583,258
Operating income	387,792	341,958
Other income (expense), net	3,683	7,301
Income before provision for income taxes	391,475	349,259
Income tax provision	80,170	62,969
Net income	311,305	286,290
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interest in VMware, Inc.	(62,349)	(58,588)
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	248,956	227,702
Corp Reconciling Items
Revenues:
Product sales revenue	0	0
Services revenues	0	0
Total consolidated revenues	0	0
Cost of sales	99,942	94,851
Gross profit	(99,942)	(94,851)
Research and development	92,564	70,936
Selling, general and administrative	151,228	151,592
Restructuring and Acquisition-related Charges	147,724	25,893
Total costs and expenses	391,516	248,421
Operating income	(491,458)	(343,272)
Other income (expense), net	(13,333)	(11,220)
Income before provision for income taxes	(504,791)	(354,492)
Income tax provision	(199,805)	(92,512)
Net income	(304,986)	(261,980)
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interest in VMware, Inc.	27,445	19,451
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	$ (277,541)	$ (242,529)