Restructuring and Acquisition-Related Charges - Additional information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014 VMware	Mar. 31, 2013 VMware	Jan. 31, 2014 Restructuring 2014 Programs	Mar. 31, 2014 Restructuring 2014 Programs Positions	Mar. 31, 2013 Restructuring 2013 Programs Positions	Mar. 31, 2013 Restructuring 2013 Programs VMware	Dec. 31, 2013 Restructuring 2013 Programs VMware Positions	Mar. 31, 2014 Consolidation of excess facilities and other contractual obligations	Mar. 31, 2013 Consolidation of excess facilities and other contractual obligations Restructuring 2013 Programs VMware	Mar. 31, 2013 Workforce reductions Restructuring 2013 Programs VMware
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	$ 119,000,000	$ 148,000,000
Restructuring charges	114,000,000	82,000,000		54,000,000				54,000,000			0	54,000,000
Asset Impairment Charges				9,000,000
Acquisition-related charges		2,000,000	5,000,000	1,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Number of Positions Eliminated						1,326	1,004		710
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost					126,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost, to be Settled with Cash					118,000,000
Lease termination costs for facilities	$ 5,000,000	$ 7,000,000
Date of completion of workforce reduction and/or consolidation of facilities						within a year of the start of the program				2015