Non-controlling Interests - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Non-controlling interest	$ 1,677	$ 1,579
VMware
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Non-controlling interest	$ 1,581	1,481
Voting power of VMware's outstanding common stock	97.00%
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent	81.00%
Pivotal
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Non-controlling interest	$ 96	$ 98
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent	83.00%

Total of all stockholders' equity (deficit) items, net of receivables from officers, directors, owners, and affiliates of the entity which is directly or indirectly attributable to that ownership interest in subsidiary equity which is not attributable to the parent (that is, noncontrolling interest, previously referred to as minority interest).

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 210.5-02.31)
-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 02
-Paragraph 27
-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 20
-Article 7

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant