Non-controlling Interests - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Non-controlling interest	$ 2,017		$ 1,579
Proceeds from non-controlling interests - issuance of common stock and contributions	233	$ 4
VMware
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Non-controlling interest	$ 1,678		1,481
Voting power of VMware's outstanding common stock	97.00%
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent	81.00%
Proceeds from non-controlling interests - issuance of common stock and contributions	$ 52	$ 69
Pivotal
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Non-controlling interest	$ 339		$ 98
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent	78.00%
Proceeds from non-controlling interests - issuance of common stock and contributions	$ 233

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- Definition

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).

+ 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 210.5-02.31)
-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

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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

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The parent entity's interest in net assets of the subsidiary, expressed as a percentage.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of cash inflow from a noncontrolling interest. Includes, but is not limited to, purchase of additional shares or other increase in noncontrolling interest ownership.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Financing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3255-108585

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