Exhibit 5.1


                          [EMC Corporation Letterhead]

                                            October 17, 2001

EMC Corporation
35 Parkwood Drive
Hopkinton, MA 01748

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I am Senior Vice President and General Counsel to EMC Corporation, a
Massachusetts corporation (the "Company"), and am issuing this opinion in
connection with the registration statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration
Statement") being filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") on the date hereof for the purpose of registering
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), 119,310
shares (the "Shares") of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company
("Common Stock") which may be issued pursuant to the exercise of options granted
under the Luminate Software Corporation 1996 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended
(the "Plan").

     In this connection, I have examined and am familiar with originals or
copies, certified or otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of: (i) the
Registration Statement; (ii) the Company's Restated Articles of Organization, as
amended; (iii) such records of the corporate proceedings of the Company as I
have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions set forth
herein; and (iv) such certificates of officers of the Company and others and
such other records and documents as I have deemed necessary or appropriate as a
basis for the opinion set forth herein.

     In my examination, I have assumed the legal capacity of all natural
persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents
submitted to me as originals, the conformity to original documents of all
documents submitted to me as certified, conformed or photostatic copies and the
authenticity of the originals of such copies. As to any facts material to the
opinion expressed herein which I have not independently established or verified,
I have relied upon statements and representations of other officers and
representatives of the Company and others.

     I am admitted to the Bar of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and do not
purport to be an expert on, or express any opinion concerning, any law other
than the substantive law of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

     Based upon and subject to the foregoing, I am of the opinion that the
Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and, when issued and sold by the
Company pursuant to and in accordance with the Plan, will be validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable.

     I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, I do not thereby
admit that I am in the category of persons whose consent is required under
Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission
promulgated thereunder.

     This opinion is furnished by me, as Senior Vice President and General
Counsel to the Company, in connection with the filing of the Registration
Statement and is not to be used, circulated or quoted for any other purpose or
otherwise referred to or relied upon by any other person without the prior
express written permission of the Company other than in connection with the
offer and sale of Shares while the Registration Statement is in effect.

                                       Very truly yours,

                                       /s/ Paul T. Dacier

                                       Paul T. Dacier
                                       Senior Vice President and General Counsel