CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Revenues:
Product sales	$ 12,590,742,000	$ 10,892,857,000	$ 8,828,145,000
Services	7,416,846,000	6,122,269,000	5,197,765,000
Total consolidated revenues	20,007,588,000	17,015,126,000	14,025,910,000
Costs and expenses:
Cost of product sales	5,319,761,000	4,882,031,000	4,406,187,000
Cost of services	2,518,885,000	2,102,114,000	1,874,824,000
Research and development	2,149,787,000	1,888,015,000	1,627,509,000
Selling, general and administrative	6,479,382,000	5,375,305,000	4,595,625,000
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	97,334,000	84,375,000	107,490,000
Operating income	3,442,439,000	2,683,286,000	1,414,275,000
Non-operating income (expense):
Investment income	129,248,000	142,536,000	140,430,000
Interest expense	(170,466,000)	(178,345,000)	(182,499,000)
Other income (expense), net	(151,951,000)	(39,494,000)	2,370,000
Total non-operating income (expense)	(193,169,000)	(75,303,000)	(39,699,000)
Income before provision for income taxes	3,249,270,000	2,607,983,000	1,374,576,000
Income tax provision	640,385,000	638,297,000	252,775,000
Net income	2,608,885,000	1,969,686,000	1,121,801,000
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interest in VMware, Inc.	(147,548,000)	(69,691,000)	(33,724,000)
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	$ 2,461,337,000	$ 1,899,995,000	$ 1,088,077,000
Net income per weighted average share, basic attributable to EMC Corporation common shareholders	$ 1.20	$ 0.92	$ 0.54
Net income per weighted average share, diluted attributable to EMC Corporation common shareholders	$ 1.10	$ 0.88	$ 0.53
Weighted average shares, basic	2,055,536,000	2,055,959,000	2,022,371,000
Weighted average shares, diluted	2,229,113,000	2,147,931,000	2,055,146,000