CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Cash flows from operating activities:
Cash received from customers	$ 21,144,690,000	$ 17,585,447,000	$ 14,647,691,000
Cash paid to suppliers and employees	(15,218,678,000)	(12,830,684,000)	(11,032,859,000)
Dividends and interest received	135,971,000	102,912,000	109,525,000
Interest paid	(70,071,000)	(76,711,000)	(73,430,000)
Income taxes paid	(323,097,000)	(232,121,000)	(316,542,000)
Net cash provided by operating activities	5,668,815,000	4,548,843,000	3,334,385,000
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions to property, plant and equipment	(801,375,000)	(745,412,000)	(411,579,000)
Capitalized software development costs	(442,341,000)	(362,956,000)	(304,520,000)
Purchases of short and long-term available-for-sale securities	(7,180,169,000)	(6,329,894,000)	(5,494,540,000)
Sales of short and long-term available-for-sale securities	5,121,454,000	3,625,260,000	5,256,412,000
Maturities of short and long-term available-for-sale securities	1,130,321,000	437,297,000	704,653,000
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(536,624,000)	(3,194,611,000)	(2,664,141,000)
(Increase) decrease in strategic and other related investments	(300,476,000)	123,867,000	(163,757,000)
Purchase of leasehold interest	(151,083,000)	0	0
VCE company funding	(383,211,000)	(29,600,000)	(19,200,000)
Other, net	0	0	1,184,000
Net cash used in investing activities	(3,543,504,000)	(6,476,049,000)	(3,095,488,000)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuance of EMC's common stock from the exercise of stock options	673,389,000	780,732,000	366,361,000
Issuance of VMware's common stock from the exercise of stock options	337,618,000	431,306,000	227,666,000
EMC purchase of VMware's common stock	(399,984,000)	(399,224,000)	0
Repayments of proceeds from securities lending	0	0	(412,321,000)
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	361,632,000	281,872,000	46,082,000
Payment of long-term and short-term obligations	(27,089,000)	(4,128,000)	(20,835,000)
Proceeds from long-term and short-term obligations	3,096,000	4,066,000	4,969,000
Interest rate contracts settlement	(140,993,000)	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(1,718,502,000)	(243,827,000)	211,922,000
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	5,089,000	(12,328,000)	7,995,000
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	411,898,000	(2,183,361,000)	458,814,000
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	4,119,138,000	6,302,499,000	5,843,685,000
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	4,531,036,000	4,119,138,000	6,302,499,000
Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Net income	2,608,885,000	1,969,686,000	1,121,801,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	1,421,598,000	1,167,550,000	1,073,135,000
Non-cash interest expense on convertible debt	102,907,000	105,649,000	108,347,000
Non-cash restructuring and other special charges	(1,484,000)	6,861,000	25,050,000
Stock-based compensation expense	822,576,000	667,728,000	600,537,000
Provision for doubtful accounts	20,255,000	18,965,000	14,351,000
Deferred income taxes, net	(19,423,000)	(49,787,000)	27,198,000
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	(361,632,000)	(281,872,000)	(46,082,000)
Gain on Data Domain and SpringSource common stock	0	0	(25,822,000)
Other, net	4,573,000	(21,250,000)	(13,906,000)
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:
Accounts and notes receivable	(391,672,000)	(405,758,000)	241,069,000
Inventories	(393,156,000)	(114,111,000)	(158,482,000)
Other assets	(61,830,000)	(54,469,000)	3,600,000
Accounts payable	34,871,000	154,496,000	140,376,000
Accrued expenses	158,467,000	4,162,000	(80,642,000)
Income taxes payable	336,711,000	455,964,000	(91,142,000)
Deferred revenue	1,508,520,000	957,114,000	366,361,000
Other liabilities	(121,351,000)	(32,085,000)	28,636,000
Net cash provided by operating activities	5,668,815,000	4,548,843,000	3,334,385,000
Non-cash investing and financing activity:
Issuance of common stock and stock options exchanged in business acquisitions	3,224,000	28,668,000	83,780,000
Parent
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repurchase of common stock	(1,999,968,000)	(999,924,000)	0
VMware
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repurchase of common stock	$ (526,203,000)	$ (338,527,000)	$ 0