Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Sep. 30, 2012
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The financial statements of Dot Hill Systems Corp. (referred to herein as Dot Hill, we, our or us) contained herein are unaudited and in the opinion of management contain all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments and certain write offs in the carrying value of our long-term assets) necessary for a fair presentation of financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP, for interim financial information and with the instructions to Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, Form 10-Q and Article 10 of SEC Regulation S-X. They do not include all of the information and disclosures required by GAAP for complete financial statements. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for future quarters or the year ending December 31, 2012. Certain 2011 amounts in our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation, including adjustments for discontinued operations.
Use of Accounting Estimates	Use of Accounting Estimates The preparation of our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of net revenue and expenses in the reporting periods. The accounting estimates that require management’s most significant and subjective judgments include revenue recognition, inventory valuation, recurring and specific issue warranty obligations (see Note 6), the valuation and recognition of stock-based compensation expense, and the valuation of long-lived assets, goodwill and other intangibles, as well as any other assets and liabilities acquired and accounted for under the purchase method of accounting for business combinations. In addition, we have other accounting policies that involve estimates such as the determination of useful lives of long-lived assets, accruals for restructuring and valuation allowance for deferred tax assets. Actual results may differ from these estimates and such differences could be material.
Concentration of Customers and Suppliers	Concentration of Customers and Suppliers A majority of our net revenue is derived from a limited number of customers. We currently have two customers that account for more than 10% of our total net revenue: Hewlett Packard, or HP, and Tektronix, Inc., or Tektronix. Our agreements with our original equipment manufacturers, or OEM, partners do not contain any minimum purchase commitments, do not obligate our OEM partners to purchase their storage solutions exclusively from us and may be terminated at any time upon notice from the applicable partner.
Long-lived asset impairment	Long-lived asset impairment We periodically review the recoverability of the carrying value of long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying value may not be recoverable. An impairment in the carrying value of an asset group is recognized whenever anticipated future undiscounted cash flows from an asset group are estimated to be less than its carrying value. The amount of impairment recognized is the difference between the carrying value of the asset group and its fair value. Fair value estimates are based on assumptions concerning the amount and timing of estimated future cash flows and assumed discount rates, reflecting varying degrees of perceived risk. In September 2011, our primary AssuredUVS customer informed us that the AssuredUVS software would no longer be a component of its business strategy, resulting in significant declines in revenues for the Company. Our long-lived assets consisted of the intangible assets associated with our acquisition of certain identified Cloverleaf Communications, Inc., or Cloverleaf, assets acquired in January 2010. The impairment of these long-lived assets is now reported in discontinued operations (see Note 3), since we have ceased all ongoing operational activities as of September 30, 2012.
Valuation of Goodwill	Valuation of Goodwill We review goodwill for impairment on an annual basis at November 30 and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. Current accounting standards require that a two-step impairment test be performed on goodwill. In the first step, we compare the fair value of our reporting unit to its carrying value. We determine the fair value of our reporting unit using a combination of the income approach and market capitalization approach. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds the carrying value of the net assets, goodwill is not impaired, and we are not required to perform further testing. If the carrying value of the net assets exceeds the fair value of the reporting unit, then we must perform the second step in order to determine the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill and compare it to the carrying value of the reporting unit’s goodwill. If the carrying value of the reporting unit’s goodwill exceeds its implied fair value, then we must record an impairment charge equal to the difference. Under the income approach, we calculate the fair value of a reporting unit based on the present value of estimated future discounted cash flows. Under the market capitalization approach, valuation multiples are calculated based on operating data from publicly traded companies within our industry. Multiples derived from companies within our industry provide an indication of how much a knowledgeable investor in the marketplace would be willing to pay for a company. These multiples are applied to the operating data for the reporting unit to arrive at an indicated fair value. Significant management judgment is required in the forecasts of future operating results that are used in the estimated future discounted cash flow method of valuation. The estimates we have used are consistent with the plans and estimates that we use to manage our business. We base our fair value estimates on forecasted revenue and operating costs along with business plans. Our forecasts consider the effect of a number of factors including, but not limited to, the current future projected competitiveness and market acceptance of the product, technological risk, the ease of use and ease of implementation of the product, the likely outcome of sales and marketing efforts and projected costs associated with product development, customer support and selling, general and administrative costs. It is possible, however, that the plans may change and that actual results may differ significantly from our estimates. During September 2011, our primary AssuredUVS customer became delinquent on the settlement of its payables to us and upon our investigation it became evident that its financial resources were limited. It also informed us that they were changing their strategy which would result in a significant decline in revenue for the Company, and we determined it was “more-likely-than-not” that the reporting unit was less than its carrying value. The impairment of the goodwill related to the reporting unit is now reported in discontinued operations (see Note 3), since we have ceased all ongoing operational activities as of September 30, 2012.
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts	Allowance for Doubtful Accounts We establish an allowance for doubtful accounts for accounts receivable amounts that may not be collectible. We determine the allowance for doubtful accounts based on the aging of our accounts receivable balances and an analysis of our historical experience of bad debt write-offs.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	Recent Accounting Pronouncements In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-04, Fair Value Measurement Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs. The pronouncement was issued to provide a uniform framework for fair value measurements and related disclosures between U.S. GAAP and IFRS. ASU 2011-04 changes certain fair value measurement principles and enhances the disclosure requirements particularly for Level 3 fair value measurements. This pronouncement is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of ASU 2011-04 resulted in additional required disclosures within the Notes to the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, but did not have a material impact on our Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05, Comprehensive Income Presentation of Comprehensive Income. ASU 2011-05 allows an entity the option to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In both choices, an entity is required to present each component of net income along with total net income, each component of other comprehensive income along with a total for other comprehensive income, and a total amount for comprehensive income. ASU 2011-05 eliminates the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in stockholders’ equity. The amendments to the Codification in the ASU do not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income or when an item of other comprehensive income must be reclassified to net income and are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-12, Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05. The provisions of ASU 2011-12 indefinitely defer portions of ASU 2011-05 related to the presentation of reclassifications of items out of accumulated other comprehensive income. The adoption of ASU 2011-05 and ASU 2011-12 did not have a material impact on our Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Disclosure of accounting policy for credit risk.

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- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for trade and other accounts receivables. This disclosure may include the basis at which such receivables are carried in the entity's statements of financial position (for example, net realizable value), how the entity determines the level of its allowance for doubtful accounts, when impairments, charge-offs or recoveries are recognized, and the entity's income recognition policies for such receivables, including its treatment of related fees and costs, its treatment of premiums, discounts or unearned income, when accrual of interest is discontinued, how the entity records payments received on nonaccrual receivables and its policy for resuming accrual of interest on such receivables. If the enterprise holds a large number of similar loans, disclosure may include the accounting policy for the anticipation of prepayments and significant assumptions underlying prepayment estimates for amortization of premiums, discounts, and nonrefundable fees and costs.

+ References+ Details

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for the use of estimates in the preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

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