Contingencies	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Contingencies	Contingencies Litigation During June 2015, VMware reached an agreement with the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the General Services Administration (“GSA”) to pay $76 million to resolve allegations that VMware's government sales practices between 2006 and 2013 had violated the federal False Claims Act. The settlement was paid and recorded as a reduction of VMware's total revenues during the three months ended June 30, 2015. On March 27, 2015, Phoenix Technologies (“Phoenix”) filed a complaint against VMware in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California asserting claims for copyright infringement and breach of contract relating to a version of Phoenix’s BIOS software that VMware licensed from Phoenix. In the lawsuit, Phoenix is seeking injunctive relief and monetary damages. VMware believes that it has meritorious defenses in connection with this lawsuit, and currently a reasonably possible loss or range of loss cannot be estimated. On March 4, 2015, Christoph Hellwig, a software developer who alleges that software code he wrote is used in a component of the Company's vSphere product, filed a lawsuit against VMware in Germany alleging copyright infringement for failing to comply with the terms of an open source General Public License v.2 (“GPL v.2”) and seeking an order requiring VMware to comply with the GPL v.2 or cease distribution of any affected code within Germany. VMware believes that it has meritorious defenses in connection with this lawsuit, and currently a reasonably possible loss or range of loss cannot be estimated. VMware accrues for a liability at the low end of the range of estimated losses when a determination has been made that a loss is both probable and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Significant judgment is required in both the determination that the occurrence of a loss is probable and is reasonably estimable. In making such judgments, VMware considers the impact of negotiations, settlements, rulings, advice of legal counsel and other information and events pertaining to a particular matter. Legal costs are generally recognized as expense when incurred. VMware believes that it has valid defenses against each of the ongoing legal matters disclosed. However, given the unpredictable nature of legal proceedings, an unfavorable resolution of one or more legal proceedings, claims, or investigations could have a material adverse effect on VMware’s condensed consolidated financial statements. VMware is also subject to other legal, administrative and regulatory proceedings, claims, demands and investigations in the ordinary course of business, including claims with respect to commercial, product liability, intellectual property, employment, class action, whistleblower and other matters. From time to time, VMware also receives inquiries from and has discussions with government entities on various matters. VMware does not believe that any liability from any reasonably foreseeable disposition of such claims and litigation, individually or in the aggregate, would have a material adverse effect on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2015

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Litigation

During June 2015, VMware reached an agreement with the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the General Services Administration (“GSA”) to pay $76 million to resolve allegations that VMware's government sales practices between 2006 and 2013 had violated the federal False Claims Act. The settlement was paid and recorded as a reduction of VMware's total revenues during the three months ended June 30, 2015.

On March 27, 2015, Phoenix Technologies (“Phoenix”) filed a complaint against VMware in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California asserting claims for copyright infringement and breach of contract relating to a version of Phoenix’s BIOS software that VMware licensed from Phoenix. In the lawsuit, Phoenix is seeking injunctive relief and monetary damages. VMware believes that it has meritorious defenses in connection with this lawsuit, and currently a reasonably possible loss or range of loss cannot be estimated.

On March 4, 2015, Christoph Hellwig, a software developer who alleges that software code he wrote is used in a component of the Company's vSphere product, filed a lawsuit against VMware in Germany alleging copyright infringement for failing to comply with the terms of an open source General Public License v.2 (“GPL v.2”) and seeking an order requiring VMware to comply with the GPL v.2 or cease distribution of any affected code within Germany. VMware believes that it has meritorious defenses in connection with this lawsuit, and currently a reasonably possible loss or range of loss cannot be estimated.

VMware accrues for a liability at the low end of the range of estimated losses when a determination has been made that a loss is both probable and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Significant judgment is required in both the determination that the occurrence of a loss is probable and is reasonably estimable. In making such judgments, VMware considers the impact of negotiations, settlements, rulings, advice of legal counsel and other information and events pertaining to a particular matter. Legal costs are generally recognized as expense when incurred.

VMware believes that it has valid defenses against each of the ongoing legal matters disclosed. However, given the unpredictable nature of legal proceedings, an unfavorable resolution of one or more legal proceedings, claims, or investigations could have a material adverse effect on VMware’s condensed consolidated financial statements.

VMware is also subject to other legal, administrative and regulatory proceedings, claims, demands and investigations in the ordinary course of business, including claims with respect to commercial, product liability, intellectual property, employment, class action, whistleblower and other matters. From time to time, VMware also receives inquiries from and has discussions with government entities on various matters. VMware does not believe that any liability from any reasonably foreseeable disposition of such claims and litigation, individually or in the aggregate, would have a material adverse effect on its condensed consolidated financial statements.