Restructuring and Acquisition-Related Charges - Activity For Restructuring Program (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Charges/ Adjustments to the Provision	$ 23	$ 29	$ 133	$ 144
EMC Information Infrastructure | Restructuring 2015 Programs [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	102		0
Charges/ Adjustments to the Provision	27		139
Restructuring Reserve Settled During Period	(28)		(38)
Ending Balance	101		101
EMC Information Infrastructure | Restructuring 2015 Programs [Member] | Workforce reductions
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	96		0
Charges/ Adjustments to the Provision	17		123
Restructuring Reserve Settled During Period	(24)		(34)
Ending Balance	89		89
EMC Information Infrastructure | Restructuring 2015 Programs [Member] | Consolidation of excess facilities and other contractual obligations
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	6		0
Charges/ Adjustments to the Provision	10		16
Restructuring Reserve Settled During Period	(4)		(4)
Ending Balance	12		12
EMC Information Infrastructure | Restructuring Other Programs
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	75	57	121	90
Restructuring Reserve, Accrual Adjustment	(4)	(7)	(6)	(11)
Restructuring Reserve Settled During Period	(15)	(15)	(59)	(44)
Ending Balance	56	35	56	35
EMC Information Infrastructure | Restructuring Other Programs | Workforce reductions
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	61	37	102	66
Restructuring Reserve, Accrual Adjustment	(4)	(7)	(6)	(13)
Restructuring Reserve Settled During Period	(14)	(13)	(53)	(36)
Ending Balance	43	17	43	17
EMC Information Infrastructure | Restructuring Other Programs | Consolidation of excess facilities and other contractual obligations
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	14	20	19	24
Charges/ Adjustments to the Provision	0	0	0	2
Restructuring Reserve Settled During Period	(1)	(2)	(6)	(8)
Ending Balance	13	18	13	18
EMC Information Infrastructure | Restructuring 2014 Programs
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		103		0
Charges/ Adjustments to the Provision		36		155
Restructuring Reserve Settled During Period		(38)		(54)
Ending Balance		101		101
EMC Information Infrastructure | Restructuring 2014 Programs | Workforce reductions
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		102		0
Charges/ Adjustments to the Provision		32		149
Restructuring Reserve Settled During Period		(36)		(51)
Ending Balance		98		98
EMC Information Infrastructure | Restructuring 2014 Programs | Consolidation of excess facilities and other contractual obligations
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		1		0
Charges/ Adjustments to the Provision		4		6
Restructuring Reserve Settled During Period		(2)		(3)
Ending Balance		3		3
VMware
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Restructuring Reserve, Accrual Adjustment	2	$ 1		$ 1
Charges/ Adjustments to the Provision			21
VMware | Restructuring 2015 Programs [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	16
Restructuring Reserve, Accrual Adjustment	(2)
Restructuring Reserve Settled During Period	(12)
Ending Balance	2		2
VMware | Restructuring 2015 Programs [Member] | Workforce reductions
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	16
Restructuring Reserve, Accrual Adjustment	(2)
Restructuring Reserve Settled During Period	(12)
Ending Balance	2		2
VMware | Restructuring 2015 Programs [Member] | Consolidation of excess facilities and other contractual obligations
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	0
Charges/ Adjustments to the Provision	0
Restructuring Reserve Settled During Period	0
Ending Balance	0		0
VMware | Restructuring Other Programs
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance			8
Charges/ Adjustments to the Provision			21
Restructuring Reserve Settled During Period			(27)
Ending Balance	2		2
VMware | Restructuring Other Programs | Workforce reductions
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance			8
Charges/ Adjustments to the Provision			21
Restructuring Reserve Settled During Period			(27)
Ending Balance	2		2
VMware | Restructuring Other Programs | Consolidation of excess facilities and other contractual obligations
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance			0
Charges/ Adjustments to the Provision			0
Restructuring Reserve Settled During Period			0
Ending Balance	$ 0		$ 0