Guarantor And Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Schedule Of Consolidated Statement Of Income) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jul. 28, 2012	Jul. 30, 2011	Jul. 28, 2012	Jul. 30, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 555,332	$ 502,850	$ 1,659,413	$ 1,596,969
Intercompany revenues	0	0	0	0
Total net revenues	555,332	502,850	1,659,413	1,596,969
Cost of revenues	214,854	196,323	637,084	640,951
Intercompany cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Total cost of revenues	214,854	196,323	637,084	640,951
Gross margin	340,478	306,527	1,022,329	956,018
Operating expenses	270,257	272,305	830,920	833,196
Intercompany operating expenses (income)	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	270,257	272,305	830,920	833,196
Income (loss) from operations	70,221	34,222	191,409	122,822
Other income (expense)	(11,926)	(42,585)	(39,149)	(84,517)
Income (loss) before income tax	58,295	(8,363)	152,260	38,305
Income tax expense (benefit)	14,995	(10,300)	11,080	(16,629)
Equity in net earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	43,300	1,937	141,180	54,934
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	353,594	299,841	1,046,498	948,200
Intercompany revenues	11,442	15,753	36,049	76,729
Total net revenues	365,036	315,594	1,082,547	1,024,929
Cost of revenues	145,292	120,070	417,480	397,419
Intercompany cost of revenues	(8,078)	(8,122)	(23,244)	4,962
Total cost of revenues	137,214	111,948	394,236	402,381
Gross margin	227,822	203,646	688,311	622,548
Operating expenses	204,948	204,259	620,073	636,393
Intercompany operating expenses (income)	(38,781)	(32,891)	(105,706)	(110,684)
Total operating expenses	166,167	171,368	514,367	525,709
Income (loss) from operations	61,655	32,278	173,944	96,839
Other income (expense)	(11,495)	(41,934)	(34,692)	(83,231)
Income (loss) before income tax	50,160	(9,656)	139,252	13,608
Income tax expense (benefit)	13,032	(11,444)	4,910	(22,093)
Equity in net earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	6,172	149	6,838	19,233
Net income (loss)	43,300	1,937	141,180	54,934
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	1,038	7,526	3,777	22,407
Intercompany revenues	0	367	0	1,571
Total net revenues	1,038	7,893	3,777	23,978
Cost of revenues	10,291	19,209	38,279	62,416
Intercompany cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Total cost of revenues	10,291	19,209	38,279	62,416
Gross margin	(9,253)	(11,316)	(34,502)	(38,438)
Operating expenses	12,893	14,794	43,382	43,614
Intercompany operating expenses (income)	(7,971)	(6,280)	(20,532)	(19,133)
Total operating expenses	4,922	8,514	22,850	24,481
Income (loss) from operations	(14,175)	(19,830)	(57,352)	(62,919)
Other income (expense)	45	(76)	(61)	(502)
Income (loss) before income tax	(14,130)	(19,906)	(57,413)	(63,421)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	35		46
Equity in net earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(14,130)	(19,941)	(57,413)	(63,467)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	200,700	195,483	609,138	626,362
Intercompany revenues	5,239	11,211	19,308	26,521
Total net revenues	205,939	206,694	628,446	652,883
Cost of revenues	56,246	53,669	173,170	170,470
Intercompany cost of revenues	24,759	35,452	78,601	99,858
Total cost of revenues	81,005	89,121	251,771	270,328
Gross margin	124,934	117,573	376,675	382,555
Operating expenses	55,441	56,628	175,620	163,836
Intercompany operating expenses (income)	46,752	39,171	126,238	129,817
Total operating expenses	102,193	95,799	301,858	293,653
Income (loss) from operations	22,741	21,774	74,817	88,902
Other income (expense)	(476)	(575)	(4,396)	(784)
Income (loss) before income tax	22,265	21,199	70,421	88,118
Income tax expense (benefit)	1,963	1,109	6,170	5,418
Equity in net earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	20,302	20,090	64,251	82,700
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Intercompany revenues	(16,681)	(27,331)	(55,357)	(104,821)
Total net revenues	(16,681)	(27,331)	(55,357)	(104,821)
Cost of revenues	3,025	3,375	8,155	10,646
Intercompany cost of revenues	(16,681)	(27,330)	(55,357)	(104,820)
Total cost of revenues	(13,656)	(23,955)	(47,202)	(94,174)
Gross margin	(3,025)	(3,376)	(8,155)	(10,647)
Operating expenses	(3,025)	(3,376)	(8,155)	(10,647)
Intercompany operating expenses (income)	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	(3,025)	(3,376)	(8,155)	(10,647)
Income (loss) from operations	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income tax	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Equity in net earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	(6,172)	(149)	(6,838)	(19,233)
Net income (loss)	$ (6,172)	$ (149)	$ (6,838)	$ (19,233)