Guarantor And Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Schedule Of Consolidated Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Oct. 27, 2012	Oct. 29, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments	$ 713,226	$ 414,976
Accounts receivable, net	233,139	249,141
Inventories	68,179	74,172
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	141,035	105,912
Total current assets	1,155,579	844,201
Property and equipment, net	518,940	532,384
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	1,906,742	2,097,723
Total assets	3,581,261	3,474,308
Accounts payable	117,350	109,471
Current portion of long-term debt	1,977	40,539
Intercompany payables	0	0
Other current liabilities	491,141	415,977
Total current liabilities	610,468	565,987
Total long-term debt, net of current portion	599,203	748,904
Other non-current liabilities	135,770	145,279
Total liabilities	1,345,441	1,460,170
Total stockholders' equity	2,235,820	2,014,138
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,581,261	3,474,308
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments	284,466	101,367
Accounts receivable, net	150,367	157,839
Inventories	55,084	50,000
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	124,690	87,495
Total current assets	614,607	396,701
Property and equipment, net	500,530	460,347
Investment in subsidiaries	871,157	1,285,356
Other non-current assets	1,814,729	1,506,086
Total assets	3,801,023	3,648,490
Accounts payable	92,661	85,700
Current portion of long-term debt	2,226	40,539
Intercompany payables	434,981	377,228
Other current liabilities	346,959	276,982
Total current liabilities	876,827	780,449
Total long-term debt, net of current portion	599,203	748,904
Other non-current liabilities	89,173	104,999
Total liabilities	1,565,203	1,634,352
Total stockholders' equity	2,235,820	2,014,138
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,801,023	3,648,490
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments	680	2,301
Accounts receivable, net	(1,847)	(2,149)
Inventories	0	0
Intercompany receivables	478,133	446,455
Other current assets	514	805
Total current assets	477,480	447,412
Property and equipment, net	213	55,594
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	90,766	590,318
Total assets	568,459	1,093,324
Accounts payable	0	376
Current portion of long-term debt	(249)	0
Intercompany payables	0	0
Other current liabilities	7,628	17,261
Total current liabilities	7,379	17,637
Total long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	2,429	580
Total liabilities	9,808	18,217
Total stockholders' equity	558,651	1,075,107
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	568,459	1,093,324
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments	428,080	311,308
Accounts receivable, net	84,619	93,451
Inventories	13,095	24,172
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	15,606	15,609
Total current assets	541,400	444,540
Property and equipment, net	18,197	16,443
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	1,247	1,319
Total assets	560,844	462,302
Accounts payable	24,689	23,395
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany payables	43,152	69,227
Other current liabilities	136,329	119,731
Total current liabilities	204,170	212,353
Total long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	44,168	39,700
Total liabilities	248,338	252,053
Total stockholders' equity	312,506	210,249
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	560,844	462,302
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Inventories	0	0
Intercompany receivables	(478,133)	(446,455)
Other current assets	225	2,003
Total current assets	(477,908)	(444,452)
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(871,157)	(1,285,356)
Other non-current assets	0	0
Total assets	(1,349,065)	(1,729,808)
Accounts payable	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany payables	(478,133)	(446,455)
Other current liabilities	225	2,003
Total current liabilities	(477,908)	(444,452)
Total long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	(477,908)	(444,452)
Total stockholders' equity	(871,157)	(1,285,356)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ (1,349,065)	$ (1,729,808)