Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Oct. 27, 2012

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In determining fair value for assets and liabilities required or permitted to be recorded at fair value, the Company considers the principal or most advantageous market in which it would transact and also considers assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability. The Company applies fair value measurements for both financial and nonfinancial assets and liabilities. The Company has no nonfinancial assets and liabilities that are required to be measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of October 27, 2012.

The fair value of the Company’s financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, restricted cash, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, approximate cost because of their short maturities.

The Company did not elect to measure any eligible financial instruments at fair value and report unrealized gains and losses on items for which the fair value option has been elected in earnings at each subsequent reporting date.

Fair Value Hierarchy

The Company utilizes a fair value hierarchy that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. A financial instrument’s categorization within the fair value hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. There are three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

Level 1

Observable inputs that reflect quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Brocade’s assets utilizing Level 1 inputs include money market funds.

Level 2

Inputs that reflect quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in less active markets, or model-derived valuations in which significant inputs are observable or can be derived principally from, or corroborated by, observable market data. Brocade’s assets and liabilities utilizing Level 2 inputs include corporate bonds and derivative instruments, respectively.

Level 3

Unobservable inputs that reflect the Company’s own assumptions incorporated in valuation techniques used to determine fair value. These assumptions are required to be consistent with market participant assumptions that are reasonably available. Brocade has no assets or liabilities utilizing Level 3 inputs.

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of October 27, 2012 were as follows (in thousands):

			Fair Value Measurements Using
	Balance as of October 27, 2012		Quoted Prices in Active Markets For Identical Instruments (Level 1)		Significant  Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Assets:
Money market funds (1)	$	308,960	$	308,960	$	—	$	—
Derivative assets	2,941		—		2,941		—
Total assets measured at fair value	$	311,901	$	308,960	$	2,941	$	—
Liabilities:
Derivative liabilities	$	296	$	—	$	296	$	—
Total liabilities measured at fair value	$	296	$	—	$	296	$	—

(1) Money market funds are reported within “Cash and cash equivalents” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of October 29, 2011 were as follows (in thousands):

			Fair Value Measurements Using
	Balance as of October 29, 2011		Quoted Prices in Active Markets For Identical Instruments (Level 1)		Significant  Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Assets:
Money market funds (1)	$	138,959	$	138,959	$	—	$	—
Corporate bonds	774		—		774		—
Derivative assets	$	1,368	$	—	$	1,368	$	—
Total assets measured at fair value	$	141,101	$	138,959	$	2,142	$	—
Liabilities:
Derivative liabilities	$	1,790	$	—	$	1,790	$	—
Total liabilities measured at fair value	$	1,790	$	—	$	1,790	$	—

(1) Money market funds are reported within “Cash and cash equivalents” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The Company uses a midpoint of the highest bid and lowest offering obtained from market makers to value its corporate bonds. The Company uses observable market prices for comparable instruments to value its derivative instruments.

During the fiscal year ended October 27, 2012, the Company had no transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy of its assets measured at fair value.