Basis Of Presentation (Policies)	12 Months Ended
Oct. 27, 2012
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Fiscal Period Policy	The fiscal year for the Company is the 52 or 53 weeks ending on the last Saturday in October. As is customary for companies that use the 52/53-week convention, every fifth year contains a 53-week year. Fiscal years 2012, 2011 and 2010 were 52-week fiscal years. The Company’s next 53-week fiscal year will be fiscal year 2014 and its next 14-week quarter will be in the second quarter of fiscal year 2014.
Consolidation Policy	The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Brocade and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
Use of Estimates in Preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements	Use of Estimates in Preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements The preparation of consolidated financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Estimates are used for, but not limited to sales allowances and programs, allowance for doubtful accounts, stock-based compensation, purchase price allocations, warranty obligations, inventory valuation and purchase commitments, restructuring costs, commissions, facilities lease losses, impairment of goodwill and intangible assets, litigation, income taxes and investments. Actual results may differ materially from these estimates.

Basis Of Presentation (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Oct. 27, 2012

The fiscal year for the Company is the 52 or 53 weeks ending on the last Saturday in October. As is customary for companies that use the 52/53-week convention, every fifth year contains a 53-week year. Fiscal years 2012, 2011 and 2010 were 52-week fiscal years. The Company’s next 53-week fiscal year will be fiscal year 2014 and its next 14-week quarter will be in the second quarter of fiscal year 2014.

Consolidation Policy

The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Brocade and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Use of Estimates in Preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements

The preparation of consolidated financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Estimates are used for, but not limited to sales allowances and programs, allowance for doubtful accounts, stock-based compensation, purchase price allocations, warranty obligations, inventory valuation and purchase commitments, restructuring costs, commissions, facilities lease losses, impairment of goodwill and intangible assets, litigation, income taxes and investments. Actual results may differ materially from these estimates.

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy regarding (1) the principles it follows in consolidating or combining the separate financial statements, including the principles followed in determining the inclusion or exclusion of subsidiaries or other entities in the consolidated or combined financial statements and (2) its treatment of interests (for example, common stock, a partnership interest or other means of exerting influence) in other entities, for example consolidation or use of the equity or cost methods of accounting. The accounting policy may also address the accounting treatment for intercompany accounts and transactions, noncontrolling interest, and the income statement treatment in consolidation for issuances of stock by a subsidiary.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)

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+ Details

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for determining an entity's fiscal year or other fiscal period. This disclosure may include identification of the fiscal period end-date, the length of the fiscal period, any reporting period lag between the entity and its subsidiaries, or equity investees. If a reporting lag exists, the closing date of the entity having a different period end is generally noted, along with an explanation of the necessity for using different closing dates. Any intervening events that materially affect the entity's financial position or results of operations are generally also disclosed.

+ References+ Details

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for the use of estimates in the preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

+ References+ Details