Quarterly Summary Quarterly Summary (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Oct. 27, 2012

Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Quarterly Financial Information

BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC. QUARTERLY SUMMARY (Unaudited)
	Three Months Ended
	October 27, 2012		July 28, 2012		April 28, 2012		January 28, 2012		October 29, 2011			July 30, 2011		April 30, 2011		January 29, 2011
	(In thousands, except per share and stock price amounts)
Quarterly Data:
Net revenues	$	578,357	$	555,332	$	543,439	$	560,642	$	550,472		$	502,850	$	548,364	$	545,756
Gross margin	$	360,690	$	340,478	$	337,082	$	344,769	$	327,515		$	306,527	$	328,609	$	320,883
Income from operations	$	86,320	$	70,221	$	51,769	$	69,419	$	54,697		$	34,222	$	46,197	$	42,404
Net income (loss)	$	54,001	$	43,300	$	39,296	$	58,584	$	(4,324	)	$	1,937	$	26,079	$	26,918
Per share amounts:
Basic	$	0.12	$	0.09	$	0.09	$	0.13	$	(0.01	)	$	—	$	0.06	$	0.06
Diluted	$	0.11	$	0.09	$	0.08	$	0.12	$	(0.01	)	$	—	$	0.05	$	0.05
Shares used in computing per share amounts:
Basic	459,333		457,147		457,541		452,494		474,975			483,744		473,209		465,108
Diluted	474,213		469,571		476,848		468,738		474,975			509,548		501,511		491,166
Closing prices:
High	$	6.39	$	5.55	$	6.12	$	5.93	$	5.39		$	7.11	$	6.45	$	6.41
Low	$	4.92	$	4.41	$	5.24	$	4.17	$	3.22		$	5.48	$	5.64	$	4.97