Guarantor And Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Schedule Of Consolidated Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jan. 26, 2013	Oct. 27, 2012	Jan. 28, 2012	Oct. 29, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 683,616	$ 713,226	$ 484,239	$ 414,202
Restricted cash	311,926	0
Accounts receivable, net	216,706	233,139
Inventories	59,891	68,179
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	118,820	141,035
Total current assets	1,390,959	1,155,579
Property and equipment, net	510,282	518,940
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	1,870,941	1,906,742
Total assets	3,772,182	3,581,261
Accounts payable	101,808	117,350
Current portion of long-term debt	302,198	1,977
Intercompany payables	0	0
Other current liabilities	424,160	491,141
Total current liabilities	828,166	610,468
Total long-term debt, net of current portion	597,440	599,203
Other non-current liabilities	138,293	135,770
Total liabilities	1,563,899	1,345,441
Total stockholders' equity	2,208,283	2,235,820
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,772,182	3,581,261
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	208,609	284,466	165,481	101,366
Restricted cash	311,926
Accounts receivable, net	127,656	150,367
Inventories	49,802	55,084
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	102,723	124,690
Total current assets	800,716	614,607
Property and equipment, net	492,699	500,530
Investment in subsidiaries	953,755	871,157
Other non-current assets	1,744,376	1,814,729
Total assets	3,991,546	3,801,023
Accounts payable	80,357	92,661
Current portion of long-term debt	302,198	2,226
Intercompany payables	424,868	434,981
Other current liabilities	286,819	346,959
Total current liabilities	1,094,242	876,827
Total long-term debt, net of current portion	597,440	599,203
Other non-current liabilities	91,581	89,173
Total liabilities	1,783,263	1,565,203
Total stockholders' equity	2,208,283	2,235,820
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,991,546	3,801,023
Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	3,293	680	1,415	1,528
Restricted cash	0
Accounts receivable, net	535	(1,847)
Inventories	0	0
Intercompany receivables	479,426	478,133
Other current assets	777	514
Total current assets	484,031	477,480
Property and equipment, net	824	213
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	125,401	90,766
Total assets	610,256	568,459
Accounts payable	132	0
Current portion of long-term debt	0	(249)
Intercompany payables	0	0
Other current liabilities	9,092	7,628
Total current liabilities	9,224	7,379
Total long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	2,428	2,429
Total liabilities	11,652	9,808
Total stockholders' equity	598,604	558,651
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	610,256	568,459
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	471,714	428,080	317,343	311,308
Restricted cash	0
Accounts receivable, net	88,515	84,619
Inventories	10,089	13,095
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	14,344	15,606
Total current assets	584,662	541,400
Property and equipment, net	16,759	18,197
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	1,164	1,247
Total assets	602,585	560,844
Accounts payable	21,319	24,689
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany payables	54,558	43,152
Other current liabilities	127,273	136,329
Total current liabilities	203,150	204,170
Total long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	44,284	44,168
Total liabilities	247,434	248,338
Total stockholders' equity	355,151	312,506
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	602,585	560,844
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Inventories	0	0
Intercompany receivables	(479,426)	(478,133)
Other current assets	976	225
Total current assets	(478,450)	(477,908)
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(953,755)	(871,157)
Other non-current assets	0	0
Total assets	(1,432,205)	(1,349,065)
Accounts payable	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany payables	(479,426)	(478,133)
Other current liabilities	976	225
Total current liabilities	(478,450)	(477,908)
Total long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	(478,450)	(477,908)
Total stockholders' equity	(953,755)	(871,157)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ (1,432,205)	$ (1,349,065)