Guarantor And Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Schedule Of Consolidated Statement Of Income) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 26, 2013	Jan. 28, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Revenues	$ 588,729	$ 560,642
Intercompany revenues	0	0
Total net revenues	588,729	560,642
Cost of revenues	214,804	215,873
Intercompany cost of revenues	0	0
Total cost of revenues	214,804	215,873
Gross margin	373,925	344,769
Operating expenses	280,634	275,350
Intercompany operating expenses (income)	0	0
Total operating expenses	280,634	275,350
Income (loss) from operations	93,291	69,419
Other income (expense)	(26,302)	(14,042)
Income (loss) before income tax	66,989	55,377
Income tax expense (benefit)	88,244	(3,207)
Equity in net earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0
Net income (loss)	(21,255)	58,584
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Revenues	363,055	340,144
Intercompany revenues	9,781	10,660
Total net revenues	372,836	350,804
Cost of revenues	136,622	131,136
Intercompany cost of revenues	(9,119)	(8,374)
Total cost of revenues	127,503	122,762
Gross margin	245,333	228,042
Operating expenses	213,763	198,255
Intercompany operating expenses (income)	(32,604)	(36,756)
Total operating expenses	181,159	161,499
Income (loss) from operations	64,174	66,543
Other income (expense)	(25,931)	(10,282)
Income (loss) before income tax	38,243	56,261
Income tax expense (benefit)	85,852	(5,557)
Equity in net earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	26,744	(3,234)
Net income (loss)	(20,865)	58,584
Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Revenues	1,067	1,489
Intercompany revenues	0	0
Total net revenues	1,067	1,489
Cost of revenues	10,564	17,136
Intercompany cost of revenues	0	0
Total cost of revenues	10,564	17,136
Gross margin	(9,497)	(15,647)
Operating expenses	10,821	15,327
Intercompany operating expenses (income)	(6,831)	(6,022)
Total operating expenses	3,990	9,305
Income (loss) from operations	(13,487)	(24,952)
Other income (expense)	(94)	5
Income (loss) before income tax	(13,581)	(24,947)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0
Equity in net earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0
Net income (loss)	(13,581)	(24,947)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Revenues	224,607	219,009
Intercompany revenues	3,355	6,720
Total net revenues	227,962	225,729
Cost of revenues	65,565	65,378
Intercompany cost of revenues	22,255	25,754
Total cost of revenues	87,820	91,132
Gross margin	140,142	134,597
Operating expenses	58,103	63,991
Intercompany operating expenses (income)	39,435	42,778
Total operating expenses	97,538	106,769
Income (loss) from operations	42,604	27,828
Other income (expense)	114	(3,765)
Income (loss) before income tax	42,718	24,063
Income tax expense (benefit)	2,392	2,350
Equity in net earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0
Net income (loss)	40,326	21,713
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Revenues	0	0
Intercompany revenues	(13,136)	(17,380)
Total net revenues	(13,136)	(17,380)
Cost of revenues	2,053	2,223
Intercompany cost of revenues	(13,136)	(17,380)
Total cost of revenues	(11,083)	(15,157)
Gross margin	(2,053)	(2,223)
Operating expenses	(2,053)	(2,223)
Intercompany operating expenses (income)	0	0
Total operating expenses	(2,053)	(2,223)
Income (loss) from operations	0	0
Other income (expense)	(391)	0
Income (loss) before income tax	(391)	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0
Equity in net earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	(26,744)	3,234
Net income (loss)	$ (27,135)	$ 3,234