Guarantor And Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Schedule Of Consolidated Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jul. 27, 2013	Oct. 27, 2012	Jul. 28, 2012	Oct. 29, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 790,093	$ 713,226	$ 580,626	$ 414,202
Accounts receivable, net	218,462	233,139
Inventories	50,601	68,179
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	165,431	141,035
Total current assets	1,224,587	1,155,579
Property and equipment, net	487,944	518,940
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	1,809,200	1,906,742
Total assets	3,521,731	3,581,261
Accounts payable	95,936	117,350
Current portion of long-term debt	2,367	1,977
Intercompany payables	0	0
Other current liabilities	404,335	491,141
Total current liabilities	502,638	610,468
Long-term debt, net of current portion	596,524	599,203
Other non-current liabilities	115,340	135,770
Total liabilities	1,214,502	1,345,441
Total stockholders’ equity	2,307,229	2,235,820
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	3,521,731	3,581,261
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	270,192	284,466	204,938	101,366
Accounts receivable, net	129,224	150,367
Inventories	42,517	55,084
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	151,710	124,690
Total current assets	593,643	614,607
Property and equipment, net	471,893	500,530
Investment in subsidiaries	997,365	871,157
Other non-current assets	1,718,120	1,814,729
Total assets	3,781,021	3,801,023
Accounts payable	72,048	92,661
Current portion of long-term debt	2,367	2,226
Intercompany payables	456,806	434,981
Other current liabilities	276,789	346,959
Total current liabilities	808,010	876,827
Long-term debt, net of current portion	596,524	599,203
Other non-current liabilities	69,258	89,173
Total liabilities	1,473,792	1,565,203
Total stockholders’ equity	2,307,229	2,235,820
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	3,781,021	3,801,023
Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	3,643	680	812	1,528
Accounts receivable, net	360	(1,847)
Inventories	0	0
Intercompany receivables	487,040	478,133
Other current assets	235	514
Total current assets	491,278	477,480
Property and equipment, net	534	213
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	87,244	90,766
Total assets	579,056	568,459
Accounts payable	17	0
Current portion of long-term debt	0	(249)
Intercompany payables	0	0
Other current liabilities	6,710	7,628
Total current liabilities	6,727	7,379
Long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	2,428	2,429
Total liabilities	9,155	9,808
Total stockholders’ equity	569,901	558,651
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	579,056	568,459
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	516,258	428,080	374,876	311,308
Accounts receivable, net	88,878	84,619
Inventories	8,084	13,095
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	11,854	15,606
Total current assets	625,074	541,400
Property and equipment, net	15,517	18,197
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	3,836	1,247
Total assets	644,427	560,844
Accounts payable	23,871	24,689
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany payables	30,234	43,152
Other current liabilities	119,204	136,329
Total current liabilities	173,309	204,170
Long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	43,654	44,168
Total liabilities	216,963	248,338
Total stockholders’ equity	427,464	312,506
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	644,427	560,844
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Inventories	0	0
Intercompany receivables	(487,040)	(478,133)
Other current assets	1,632	225
Total current assets	(485,408)	(477,908)
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(997,365)	(871,157)
Other non-current assets	0	0
Total assets	(1,482,773)	(1,349,065)
Accounts payable	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany payables	(487,040)	(478,133)
Other current liabilities	1,632	225
Total current liabilities	(485,408)	(477,908)
Long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	(485,408)	(477,908)
Total stockholders’ equity	(997,365)	(871,157)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$ (1,482,773)	$ (1,349,065)