Guarantor And Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Schedule Of Consolidated Statement Of Income) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jul. 27, 2013	Jul. 28, 2012	Jul. 27, 2013	Jul. 28, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Revenues	$ 536,551	$ 555,332	$ 1,664,064	$ 1,659,413
Intercompany revenues	0	0	0	0
Total net revenues	536,551	555,332	1,664,064	1,659,413
Cost of revenues	198,349	214,854	617,825	637,084
Intercompany cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Total cost of revenues	198,349	214,854	617,825	637,084
Gross margin	338,202	340,478	1,046,239	1,022,329
Operating expenses	263,839	270,257	821,406	830,920
Intercompany operating expenses (income)	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	263,839	270,257	821,406	830,920
Income from operations	74,363	70,221	224,833	191,409
Other income (expense)	67,437	(11,926)	30,734	(39,149)
Income before income tax	141,800	58,295	255,567	152,260
Income tax expense	23,104	14,995	111,177	11,080
Equity in net earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	118,696	43,300	144,390	141,180
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Revenues	327,422	353,594	1,004,002	1,046,498
Intercompany revenues	5,647	11,442	21,881	36,049
Total net revenues	333,069	365,036	1,025,883	1,082,547
Cost of revenues	137,260	145,292	405,005	417,480
Intercompany cost of revenues	(14,489)	(8,078)	(41,711)	(23,244)
Total cost of revenues	122,771	137,214	363,294	394,236
Gross margin	210,298	227,822	662,589	688,311
Operating expenses	198,119	204,948	608,523	620,073
Intercompany operating expenses (income)	(14,763)	(38,781)	(89,648)	(105,706)
Total operating expenses	183,356	166,167	518,875	514,367
Income from operations	26,942	61,655	143,714	173,944
Other income (expense)	67,657	(11,495)	34,305	(34,692)
Income before income tax	94,599	50,160	178,019	139,252
Income tax expense	26,079	13,032	109,114	4,910
Equity in net earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	50,176	6,172	75,875	6,838
Net income	118,696	43,300	144,780	141,180
Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Revenues	1,053	1,038	3,176	3,777
Intercompany revenues	0	0	0	0
Total net revenues	1,053	1,038	3,176	3,777
Cost of revenues	6,891	10,291	29,104	38,279
Intercompany cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Total cost of revenues	6,891	10,291	29,104	38,279
Gross margin	(5,838)	(9,253)	(25,928)	(34,502)
Operating expenses	9,888	12,893	30,941	43,382
Intercompany operating expenses (income)	(11)	(7,971)	(14,288)	(20,532)
Total operating expenses	9,877	4,922	16,653	22,850
Income from operations	(15,715)	(14,175)	(42,581)	(57,352)
Other income (expense)	350	45	306	(61)
Income before income tax	(15,365)	(14,130)	(42,275)	(57,413)
Income tax expense	0	0	866	0
Equity in net earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	(15,365)	(14,130)	(43,141)	(57,413)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Revenues	208,076	200,700	656,886	609,138
Intercompany revenues	7,855	5,239	17,680	19,308
Total net revenues	215,931	205,939	674,566	628,446
Cost of revenues	52,453	56,246	177,744	173,170
Intercompany cost of revenues	27,991	24,759	81,272	78,601
Total cost of revenues	80,444	81,005	259,016	251,771
Gross margin	135,487	124,934	415,550	376,675
Operating expenses	57,577	55,441	187,914	175,620
Intercompany operating expenses (income)	14,774	46,752	103,936	126,238
Total operating expenses	72,351	102,193	291,850	301,858
Income from operations	63,136	22,741	123,700	74,817
Other income (expense)	(570)	(476)	(3,486)	(4,396)
Income before income tax	62,566	22,265	120,214	70,421
Income tax expense	(2,975)	1,963	1,197	6,170
Equity in net earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	65,541	20,302	119,017	64,251
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Intercompany revenues	(13,502)	(16,681)	(39,561)	(55,357)
Total net revenues	(13,502)	(16,681)	(39,561)	(55,357)
Cost of revenues	1,745	3,025	5,972	8,155
Intercompany cost of revenues	(13,502)	(16,681)	(39,561)	(55,357)
Total cost of revenues	(11,757)	(13,656)	(33,589)	(47,202)
Gross margin	(1,745)	(3,025)	(5,972)	(8,155)
Operating expenses	(1,745)	(3,025)	(5,972)	(8,155)
Intercompany operating expenses (income)	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	(1,745)	(3,025)	(5,972)	(8,155)
Income from operations	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense)	0	0	(391)	0
Income before income tax	0	0	(391)	0
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Equity in net earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	(50,176)	(6,172)	(75,875)	(6,838)
Net income	$ (50,176)	$ (6,172)	$ (76,266)	$ (6,838)