Guarantor And Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Schedule Of Consolidated Statement Of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Jul. 27, 2013	Jul. 28, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 281,260	$ 380,378
Proceeds from sale of subsidiary	0	35
Purchases of property and equipment	(41,949)	(56,005)
Net cash acquired (paid) in connection with acquisition	(44,629)	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(86,578)	(55,970)
Proceeds from senior unsecured notes	296,250	0
Payment of debt issuance costs related to senior unsecured notes	(992)	0
Payment of principal related to senior secured notes	(300,000)	0
Payment of principal related to the term loan	0	(160,000)
Payment of principal related to capital leases	(1,536)	(1,389)
Common stock repurchases	(187,360)	(70,153)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	71,858	76,472
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	6,909	1,338
Net cash used in financing activities	(114,871)	(153,732)
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents	(2,944)	(4,252)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	76,867	166,424
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	713,226	414,202
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	790,093	580,626
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Net cash provided by operating activities	181,335	304,610
Proceeds from sale of subsidiary		35
Purchases of property and equipment	(35,969)	(47,341)
Net cash acquired (paid) in connection with acquisition	(44,769)
Net cash used in investing activities	(80,738)	(47,306)
Proceeds from senior unsecured notes	296,250
Payment of debt issuance costs related to senior unsecured notes	(992)
Payment of principal related to senior secured notes	(300,000)
Payment of principal related to the term loan		(160,000)
Payment of principal related to capital leases	(1,536)	(1,389)
Common stock repurchases	(187,360)	(70,153)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	71,858	76,472
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	6,909	1,338
Net cash used in financing activities	(114,871)	(153,732)
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	(14,274)	103,572
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	284,466	101,366
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	270,192	204,938
Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Net cash provided by operating activities	2,846	(716)
Proceeds from sale of subsidiary		0
Purchases of property and equipment	(23)	0
Net cash acquired (paid) in connection with acquisition	140
Net cash used in investing activities	117	0
Proceeds from senior unsecured notes	0
Payment of debt issuance costs related to senior unsecured notes	0
Payment of principal related to senior secured notes	0
Payment of principal related to the term loan		0
Payment of principal related to capital leases	0	0
Common stock repurchases	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	0
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	0	0
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	2,963	(716)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	680	1,528
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	3,643	812
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Net cash provided by operating activities	97,079	76,484
Proceeds from sale of subsidiary		0
Purchases of property and equipment	(5,957)	(8,664)
Net cash acquired (paid) in connection with acquisition	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(5,957)	(8,664)
Proceeds from senior unsecured notes	0
Payment of debt issuance costs related to senior unsecured notes	0
Payment of principal related to senior secured notes	0
Payment of principal related to the term loan		0
Payment of principal related to capital leases	0	0
Common stock repurchases	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	0
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	0	0
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents	(2,944)	(4,252)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	88,178	63,568
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	428,080	311,308
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	516,258	374,876
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Net cash provided by operating activities	0	0
Proceeds from sale of subsidiary		0
Purchases of property and equipment	0	0
Net cash acquired (paid) in connection with acquisition	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Proceeds from senior unsecured notes	0
Payment of debt issuance costs related to senior unsecured notes	0
Payment of principal related to senior secured notes	0
Payment of principal related to the term loan		0
Payment of principal related to capital leases	0	0
Common stock repurchases	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	0
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	0	0
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 0	$ 0