Guarantor And Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Schedule Of Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Oct. 26, 2013	Oct. 27, 2012	Oct. 29, 2011	Oct. 30, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 986,997	$ 713,226	$ 414,202	$ 333,984
Accounts receivable, net	249,598	233,139
Inventories	45,344	68,179
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	140,864	141,035
Total current assets	1,422,803	1,155,579
Property and equipment, net	472,940	518,940
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	1,725,648	1,906,742
Total assets	3,621,391	3,581,261
Accounts payable	88,218	117,350
Current portion of long-term debt	2,996	1,977
Intercompany payables	0	0
Other current liabilities	469,449	491,141
Total current liabilities	560,663	610,468
Long-term debt, net of current portion	596,208	599,203
Other non-current liabilities	117,707	135,770
Total liabilities	1,274,578	1,345,441
Total stockholders’ equity	2,346,813	2,235,820
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	3,621,391	3,581,261
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	396,710	284,466	101,367	23,455
Accounts receivable, net	159,436	150,367
Inventories	40,072	55,084
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	127,709	124,690
Total current assets	723,927	614,607
Property and equipment, net	457,054	500,530
Investment in subsidiaries	1,026,247	871,157
Other non-current assets	1,626,031	1,814,729
Total assets	3,833,259	3,801,023
Accounts payable	68,190	92,661
Current portion of long-term debt	2,996	2,226
Intercompany payables	409,590	434,981
Other current liabilities	335,261	346,959
Total current liabilities	816,037	876,827
Long-term debt, net of current portion	596,208	599,203
Other non-current liabilities	74,201	89,173
Total liabilities	1,486,446	1,565,203
Total stockholders’ equity	2,346,813	2,235,820
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	3,833,259	3,801,023
Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	9,301	680	1,527	6,907
Accounts receivable, net	328	(1,847)
Inventories	0	0
Intercompany receivables	464,443	478,133
Other current assets	7	514
Total current assets	474,079	477,480
Property and equipment, net	567	213
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	95,624	90,766
Total assets	570,270	568,459
Accounts payable	28	0
Current portion of long-term debt	0	(249)
Intercompany payables	0	0
Other current liabilities	7,075	7,628
Total current liabilities	7,103	7,379
Long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	0	2,429
Total liabilities	7,103	9,808
Total stockholders’ equity	563,167	558,651
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	570,270	568,459
Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	580,986	428,080	311,308	303,622
Accounts receivable, net	89,834	84,619
Inventories	5,272	13,095
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	11,395	15,606
Total current assets	687,487	541,400
Property and equipment, net	15,319	18,197
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	3,993	1,247
Total assets	706,799	560,844
Accounts payable	20,000	24,689
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany payables	54,853	43,152
Other current liabilities	125,360	136,329
Total current liabilities	200,213	204,170
Long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	43,506	44,168
Total liabilities	243,719	248,338
Total stockholders’ equity	463,080	312,506
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	706,799	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	(464,443)	(478,133)
Other current assets	1,753	225
Total current assets	(462,690)	(477,908)
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(1,026,247)	(871,157)
Other non-current assets	0	0
Total assets	(1,488,937)	(1,349,065)
Accounts payable	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany payables	(464,443)	(478,133)
Other current liabilities	1,753	225
Total current liabilities	(462,690)	(477,908)
Long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	(462,690)	(477,908)
Total stockholders’ equity	(1,026,247)	(871,157)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$ (1,488,937)	$ (1,349,065)