Guarantor And Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Schedule Of Consolidated Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jan. 25, 2014	Oct. 26, 2013	Jan. 26, 2013	Oct. 27, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 998,687	$ 986,997	$ 683,616	$ 713,226
Accounts receivable, net	218,260	249,598
Inventories	43,247	45,344
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	155,938	140,864
Total current assets	1,416,132	1,422,803
Property and equipment, net	459,367	472,940
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	1,702,338	1,725,648
Total assets	3,577,837	3,621,391
Accounts payable	78,638	88,218
Current portion of long-term debt	3,039	2,996
Intercompany payables	0	0
Other current liabilities	409,064	469,449
Total current liabilities	490,741	560,663
Long-term debt, net of current portion	595,694	596,208
Other non-current liabilities	147,073	117,707
Total liabilities	1,233,508	1,274,578
Total stockholders’ equity	2,344,329	2,346,813
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	3,577,837	3,621,391
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	348,411	396,710	208,609	284,466
Accounts receivable, net	126,232	159,436
Inventories	41,976	40,072
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	141,793	127,709
Total current assets	658,412	723,927
Property and equipment, net	444,958	457,054
Investment in subsidiaries	1,069,051	1,026,247
Other non-current assets	1,616,186	1,626,031
Total assets	3,788,607	3,833,259
Accounts payable	57,131	68,190
Current portion of long-term debt	3,039	2,996
Intercompany payables	402,118	409,590
Other current liabilities	284,922	335,261
Total current liabilities	747,210	816,037
Long-term debt, net of current portion	595,694	596,208
Other non-current liabilities	101,374	74,201
Total liabilities	1,444,278	1,486,446
Total stockholders’ equity	2,344,329	2,346,813
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	3,788,607	3,833,259
Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	8,673	9,301	3,293	680
Accounts receivable, net	28	328
Inventories	0	0
Intercompany receivables	471,290	464,443
Other current assets	(56)	7
Total current assets	479,935	474,079
Property and equipment, net	464	567
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	82,548	95,624
Total assets	562,947	570,270
Accounts payable	0	28
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany payables	0	0
Other current liabilities	5,289	7,075
Total current liabilities	5,289	7,103
Long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	5,289	7,103
Total stockholders’ equity	557,658	563,167
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	562,947	570,270
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	641,603	580,986	471,714	428,080
Accounts receivable, net	92,000	89,834
Inventories	1,271	5,272
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	10,225	11,395
Total current assets	745,099	687,487
Property and equipment, net	13,945	15,319
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	3,604	3,993
Total assets	762,648	706,799
Accounts payable	21,507	20,000
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany payables	69,172	54,853
Other current liabilities	114,877	125,360
Total current liabilities	205,556	200,213
Long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	45,699	43,506
Total liabilities	251,255	243,719
Total stockholders’ equity	511,393	463,080
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	762,648	706,799
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Inventories	0	0
Intercompany receivables	(471,290)	(464,443)
Other current assets	3,976	1,753
Total current assets	(467,314)	(462,690)
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(1,069,051)	(1,026,247)
Other non-current assets	0	0
Total assets	(1,536,365)	(1,488,937)
Accounts payable	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany payables	(471,290)	(464,443)
Other current liabilities	3,976	1,753
Total current liabilities	(467,314)	(462,690)
Long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	(467,314)	(462,690)
Total stockholders’ equity	(1,069,051)	(1,026,247)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$ (1,536,365)	$ (1,488,937)