Guarantor And Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Schedule Of Consolidated Statement Of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 25, 2014	Jan. 26, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 109,469	$ 59,490
Purchases of property and equipment	(12,966)	(18,486)
Proceeds from sale of network adapter business	9,995	0
Proceeds from collection of note receivable	250	0
Net cash paid in connection with acquisition	0	(44,629)
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,721)	(63,115)
Payment of principal related to capital leases	(608)	(484)
Common stock repurchases	(140,380)	(47,530)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	32,410	23,812
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	14,335	2,192
Increase in restricted cash	0	(300,000)
Proceeds from senior unsecured notes	0	296,250
Net cash used in financing activities	(94,243)	(25,760)
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents	(815)	(225)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	11,690	(29,610)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	986,997	713,226
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	998,687	683,616
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Net cash provided by operating activities	53,429	12,204
Purchases of property and equipment	(10,816)	(17,532)
Proceeds from sale of network adapter business	3,081
Proceeds from collection of note receivable	250
Net cash paid in connection with acquisition		(44,769)
Net cash used in investing activities	(7,485)	(62,301)
Payment of principal related to capital leases	(608)	(484)
Common stock repurchases	(140,380)	(47,530)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	32,410	23,812
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	14,335	2,192
Increase in restricted cash		(300,000)
Proceeds from senior unsecured notes		296,250
Net cash used in financing activities	(94,243)	(25,760)
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(48,299)	(75,857)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	396,710	284,466
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	348,411	208,609
Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Net cash provided by operating activities	(628)	2,496
Purchases of property and equipment	0	(23)
Proceeds from sale of network adapter business	0
Proceeds from collection of note receivable	0
Net cash paid in connection with acquisition		140
Net cash used in investing activities	0	117
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
Increase in restricted cash		0
Proceeds from senior unsecured notes		0
Net cash used in financing activities	0	0
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(628)	2,613
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	9,301	680
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	8,673	3,293
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Net cash provided by operating activities	56,668	44,790
Purchases of property and equipment	(2,150)	(931)
Proceeds from sale of network adapter business	6,914
Proceeds from collection of note receivable	0
Net cash paid in connection with acquisition		0
Net cash used in investing activities	4,764	(931)
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
Increase in restricted cash		0
Proceeds from senior unsecured notes		0
Net cash used in financing activities	0	0
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents	(815)	(225)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	60,617	43,634
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	580,986	428,080
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	641,603	471,714
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Net cash provided by operating activities	0	0
Purchases of property and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from sale of network adapter business	0
Proceeds from collection of note receivable	0
Net cash paid in connection with acquisition		0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	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
Increase in restricted cash		0
Proceeds from senior unsecured notes		0
Net cash used in financing activities	0	0
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) 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