Guarantor And Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Schedule Of Consolidated Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Aug. 02, 2014	Oct. 26, 2013	Jul. 27, 2013	Oct. 27, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,149,387	$ 986,997	$ 790,093	$ 713,226
Accounts receivable, net	191,816	249,598
Inventories	40,586	45,344
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	160,371	140,864
Total current assets	1,542,160	1,422,803
Property and equipment, net	448,195	472,940
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	1,611,535	1,725,648
Total assets	3,601,890	3,621,391
Accounts payable	84,242	88,218
Current portion of long-term debt	1,817	2,996
Intercompany payables	0	0
Other current liabilities	418,375	469,449
Total current liabilities	504,434	560,663
Long-term debt, net of current portion	595,420	596,208
Other non-current liabilities	165,435	117,707
Total liabilities	1,265,289	1,274,578
Total stockholders’ equity	2,336,601	2,346,813
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	3,601,890	3,621,391
Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	373,413	396,710	270,192	284,466
Accounts receivable, net	115,564	159,436
Inventories	38,290	40,072
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	149,247	127,709
Total current assets	676,514	723,927
Property and equipment, net	431,159	457,054
Investment in subsidiaries	1,156,473	1,026,247
Other non-current assets	1,526,781	1,626,031
Total assets	3,790,927	3,833,259
Accounts payable	58,285	68,190
Current portion of long-term debt	1,817	2,996
Intercompany payables	381,223	409,590
Other current liabilities	299,555	335,261
Total current liabilities	740,880	816,037
Long-term debt, net of current portion	595,420	596,208
Other non-current liabilities	118,026	74,201
Total liabilities	1,454,326	1,486,446
Total stockholders’ equity	2,336,601	2,346,813
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	3,790,927	3,833,259
Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	8,284	9,301	3,643	680
Accounts receivable, net	12	328
Inventories	0	0
Intercompany receivables	486,581	464,443
Other current assets	61	7
Total current assets	494,938	474,079
Property and equipment, net	233	567
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	81,338	95,624
Total assets	576,509	570,270
Accounts payable	0	28
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany payables	0	0
Other current liabilities	3,990	7,075
Total current liabilities	3,990	7,103
Long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	3,990	7,103
Total stockholders’ equity	572,519	563,167
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	576,509	570,270
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions
Cash and cash equivalents	767,690	580,986	516,258	428,080
Accounts receivable, net	76,240	89,834
Inventories	2,296	5,272
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other current assets	10,408	11,395
Total current assets	856,634	687,487
Property and equipment, net	16,803	15,319
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other non-current assets	3,416	3,993
Total assets	876,853	706,799
Accounts payable	25,957	20,000
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany payables	105,358	54,853
Other current liabilities	114,175	125,360
Total current liabilities	245,490	200,213
Long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	47,409	43,506
Total liabilities	292,899	243,719
Total stockholders’ equity	583,954	463,080
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	876,853	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	(486,581)	(464,443)
Other current assets	655	1,753
Total current assets	(485,926)	(462,690)
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(1,156,473)	(1,026,247)
Other non-current assets	0	0
Total assets	(1,642,399)	(1,488,937)
Accounts payable	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany payables	(486,581)	(464,443)
Other current liabilities	655	1,753
Total current liabilities	(485,926)	(462,690)
Long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	(485,926)	(462,690)
Total stockholders’ equity	(1,156,473)	(1,026,247)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$ (1,642,399)	$ (1,488,937)