Difference between the redemption price and the principal amount of the debt

No definition available.

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- Definition

Debt Instrument, Original Term of Loan

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Redemption amount percentage of aggregate principal amount when using the net cash proceeds of one or more sales of the Company’s capital stock.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	brcd_RedemptionAmountOfNotesPercentageOfAggregatePrincipalAmount
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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Redemption price, percentage of principal amount, when using the net cash proceeds of one or more sales of the Company’s capital stock

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	brcd_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Repurchase price of Senior Secured Notes as percentage of principal amount in case of change in control.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	brcd_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Repurchase price of Senior Secured Notes as percentage of principal amount in case of sale of assets.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	brcd_RepurchasePriceOfNotesAsPercentageOfPrincipalAmountInCaseOfSaleOfAssets
Namespace Prefix:	brcd_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Unpaid interest deposited to escrow on redemption of debt

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	brcd_UnpaidInterestDepositedToEscrow
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of cash, securities, or other assets held by a third-party trustee pursuant to the terms of an agreement which assets are available to be used by beneficiaries to that agreement only within the specific terms thereof and which agreement is expected to terminate within one year of the balance sheet date (or operating cycle, if longer) at which time the assets held-in-trust will be released or forfeited.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584090&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of principal amount of debt redeemed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of the original debt instrument that was repurchased.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) from the difference between the repurchase price of a debt instrument initially issued by the entity and the net carrying amount of the debt at the time of its repurchase.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount borrowed under the credit facility as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=brcd_SeniorUnsecured2023NotesMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=brcd_SwingLineLoanSubfacilityMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=brcd_TermLoanFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

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- Details

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Borrowings (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Nov. 01, 2014	Jan. 24, 2009	Oct. 26, 2013	Jan. 20, 2010	Jan. 22, 2013	Oct. 31, 2008
Senior Secured Notes
Debt Instrument
Debt instrument, face amount				$ 600.0
Long-term debt, fair value	312.5		324.4
Senior Secured 2018 Notes
Debt Instrument
Debt instrument, face amount				300.0
Irrevocable deposit					311.9
Repayment of principal amount					300.0
Call premium					9.9
Unpaid interest deposited to escrow					2.0
Redemption price, percentage of face value	103.313%
Call premium cost and original issue discount and debt issuance costs related to lenders that did not participate in refinancing	15.3
Senior Secured 2020 Notes
Debt Instrument
Debt instrument, face amount				300.0
Redemption price, percentage of face value	100.00%
Repurchase price of notes in case of change in control, percentage of face value	101.00%
Repurchase price of notes in case of sale of assets, percentage of face value	100.00%
Senior Unsecured 2023 Notes
Debt Instrument
Debt instrument, face amount					300.0
Long-term debt, fair value	292.4
Redemption price, percentage of face value	100.00%
Redemption amount of notes, percentage of principal amount, when using the net cash proceed from capital stock sale	35.00%
Redemption price, percentage of principal amount, when using the net cash proceed from capital stock sale	104.625%
Repurchase price of notes in case of change in control, percentage of face value	101.00%
Term Loan Facility
Debt Instrument
Debt Instrument, Original Term of Loan		5 years
Senior secured credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity						1,100.0
Senior secured credit facility, amount outstanding	0		0
Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument
Debt Instrument, Original Term of Loan		5 years
Senior secured credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	125.0		125.0			125.0
Senior secured credit facility, amount outstanding	0		0
Swing Line Loan Subfacility
Debt Instrument
Senior secured credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity						25.0
Letter Of Credit Subfacility
Debt Instrument
Senior secured credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity						$ 25.0