Goodwill And Intangible Assets (Schedule Of Goodwill Activity By Reportable Segment) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Oct. 31, 2015		Nov. 01, 2014		Oct. 26, 2013
Goodwill
Goodwill, Gross, Beginning Balance		$ 1,696,937		$ 1,691,269
Accumulated impairment losses, Beginning Balance		(129,214)		(45,832)
Goodwill, Net, Beginning Balance		1,567,723		1,645,437
Goodwill impairment charge		0		(83,382)	[1]	$ 0
Goodwill, Written off Related to Sale of Business Unit	[2]			(4,131)
Goodwill, Acquired During Period		49,458	[3]	11,475
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments		(15)
Goodwill, Tax and other adjustments		(21)		(1,676)
Goodwill, Gross, Ending Balance		1,746,375		1,696,937		1,691,269
Accumulated impairment losses, Ending Balance		(129,214)		(129,214)		(45,832)
Goodwill, Net, Ending Balance		1,617,161		1,567,723		1,645,437
Goodwill, Translation Adjustments		16
SAN Products
Goodwill
Goodwill, Gross, Beginning Balance		176,346		176,878
Accumulated impairment losses, Beginning Balance		0		0
Goodwill, Net, Beginning Balance		176,346		176,878
Goodwill impairment charge	[1]			0
Goodwill, Written off Related to Sale of Business Unit	[2]			(474)
Goodwill, Acquired During Period		0	[3]	0
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments		0
Goodwill, Tax and other adjustments		(21)		(58)
Goodwill, Gross, Ending Balance		176,325		176,346		176,878
Accumulated impairment losses, Ending Balance		0		0		0
Goodwill, Net, Ending Balance		176,325		176,346		176,878
Goodwill, Translation Adjustments		0
IP Networking Products
Goodwill
Goodwill, Gross, Beginning Balance		1,365,175		1,358,975
Accumulated impairment losses, Beginning Balance		(129,214)		(45,832)
Goodwill, Net, Beginning Balance		1,235,961		1,313,143
Goodwill impairment charge	[1]			(83,382)
Goodwill, Written off Related to Sale of Business Unit	[2]			(3,657)
Goodwill, Acquired During Period		49,458	[3]	11,475
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments		(15)
Goodwill, Tax and other adjustments		0		(1,618)
Goodwill, Gross, Ending Balance		1,414,634		1,365,175		1,358,975
Accumulated impairment losses, Ending Balance		(129,214)		(129,214)		(45,832)
Goodwill, Net, Ending Balance		1,285,420		1,235,961		1,313,143
Goodwill, Translation Adjustments		16
Global Services
Goodwill
Goodwill, Gross, Beginning Balance		155,416		155,416
Accumulated impairment losses, Beginning Balance		0		0
Goodwill, Net, Beginning Balance		155,416		155,416
Goodwill impairment charge	[1]			0
Goodwill, Written off Related to Sale of Business Unit	[2]			0
Goodwill, Acquired During Period		0	[3]	0
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments		0
Goodwill, Tax and other adjustments		0		0
Goodwill, Gross, Ending Balance		155,416		155,416		155,416
Accumulated impairment losses, Ending Balance		0		0		0
Goodwill, Net, Ending Balance		155,416		$ 155,416		$ 155,416
Goodwill, Translation Adjustments		$ 0

[1] In the second quarter of fiscal year 2014, the Company made a strategic change in the allocation of its engineering resources by reducing its investment in engineering and sales for the hardware-based Brocade ADX products and increasing engineering investment in the software-based Brocade ADX products for Layer 4-7 applications. As a result of this change in strategy, the Company expected hardware-based Brocade ADX and related support revenue to be negatively impacted. Based on these changes in estimates, the Company recognized an impairment charge during the second fiscal quarter of 2014 because the book value of its Application Delivery Products (“ADP”) reporting unit net assets, which includes the Brocade ADX products, exceeded the estimated fair value of these assets. The goodwill amount related to the Company’s other reporting units was not impacted.

[2] The goodwill disposed relates to the sale of the Company’s network adapter business. See Note 3, “Acquisitions and Divestitures,” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

[3] The goodwill acquired relates to the Company’s acquisition of two businesses, which is gross of the adjustments recorded during the purchase price allocation period. See Note 3, “Acquisitions and Divestitures,” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.