Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Apr. 29, 2017	Apr. 30, 2016	Apr. 29, 2017	Apr. 30, 2016
Net revenues:
Product	$ 455,107,000	$ 428,193,000	$ 935,724,000	$ 909,360,000
Service	97,646,000	95,113,000	198,492,000	188,230,000
Total net revenues	552,753,000	523,306,000	1,134,216,000	1,097,590,000
Cost of revenues:
Product	164,738,000	132,208,000	331,393,000	276,305,000
Service	45,255,000	40,787,000	92,940,000	82,159,000
Total cost of revenues	209,993,000	172,995,000	424,333,000	358,464,000
Gross margin	342,760,000	350,311,000	709,883,000	739,126,000
Operating expenses:
Research and development	119,545,000	89,263,000	243,048,000	182,520,000
Sales and marketing	172,315,000	148,933,000	352,516,000	300,760,000
General and administrative	31,016,000	22,791,000	64,513,000	45,220,000
Amortization of intangible assets	7,582,000	902,000	15,176,000	1,804,000
Acquisition, divestiture, and integration costs	18,236,000	5,757,000	36,273,000	5,757,000
Restructuring and other related benefits	0	0	0	(566,000)
Total operating expenses	348,694,000	267,646,000	711,526,000	535,495,000
Income (loss) from operations	(5,934,000)	82,665,000	(1,643,000)	203,631,000
Interest expense	(15,949,000)	(9,955,000)	(31,442,000)	(19,820,000)
Interest and other income, net	2,098,000	1,091,000	2,556,000	1,760,000
Income (loss) before income tax	(19,785,000)	73,801,000	(30,529,000)	185,571,000
Income tax expense (benefit)	(8,753,000)	30,716,000	(13,653,000)	48,840,000
Net income (loss)	(11,032,000)	43,085,000	(16,876,000)	136,731,000
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(65,000)	0.00	(228,000)	0.00
Net income (loss) attributable to Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.	$ (10,967,000)	$ 43,085,000	$ (16,648,000)	$ 136,731,000
Net income (loss) per share—basic attributable to Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. stockholders	$ (0.03)	$ 0.11	$ (0.04)	$ 0.34
Net income (loss) per share—diluted attributable to Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. stockholders	$ (0.03)	$ 0.11	$ (0.04)	$ 0.33
Shares used in per share calculation—basic	408,589	400,554	406,792	404,228
Shares used in per share calculation—diluted	408,589	408,748	406,792	411,917
Cash dividends declared per share	$ 0.055	$ 0.045	$ 0.110	$ 0.090