Basis Of Presentation	6 Months Ended
Apr. 29, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis Of Presentation	Basis of Presentation Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (“Brocade” or the “Company”) has prepared the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States (“U.S.”) Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. The Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of October 29, 2016, was derived from the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. These unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 29, 2016. The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements are unaudited but, in the opinion of the Company’s management, reflect all adjustments—including normal recurring adjustments—that management considers necessary for a fair presentation of these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. The results for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results for the full fiscal year or any other future period. The Company’s fiscal year is a 52- or 53-week period ending on the last Saturday in October or the first Saturday in November, respectively. As is customary for companies that use the 52/53-week convention, every fifth year is a 53-week year. Fiscal year 2017 is a 52-week fiscal year and fiscal year 2016 was a 52-week fiscal year. The Company’s next 53-week fiscal year will be fiscal year 2019 and its next 14-week quarter will be the second quarter of fiscal year 2019. The Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Brocade and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. In May 2016, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement with Guiyang High-Tech Industrial Investment Group Co., Ltd. (“HTII”) to create Guizhou Huiling Technology Co., Ltd (“GHTC”). The Company consolidates its investment in GHTC as this is a variable interest entity, and the Company is the primary beneficiary. The noncontrolling interest attributed to GHTC is presented as a separate component from the Company’s equity in the equity section of the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. HTII’s share of GHTC’s earnings is presented separately in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. Use of Estimates in Preparation of Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements The preparation of the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and related disclosures in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes. Estimates are used for, but not limited to, revenue recognition, sales allowances including discounts, returns, and programs, allowance for doubtful accounts, stock-based compensation, acquisition purchase price allocations, warranty obligations, inventory valuation and purchase commitments, impairment of goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets, litigation, and income taxes. Actual results may differ materially from these estimates. Proposed Acquisition by Broadcom Limited On November 2, 2016, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with Broadcom Limited, a limited liability company organized under the laws of the Republic of Singapore (“Broadcom”), Broadcom Corporation, a California corporation and an indirect subsidiary of Broadcom (“Parent”), and Bobcat Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub”), providing for the merger of Merger Sub with and into the Company (the “Merger”), with the Company surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. On December 19, 2016, Parent assigned all of its rights under the Merger Agreement to LSI Corporation, a Delaware corporation and an indirect subsidiary of Broadcom. At the effective time of the Merger, each share of the Company’s common stock that is outstanding immediately prior to such time will be cancelled and converted into the right to receive $12.75 per share in cash, without interest, less any required tax withholding. In general, at the effective time of the Merger: (i) all vested in-the-money Brocade stock options will be cashed out; (ii) Broadcom will assume and convert all vested Brocade stock options that are not in-the-money and all unvested Brocade stock options (whether or not in-the-money), unvested restricted stock units and unvested performance stock units, in each case held by continuing employees and service providers; (iii) all unvested in-the-money Brocade stock options and all unvested Brocade restricted stock units and performance stock units held by members of the Brocade Board of Directors or by senior executives who are parties to change of control agreements providing for the acceleration of vesting and who are not continuing employees or service providers will accelerate vesting and be cashed out; and (iv) all other unvested Brocade restricted stock units and performance stock units and all other Brocade stock options will be cancelled in exchange for no consideration. Consummation of the Merger is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including, without limitation, the absence of certain legal impediments, the expiration or termination of the required waiting periods under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR Act”), antitrust regulatory approval in the People’s Republic of China, the European Union and Japan, review and clearance by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, and approval by the Company’s stockholders. The transaction is not subject to a financing condition. The Company’s stockholders approved the Merger and related matters at a special meeting of stockholders held on January 26, 2017. No further approval by the Company’s stockholders is required with respect to the Merger. On November 30, 2016, each of the Company and Broadcom submitted a notification and report form with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”) and the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice under the HSR Act. On February 3, 2017, each of the Company and Broadcom received a request for additional information and documentary materials, commonly referred to as a “second request,” from the FTC. The FTC’s second request is a standard part of the review process and has the effect of extending the waiting period under the HSR Act until 30 days after the parties substantially comply with the request, unless the waiting period is extended voluntarily by the parties or terminated earlier by the FTC. The Company intends to continue to cooperate fully with the FTC in connection with its review. On May 12, 2017, the European Commission (the “EC”) announced that it had granted conditional antitrust clearance of the Merger. As part of the EC’s clearance decision, Broadcom has agreed to certain commitments as set forth in that decision, which commitments will be monitored by a trustee. Broadcom has also committed to the EC that it will not close the Merger before the appointment of the monitoring trustee. On May 26, 2017, the Japan Fair Trade Commission granted antitrust clearance of the Merger. Assuming timely satisfaction or waiver of all closing conditions, Brocade expects that the Merger will be completed on or about July 31, 2017. The Merger Agreement contains certain customary termination rights for the Company and Parent. For example, the Merger Agreement provides that if it is terminated under specified circumstances, including, but not limited to, if the Company accepts a superior acquisition proposal or the Company’s Board of Directors changes or withdraws its recommendation of the Merger, the Company would be required to pay Parent a termination fee of $195.0 million. Effective upon the approval of the Merger and related matters by the Company’s stockholders on January 26, 2017, payment of this termination fee can no longer be triggered.

Basis of Presentation

Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (“Brocade” or the “Company”) has prepared the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States (“U.S.”) Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. The Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of October 29, 2016, was derived from the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. These unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 29, 2016.

The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements are unaudited but, in the opinion of the Company’s management, reflect all adjustments—including normal recurring adjustments—that management considers necessary for a fair presentation of these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. The results for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results for the full fiscal year or any other future period.

The Company’s fiscal year is a 52- or 53-week period ending on the last Saturday in October or the first Saturday in November, respectively. As is customary for companies that use the 52/53-week convention, every fifth year is a 53-week year. Fiscal year 2017 is a 52-week fiscal year and fiscal year 2016 was a 52-week fiscal year. The Company’s next 53-week fiscal year will be fiscal year 2019 and its next 14-week quarter will be the second quarter of fiscal year 2019.

The Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Brocade and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. In May 2016, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement with Guiyang High-Tech Industrial Investment Group Co., Ltd. (“HTII”) to create Guizhou Huiling Technology Co., Ltd (“GHTC”). The Company consolidates its investment in GHTC as this is a variable interest entity, and the Company is the primary beneficiary. The noncontrolling interest attributed to GHTC is presented as a separate component from the Company’s equity in the equity section of the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. HTII’s share of GHTC’s earnings is presented separately in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Use of Estimates in Preparation of Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

The preparation of the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and related disclosures in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes. Estimates are used for, but not limited to, revenue recognition, sales allowances including discounts, returns, and programs, allowance for doubtful accounts, stock-based compensation, acquisition purchase price allocations, warranty obligations, inventory valuation and purchase commitments, impairment of goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets, litigation, and income taxes. Actual results may differ materially from these estimates.

Proposed Acquisition by Broadcom Limited

On November 2, 2016, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with Broadcom Limited, a limited liability company organized under the laws of the Republic of Singapore (“Broadcom”), Broadcom Corporation, a California corporation and an indirect subsidiary of Broadcom (“Parent”), and Bobcat Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub”), providing for the merger of Merger Sub with and into the Company (the “Merger”), with the Company surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. On December 19, 2016, Parent assigned all of its rights under the Merger Agreement to LSI Corporation, a Delaware corporation and an indirect subsidiary of Broadcom.

At the effective time of the Merger, each share of the Company’s common stock that is outstanding immediately prior to such time will be cancelled and converted into the right to receive $12.75 per share in cash, without interest, less any required tax withholding.

In general, at the effective time of the Merger: (i) all vested in-the-money Brocade stock options will be cashed out; (ii) Broadcom will assume and convert all vested Brocade stock options that are not in-the-money and all unvested Brocade stock options (whether or not in-the-money), unvested restricted stock units and unvested performance stock units, in each case held by continuing employees and service providers; (iii) all unvested in-the-money Brocade stock options and all unvested Brocade restricted stock units and performance stock units held by members of the Brocade Board of Directors or by senior executives who are parties to change of control agreements providing for the acceleration of vesting and who are not continuing employees or service providers will accelerate vesting and be cashed out; and (iv) all other unvested Brocade restricted stock units and performance stock units and all other Brocade stock options will be cancelled in exchange for no consideration.

Consummation of the Merger is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including, without limitation, the absence of certain legal impediments, the expiration or termination of the required waiting periods under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR Act”), antitrust regulatory approval in the People’s Republic of China, the European Union and Japan, review and clearance by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, and approval by the Company’s stockholders. The transaction is not subject to a financing condition.

The Company’s stockholders approved the Merger and related matters at a special meeting of stockholders held on January 26, 2017. No further approval by the Company’s stockholders is required with respect to the Merger.

On November 30, 2016, each of the Company and Broadcom submitted a notification and report form with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”) and the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice under the HSR Act. On February 3, 2017, each of the Company and Broadcom received a request for additional information and documentary materials, commonly referred to as a “second request,” from the FTC. The FTC’s second request is a standard part of the review process and has the effect of extending the waiting period under the HSR Act until 30 days after the parties substantially comply with the request, unless the waiting period is extended voluntarily by the parties or terminated earlier by the FTC. The Company intends to continue to cooperate fully with the FTC in connection with its review.

On May 12, 2017, the European Commission (the “EC”) announced that it had granted conditional antitrust clearance of the Merger. As part of the EC’s clearance decision, Broadcom has agreed to certain commitments as set forth in that decision, which commitments will be monitored by a trustee. Broadcom has also committed to the EC that it will not close the Merger before the appointment of the monitoring trustee.

On May 26, 2017, the Japan Fair Trade Commission granted antitrust clearance of the Merger.

Assuming timely satisfaction or waiver of all closing conditions, Brocade expects that the Merger will be completed on or about July 31, 2017.

The Merger Agreement contains certain customary termination rights for the Company and Parent. For example, the Merger Agreement provides that if it is terminated under specified circumstances, including, but not limited to, if the Company accepts a superior acquisition proposal or the Company’s Board of Directors changes or withdraws its recommendation of the Merger, the Company would be required to pay Parent a termination fee of $195.0 million. Effective upon the approval of the Merger and related matters by the Company’s stockholders on January 26, 2017, payment of this termination fee can no longer be triggered.