<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-08-16</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000918386</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>QLOGIC CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>QLGC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001232003</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MERCER D SCOTT</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>26650 ALISO VIEJO PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ALISO VIEJO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92656</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

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            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-08-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>41780</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
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            </securityTitle>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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            <expirationDate>
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                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
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                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>11.26</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-08-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
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                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
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                <transactionShares>
                    <value>8005</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <expirationDate>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
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                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
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                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
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            </securityTitle>
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            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-08-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7403</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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            <exerciseDate>
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            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>7403</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>12.94</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-08-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>14024</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>14024</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>15.93</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-08-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>41644</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
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            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>41644</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
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            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Disposed of pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among Cavium, Inc. (&quot;Cavium&quot;), Quasar Acquisition Corp. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Cavium), and Issuer, dated as of June 15, 2016 (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot; and, the transaction contemplated therein, the &quot;Merger&quot;), whereby each share of Issuer common stock was cancelled and automatically converted into $11.00 in cash, without interest, and 0.098 shares of Cavium common stock (together, the &quot;Per Share Amount&quot;), with the fractional shares being paid in cash as provided in the Merger Agreement. The market value of the Per Share Amount is $16.09 per share, based on the trading price of Cavium common stock as of end of trading on August 15, 2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">In connection with the Merger, the vesting of this Restricted Stock Unit award (the &quot;RSU&quot;) was fully accelerated pursuant to the terms of the RSU. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, each Issuer share issuable upon vesting of  the award was cancelled and automatically converted into the right to receive the Per Share Amount.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Disposed of pursuant to the Merger Agreement and the Merger, whereby each Issuer vested stock option was cancelled and automatically converted into a combination of cash and Cavium common stock that together equal the positive difference, if any, between the dollar value of the Per Share Amount and the exercise price applicable to the Issuer stock option, multiplied by the number of shares of Issuer common stock for which the Issuer stock option was exercisable.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Michael L. Hawkins as Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-08-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
