Short-Term and Long-Term Debt Term Loan (Details) - Term Loan - Secured Debt - USD ($)		9 Months Ended
		Jul. 31, 2015	Jul. 15, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Term loan principal amount		$ 247,500,000	$ 250,000,000
Term loan unamortized discount		1,149,000
Term loan, net carrying amount	[1]	246,351,000
Term loan fair value	[1],[2]	248,428,000
Repayments of notes payable		$ 600,000

[1] Includes unamortized bond discount.

[2] The Term Loan is categorized as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy. Ciena estimated the fair value of its Term Loan using a market approach based upon observable inputs, such as current market transactions involving comparable securities.