An apparatus for routing a plurality of optical input signals to a
plurality of optical output connections. In one embodiment, a plurality
of optical switches are combined to route a number of optical signals
that exceed the number of optical inputs for a single switch. The switch
array includes a plurality of input switches optically connected to a
plurality of intermediate switches, which are optically connected to a
plurality of output switches. In the embodiments in which the number of
input switches exceed the number of optical outputs of a single input
switch, the input switches, intermediate switches, and output switches
are arranged in groups or sets.