An all-optical, optical cross-connect includes first and second
pluralities of multiport optical devices. Each of the first plurality of
multiport optical devices have at least one input port for receiving a
WDM optical signal and a plurality of output ports for selectively
receiving one of more wavelength components of the optical signal. Each
of the second plurality of multiport optical devices have a plurality of
input ports for selectively receiving one of more wavelength components
of the optical signal and at least one output port for selectively
receiving one of more wavelength components of the optical signal. At
least one of the first or second plurality of multiport optical devices
are all-optical switches that can route every wavelength component
independently of every other wavelength component. The plurality of input
ports of the second plurality of multiport optical devices are optically
coupled to respective ones of the plurality of output ports of the first
plurality of multiport optical devices.