An optical apparatus for switching multi-channel optical signals having spectral channels of different wavelengths comprising: an MxN array of fiber collimator ports for optical signals having one or more of said spectral channels, wherein M is a number of columns and N is a number of rows of the array of fiber collimator ports, wherein M is greater than or equal to 2 and N is greater than or equal to 3, wherein the array of fiber collimator ports is configured such that there is a gap within each column of ports, the gap located between two rows of ports, wherein the gap is wide enough to permit a hitless beam switching trajectory to pass between the two rows of ports from one side of the array of fiber collimator ports, to an opposite side. wherein the array of fiber collimator ports is configured such that each of the columns contains two or more adjacent rows without a gap wide enough to permit the hitless beam switching trajectory to pass between two rows of the two or more adjacent rows a wavelength separator optically coupled to the array of fiber collimator ports, wherein the wavelength separator is configured to spatially separate a spectral beam from one of the fiber collimator ports in the array into one or more constituent spectral channels; and an array of channel beam deflecting elements optically coupled to the wavelength separator, the array of channel beam deflecting elements including a plurality of channel beam deflecting elements that are each positioned to receive a corresponding one of the constituent spectral channels, wherein each beam deflecting element is configured to tilt about two non-parallel axes to move the corresponding spectral channel across the array of fiber collimator ports. an MxN array of fiber collimator ports for optical signals having one or more of said spectral channels, wherein M is a number of columns and N is a number of rows of the array of fiber collimator ports, wherein M is greater than or equal to 2 and N is greater than or equal to 3, wherein the array of fiber collimator ports is configured such that there is a gap within each column of ports, the gap located between two rows of ports, wherein the gap is wide enough to permit a hitless beam switching trajectory to pass between the two rows of ports from one side of the array of fiber collimator ports, to an opposite side. wherein the array of fiber collimator ports is configured such that each of the columns contains two or more adjacent rows without a gap wide enough to permit the hitless beam switching trajectory to pass between two rows of the two or more adjacent rows a wavelength separator optically coupled to the array of fiber collimator ports, wherein the wavelength separator is configured to spatially separate a spectral beam from one of the fiber collimator ports in the array into one or more constituent spectral channels; and an array of channel beam deflecting elements optically coupled to the wavelength separator, the array of channel beam deflecting elements including a plurality of channel beam deflecting elements that are each positioned to receive a corresponding one of the constituent spectral channels, wherein each beam deflecting element is configured to tilt about two non-parallel axes to move the corresponding spectral channel across the array of fiber collimator ports.