A method for managing the wiring and growth of a direct interconnect network implemented on a torus or higher radix interconnect structure, comprising the following steps: providing a passive patch panel that implements the wiring for the direct interconnect network comprising at least one connector board having multiple connectors, wherein said multiple connectors comprise fields of multiple connectors, namely a main field of connectors connectable to nodes of the direct interconnect network in one or more dimensions; and at least one secondary field of connectors connectable to at least one other passive patch panel for expansion of the direct interconnect network in one or more additional dimensions; initially populating each of said main field and the at least one secondary field of connectors with an interconnect plug to close connections to maintain continuity of the torus or higher radix structure; removing an interconnect plug (25, 250) from a connector in the main field of connectors and replacing said plug with a connection to a node to add said node to the direct interconnect network; removing an interconnect plug (25, 250) from a connector in the at least one secondary field of connectors and replacing said plug with a connection to the at least one other passive patch panel to expand the interconnect network in one or more additional dimensions; and discovering connectivity of nodes added to the direct interconnect network and topology of the direct interconnect network based on the nodes added to the direct interconnect network. providing a passive patch panel that implements the wiring for the direct interconnect network comprising at least one connector board having multiple connectors, wherein said multiple connectors comprise fields of multiple connectors, namely a main field of connectors connectable to nodes of the direct interconnect network in one or more dimensions; and at least one secondary field of connectors connectable to at least one other passive patch panel for expansion of the direct interconnect network in one or more additional dimensions; a main field of connectors connectable to nodes of the direct interconnect network in one or more dimensions; and at least one secondary field of connectors connectable to at least one other passive patch panel for expansion of the direct interconnect network in one or more additional dimensions; initially populating each of said main field and the at least one secondary field of connectors with an interconnect plug to close connections to maintain continuity of the torus or higher radix structure; removing an interconnect plug (25, 250) from a connector in the main field of connectors and replacing said plug with a connection to a node to add said node to the direct interconnect network; removing an interconnect plug (25, 250) from a connector in the at least one secondary field of connectors and replacing said plug with a connection to the at least one other passive patch panel to expand the interconnect network in one or more additional dimensions; and discovering connectivity of nodes added to the direct interconnect network and topology of the direct interconnect network based on the nodes added to the direct interconnect network.