A system comprising: a first device, the first device being associated with an ingress stage and an egress stage of a switch fabric, the first device including: a first crossbar, associated with the switch fabric, comprising: a first crossbar component associated with the ingress stage, and a second crossbar component associated with the egress stage; a second device, the second device being associated with a center stage of the switch fabric, the second device including: a second crossbar, associated with the switch fabric, comprising: a third crossbar component associated with the center stage; a third crossbar, associated with the switch fabric, comprising: a fourth crossbar component associated with the center stage, the third crossbar component connecting, via one or more data links, to the first crossbar component and to the second crossbar component but not to the third crossbar, and the fourth crossbar component connecting, via the one or more data links, to the first crossbar component and to the second crossbar component but not to the second crossbar; a first controller, the first controller connecting, via one or more control links, to the first crossbar; a second controller, the second controller connecting, via the one or more control links, to the second crossbar and to the first controller but not to the third crossbar; and a third controller, the third controller connecting, via the one or more control links, to the third crossbar and to the first controller but not to the second crossbar. a first device, the first device being associated with an ingress stage and an egress stage of a switch fabric, the first device including: a first crossbar, associated with the switch fabric, comprising: a first crossbar component associated with the ingress stage, and a second crossbar component associated with the egress stage; a first crossbar component associated with the ingress stage, and a second crossbar component associated with the egress stage; a second device, the second device being associated with a center stage of the switch fabric, the second device including: a second crossbar, associated with the switch fabric, comprising: a third crossbar component associated with the center stage; a third crossbar, associated with the switch fabric, comprising: a fourth crossbar component associated with the center stage, the third crossbar component connecting, via one or more data links, to the first crossbar component and to the second crossbar component but not to the third crossbar, and the fourth crossbar component connecting, via the one or more data links, to the first crossbar component and to the second crossbar component but not to the second crossbar; a second crossbar, associated with the switch fabric, comprising: a third crossbar component associated with the center stage; a third crossbar, associated with the switch fabric, comprising: a fourth crossbar component associated with the center stage, the third crossbar component connecting, via one or more data links, to the first crossbar component and to the second crossbar component but not to the third crossbar, and the fourth crossbar component connecting, via the one or more data links, to the first crossbar component and to the second crossbar component but not to the second crossbar; the third crossbar component connecting, via one or more data links, to the first crossbar component and to the second crossbar component but not to the third crossbar, and the fourth crossbar component connecting, via the one or more data links, to the first crossbar component and to the second crossbar component but not to the second crossbar; a first controller, the first controller connecting, via one or more control links, to the first crossbar; a second controller, the second controller connecting, via the one or more control links, to the second crossbar and to the first controller but not to the third crossbar; and a third controller, the third controller connecting, via the one or more control links, to the third crossbar and to the first controller but not to the second crossbar.