A computer hardware family of software configurable, multi-rate optical switching, multiplexing and de-multiplexing products utilizing fiber optic interfaces, computer processor chips, Field Programmable Gate Array chips, printed circuit boards, and operating system software that, as a whole, provide for multiplexing, de-multiplexing, and switching of high-speed SDH/SONET STM16/OC48 speed signals to 4 STM4/OC12 optical tributary signals or up to 16 lower speed STM1/OC3 optical or electrical t...