Abstract: A cross-bar switch includes a set of input ports to receive data packets and a set of sink ports in communication with the input ports to receive the data packets and forward them onto a communications link. Each sink port is adapted to concurrently receive multiple data packets targeted to the same destination or multiple destinations. For example, one sink port receives a first data packet and a second data packet. The one sink port receives at least a portion of the second data packet during a time period in which the one sink port is receiving the first data packet.