A high port count instantiated wavelength selective switch comprising two or more discrete sets, or instances, of m fiber ports totaling N fiber ports co-packaged together, one or more shared optical elements and dispersive elements, and one or more steering elements in each instance. The steering elements steer λ(k) from each instance of m input fiber ports to a λ(k) mirror dedicated to that fiber port instance, and wherein λ(k) mirror of the instance of m fiber ports is utilized to select and switch one λ(k) from the instance of m fiber ports to a fixed mirror which in turn reflects λ(k) to the λ(k) output mirror. The λ(k) output mirror selects and switches one λ(k) from one of the one or more instances of m fiber ports of the N×1 optical switch to the 1 output fiber port for each wavelength, and vice-versa for the 1×N optical switch.