Wavelength selective switch with monitoring ports

An apparatus comprising:

• one or more first output ports;
• one or more second output ports;
• an optical deflector array configured to receive incident thereupon at least one spatially separated wavelength channel of an optical signal, each wavelength channel being incident on a respective region of the optical deflector array;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the optical deflector array and configured to control the optical deflector array so that for one or more of the at least one wavelength channel:
• a first portion of the region of the optical deflector array is configured to steer a first portion of the wavelength channel toward one of the one or more first output ports;
• and
• a second portion of the region of the optical deflector array is configured to steer a second portion of the wavelength channel toward one of the one or more second output ports.