Switch Having Vertically Oriented Host and Mezzanine Cards

An apparatus, comprising:

• a housing having a front side, a top and a bottom;
• a plurality of first cards provided in the housing adjacent the front side of the housing such that each of the plurality of first cards extends in a direction from the bottom of the housing to the top of the housing, each of the plurality of first cards being operable to connect to respective pluralities of interface modules, the pluralities of interface modules being operable to receive first pluralities of optical signals and transmit second pluralities of optical signals;
• a second card provided in the housing and extending in the direction from the bottom of the housing to the top of the housing, the second card having a package provided thereon, the package including a processor operable to process first data associated with the first pluralities of signals and provide second data associated with the second pluralities of signals;
• a connector operable to couple the second card to one of the plurality of first cards;
• and
• a plurality of heat transfer elements, each of which being operable to thermally couple to a respective one of the plurality of interface modules.