Switching apparatus, in particular for systems under test

Switching apparatus for automatically interconnecting a first unit with a second unit, the apparatus having at least one switch card each provided with at least one switch element, each said card having a plurality of inlets and a plurality of outlets coupled to one of (i) another card via connection plates, (ii) the first unit via a first input/output assembly, and (iii) the second unit via a second input/output assembly, and a control unit for the card for establishing or not establishing interconnections between the first and second units as a function of determined instructions issued to said control unit, wherein the control unit comprises means for inputting interconnection links which enable any of (i) interconnection between said cards, (ii) interconnection between switch elements, (iii) interconnection between any of said cards and said first unit, and (iv) interconnection between any of said cards and said second unit, and means suitable, once input of said interconnection links has been performed, for automatically interconnecting the first unit with the second unit in accordance with instructions issued to the control unit by a user;

• and wherein each said card comprises a memory which stores a state of each switch element of the card, said memory being readable from the control unit via a common bus.