Orthogonal cross-connecting of printed circuit boards without a midplane board

An apparatus, comprising:

• a printed circuit board (PCB) configured to be matingly coupled to a plurality of PCBs to collectively define at least a portion of an orthogonal cross fabric without a midplane board, an outermost surface of the PCB configured to substantially abut an associated outermost surface of each PCB from the plurality of PCBs when coupled thereto,
• the PCB having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the PCB having a plurality of connector-receiving portions, each connector-receiving portion from the plurality of connector-receiving portions having a via and a semi-blind via,
• the PCB having a first plurality of connectors and a second plurality of connectors, each connector from the first plurality of connectors being disposed on the first side and including a ground contact and a signal contact, each connector from the second plurality of connectors being disposed on the second side and including a ground contact and a signal contact, each connector from the first plurality of connectors being located opposite a different connector from the second plurality of connectors,
• the ground contact for each connector from the first plurality of connectors being electrically coupled to the corresponding connector from the second plurality of connectors through the via for the corresponding connector-receiving portion from the plurality of connector-receiving portions,
• the signal contact for each connector from the first plurality of connectors not being electrically coupled to the corresponding connector from the second plurality of connectors through the semi-blind via for the corresponding connector-receiving portion from the plurality of connector-receiving portions.