In one embodiment, photonic switching fabric includes an input photonic commutator switch configured to receive a photonic frame stream including a plurality of containerized photonic packets and a first high port count photonic switch coupled to the input photonic commutator switch. The photonic switching fabric also includes a second high port count photonic switch coupled to the input photonic commutator switch, where the input photonic commutator switch is configured to route the photonic frame to either the first high port count photonic switch or the second high port count photonic switch and an output photonic commutator switch coupled to the first high port count photonic switch and the second high port count photonic switch, where the output photonic commutator switch is configured to output a switched photonic frame.