Apparatus and method for manipulating packet ordering over parallel links of a crossbar based switch fabric

A data exchange system includes at least one transmitting agent, at least one receiving agent, and a plurality of data links each having a crossbar coupling respective transmitting agents and receiving agents. A stream of data packets including at least one Order Critical Flow of data packets having a critical order to be sent from the transmitting agent to the receiving agent is divided for transmission among the plurality of data links. Multiple Order Critical Flows between the transmitting agent and the receiving agent are possible and the packets within such Order Critical Flows can be intermixed for transmission (along with packets from other Non-Order Critical Flows).