A method of connecting a first device comprising a processor and a first application and a second device comprising a processor and a second application to form a distributed architecture system for testing an optical - copper link from end to end, the method comprising: registering at least one of the first device and the first application within the first device with a configuration manager, wherein the first device comprises one of an optical light source physical instrument, an optical power meter physical instrument, an optical light source virtual instrument which controls an optical light source physical instrument, or an optical power meter virtual instrument which controls an optical power meter physical instrument, requesting, by at least one of the second device and the second application within the second device, the configuration manager for connection information of a device comprising a processor and an application, wherein the second device comprises one of a copper power meter physical instrument, or a copper power meter virtual instrument which controls a copper power meter physical instrument; and providing the connection information of at least one of the first device and the first application to at least one of the second device and the second application; wherein at least one of the second device and the second application directly communicate with at least one of the first device and the first application based upon the connection information, wherein the configuration manager comprises an application manager that maps connectivity between defined devices and applications, wherein an application used by the application manager comprises a Foundation Application Programming Interface, API, wherein the Foundation API further comprises at least one of: a power API, a licenses API, a Plugin API, an ASYNC API, a package management API, an intent API, a Setting API, a Data Storage API, an Inter Process Communication API, an Export/Import API, an Error Handling/Management API, and a Network Configuration API, and wherein one or more of the first application and the second application comprise the Foundation API. registering at least one of the first device and the first application within the first device with a configuration manager, wherein the first device comprises one of an optical light source physical instrument, an optical power meter physical instrument, an optical light source virtual instrument which controls an optical light source physical instrument, or an optical power meter virtual instrument which controls an optical power meter physical instrument, requesting, by at least one of the second device and the second application within the second device, the configuration manager for connection information of a device comprising a processor and an application, wherein the second device comprises one of a copper power meter physical instrument, or a copper power meter virtual instrument which controls a copper power meter physical instrument; and providing the connection information of at least one of the first device and the first application to at least one of the second device and the second application; wherein at least one of the second device and the second application directly communicate with at least one of the first device and the first application based upon the connection information, wherein the configuration manager comprises an application manager that maps connectivity between defined devices and applications, wherein an application used by the application manager comprises a Foundation Application Programming Interface, API, wherein the Foundation API further comprises at least one of: a power API, a licenses API, a Plugin API, an ASYNC API, a package management API, an intent API, a Setting API, a Data Storage API, an Inter Process Communication API, an Export/Import API, an Error Handling/Management API, and a Network Configuration API, and wherein one or more of the first application and the second application comprise the Foundation API.