An apparatus, comprising: a memory; and a processor operatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to be operatively connectable with a first optical transponder and a second optical transponder, and further configured to: receive, from the second optical transponder, a first signal representing a skew value of an optical signal and a second signal representing a bit-error-rate, BER, value of the optical signal, the optical signal transmitted from the first optical transponder and received at the second optical transponder, the skew value associated with a skew between an in-phase component of the optical signal and a quadrature component of the optical signal, determine (1203, 1207), based on whether the skew value and the BER value each satisfy respective thresholds, if a performance degradation of the first optical transponder satisfies a first threshold, in response to determining that the performance degradation satisfies the first threshold, send a first control signal to the first optical transponder to adjust a data baud rate of the first optical transponder; in response to adjusting the data baud rate, determine if a BER value of a second optical signal satisfies a second threshold; and in response to determining that the BER value of the second optical signal does not satisfy the second threshold, send a second control signal to the first optical transponder to adjust a roll-off factor of a finite impulse response, FIR, filter operatively coupled to the optical transmitter. a memory; and a processor operatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to be operatively connectable with a first optical transponder and a second optical transponder, and further configured to: receive, from the second optical transponder, a first signal representing a skew value of an optical signal and a second signal representing a bit-error-rate, BER, value of the optical signal, the optical signal transmitted from the first optical transponder and received at the second optical transponder, the skew value associated with a skew between an in-phase component of the optical signal and a quadrature component of the optical signal, determine (1203, 1207), based on whether the skew value and the BER value each satisfy respective thresholds, if a performance degradation of the first optical transponder satisfies a first threshold, in response to determining that the performance degradation satisfies the first threshold, send a first control signal to the first optical transponder to adjust a data baud rate of the first optical transponder; in response to adjusting the data baud rate, determine if a BER value of a second optical signal satisfies a second threshold; and in response to determining that the BER value of the second optical signal does not satisfy the second threshold, send a second control signal to the first optical transponder to adjust a roll-off factor of a finite impulse response, FIR, filter operatively coupled to the optical transmitter. receive, from the second optical transponder, a first signal representing a skew value of an optical signal and a second signal representing a bit-error-rate, BER, value of the optical signal, the optical signal transmitted from the first optical transponder and received at the second optical transponder, the skew value associated with a skew between an in-phase component of the optical signal and a quadrature component of the optical signal, determine (1203, 1207), based on whether the skew value and the BER value each satisfy respective thresholds, if a performance degradation of the first optical transponder satisfies a first threshold, in response to determining that the performance degradation satisfies the first threshold, send a first control signal to the first optical transponder to adjust a data baud rate of the first optical transponder; in response to adjusting the data baud rate, determine if a BER value of a second optical signal satisfies a second threshold; and in response to determining that the BER value of the second optical signal does not satisfy the second threshold, send a second control signal to the first optical transponder to adjust a roll-off factor of a finite impulse response, FIR, filter operatively coupled to the optical transmitter.