A test instrument, comprising: an electrical interface to couple the test instrument to an optical transponder; a memory to store a script, the script encoding a test of the optical transponder, the test comprising a plurality of interactions with the optical transponder to be traced and analyzed; and a controller to: identify a script type for the script, wherein a plurality of language features for a script interpreter that interprets the script is based on the script type, wherein each of the plurality of language features dictates a characteristic related to the optical transponder; interpret the script to identify a control for the optical transponder based on a statement included in the script; cause, via the electrical interface, an interaction with the optical transponder to occur based on the control; generate a first timestamped log entry to indicate a timing of the control; detect a data path event associated with the optical transponder; generate a second timestamped log entry to indicate a timing of the data path event; determine that the data path event was caused by the control based on the first timestamped log entry and the second timestamped log entry; and assess operation of the optical transponder based on the determination that the data path event was caused by the control. an electrical interface to couple the test instrument to an optical transponder; a memory to store a script, the script encoding a test of the optical transponder, the test comprising a plurality of interactions with the optical transponder to be traced and analyzed; and a controller to: identify a script type for the script, wherein a plurality of language features for a script interpreter that interprets the script is based on the script type, wherein each of the plurality of language features dictates a characteristic related to the optical transponder; interpret the script to identify a control for the optical transponder based on a statement included in the script; cause, via the electrical interface, an interaction with the optical transponder to occur based on the control; generate a first timestamped log entry to indicate a timing of the control; detect a data path event associated with the optical transponder; generate a second timestamped log entry to indicate a timing of the data path event; determine that the data path event was caused by the control based on the first timestamped log entry and the second timestamped log entry; and assess operation of the optical transponder based on the determination that the data path event was caused by the control. identify a script type for the script, wherein a plurality of language features for a script interpreter that interprets the script is based on the script type, wherein each of the plurality of language features dictates a characteristic related to the optical transponder; interpret the script to identify a control for the optical transponder based on a statement included in the script; cause, via the electrical interface, an interaction with the optical transponder to occur based on the control; generate a first timestamped log entry to indicate a timing of the control; detect a data path event associated with the optical transponder; generate a second timestamped log entry to indicate a timing of the data path event; determine that the data path event was caused by the control based on the first timestamped log entry and the second timestamped log entry; and assess operation of the optical transponder based on the determination that the data path event was caused by the control.