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 . <EOS>