In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a first optical transceiver. The first optical transceiver includes a set of optical transmitters, an optical multiplexer operatively coupled to the set of optical transmitters, and a variable optical attenuator operatively coupled to the optical multiplexer. The variable optical attenuator is configured to receive a control signal from a controller of the first optical transceiver and modulate a signal representing control information with an output from the optical multiplexer. The control information is associated with the control signal and for a second optical transceiver operatively coupled to the first optical transceiver.