Techniques for negotiating optical configuration parameters of transceivers are disclosed. In one example, a method may include outputting, by a first optical node to a second optical node, a negotiation request message that specifies a configuration parameter setting for optical transceivers, the setting comprising one of a speed, a forward error correction (FEC) scheme, a modulation type, a transmission power, a minimum central frequency, a maximum central frequency, a minimum input power, a maximum input power, or a signal-to-noise ratio threshold; receiving, by the first optical node from the second optical node, in response to the negotiation request message, a negotiation response message including an indication of support for the configuration parameter setting; and configuring, by the first optical node, in response to the indication of support, a configuration parameter of an optical transceiver for the first optical node with the configuration parameter setting for the configuration parameter.