The invention describes methods and systems for monitoring the performance of
an optical network by introducing a fiber identification (FID) tag and/or bundle
identification (BID) tag which are unique to the fiber section and to the bundle
of fibers respectively. The FID tag is introduced by marking an optical signal,
traveling through a section of fiber, with a low frequency dither tone whose frequency
is unique to the fiber section. Similarly, the BID tag is introduced by marking
an optical signal, traveling through a section of fiber in a bundle of fibers,
with another low frequency dither tone whose frequency is unique to the bundle
section. Detecting of the FID and BID tones either alone or along with an optionally
introduced channel identification (CID) tone is provided.