An integrated optical transceiver includes an optical subassembly that produces a first electrical signal in response to a first optical signal comprising reception signal data and to emit a second optical signal comprising transmission signal data in response to a second electrical signal. A data processing unit can extract the reception signal data from the first electrical signal and produce the second electrical signal in response to a third electrical signal comprising the transmission signal data. The data processing unit can perform system-layer functions. A data path interface can send the reception data to a host device and receive the third electrical signal comprising the transmission data from the host device. A management unit can control the data processing unit to perform the system-layer functions. A control path interface communicates with the management unit and the host device.