A method of detecting transmission collisions in an optical data interconnect system. The method includes initiating a data transmission of a data signal from a transmitting node over the optical data channel, transmitting a first collision detect signal from the transmitting node throughout a duration of the data transmission where the first collision detect signal is transmitted over an optical detection channel corresponding to the transmitting node, monitoring at the transmitting node of the optical data interconnect system for a predetermined period of time, where the optical data interconnect system further includes optical collision detection channels corresponding to each of a plurality of receiving nodes and one or more remaining nodes, and identifying a transmission collision when a second collision signal is received through one of the optical collision detection channels at the transmitting node during the predetermined period of time.