Increased global traffic puts tough requirements not just on fiber communications links but on the entire network. This manifests itself in multiple ways, including how to optimize wavelength routing around the network, how to maximize the benefits arising from fine-control DSP with increasingly accurate real-time monitoring, and how to best deploy multiband or multiple fiber connectivity. This article will summarize research into all these areas to present a full picture of how future optical networks will play their role in supporting the continuing traffic demands of broadband, 5G, and associated applications.