An optical connector having a plurality of directional taps and connecting between a plurality of optical waveguides (e.g., such as a connector between a waveguide that is part of, or leads from, a seed laser and/or an initial optical-gain-fiber power amplifier, and a waveguide that is part of, or leads to, an output optical-gain-fiber power amplifier and/or a delivery fiber), wherein one of the directional taps extracts a small amount of the forward-traveling optical output signal from the seed laser or initial power amplifier (wherein this forward-tapped signal is optionally monitored using a sensor for the forward-tapped signal), and wherein another of the directional taps extracts at least some of any backward-traveling optical signal that may have been reflected (wherein this backward-tapped signal is optionally monitored using a sensor for the backward-tapped signal).