Abstract: A method of determining optimal FEC configuration parameters, a communications controller, a communications link and a communications node is disclosed. In one embodiment, the communications controller, includes: (1) a processor, (2) a communications system information collector configured to receive operational information from a communications system having a block encoder, a block decoder and a decision feedback equalizer, (3) a code determiner configured to employ the operational information to select, from a set of candidate codes, a random error correction code or a burst error correction code that has a least error correction capability and satisfies a target performance specification for the communications system and (4) a parameter selector configured to select configuration parameters associated with the selected random error correction code or the selected burst error correction code and send the selected configuration parameters to the block encoder and the block decoder.