What determines the maximum permissible end-to-end system attenuation in a given fiber link?

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The amount of end-to-end attenuation a fiber link can tolerate is set by the link budget, which is defined by how strong the signal starts and how strong it must be when it arrives. The difference between the transmitter’s launched (average) power and the receiver’s minimum input power (receiver sensitivity) determines how much loss can occur along the path while still meeting the required performance. In other words, you can tolerate up to that amount of attenuation before the signal drops below what the receiver can reliably detect.

Context: actual losses from fiber, connectors, splices, and cable length add up to approach this budget, and any extra margin for safety further reduces the usable attenuation. While length and temperature can influence the real-world performance, they don’t set the fundamental limit by themselves; color has no impact on signal strength.