Abstract: A method of communicating a packet sent from a sending processing element to a recipient processing element over a fast Ethernet network is provided, wherein an offload engine is used to process portions of the Ethernet protocol functions. The offload engine is a field-programmable gate array in communication with a switched fabric, and can send “fake” acknowledgements of a received packet to the sending processing element. If acknowledgement of receipt of the packet is not received by the offload engine prior to expiry of a timer, the offload engine will request the sending processing element resend the packet.