Abstract: Methods and systems for network communications are disclosed. In particular methods and systems for providing communications rate controls from remote sources are provided. For example, a machine-implemented method includes: managing, at a target, a request to transmit (R2T) queue and an associated data credit counter; incrementing the data credit counter based on an allowed transfer rate; selecting an R2T packet from the R2T queue; determining if the R2T packet should be sent based on the data credit counter; sending the R2T packet to an initiator when the R2T packet indicates data transfer less than the data credit counter; and decrementing the data credit counter based on the R2T packet when the R2T packet is sent.

Abstract: A method for testing a data path of a server operably connected between at least one peripheral device and at least one client device via a network includes independently testing one of a peripheral interface portion of the data path and a network interface portion of the data path, and generating a status report indicating the result of the test.

Abstract: Atomic list insertion is provided for multi-master bus operation where masters use different sized bus transactions that require special management techniques to prevent interleaved accesses from returning invalid data. The update of a list entry. Next field is made an atomic operation, where atomic is defined as indivisible. To this end, the list entry. Next field is subdivided into two parts and a terminator list entry is provided.