Nondeterministic memory access requests to non-volatile memory

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor to:
• provide a read request for first data for receipt by a controller of an external memory;
• receive a first signal from the controller at a first nondeterministic time interval after transmitting the read request, wherein the first signal indicates that the first data is available for transmission from the controller to the processor;
• provide a first transmit signal for receipt by the controller in response to the first signal;
• receive a second signal from the controller at a first deterministic time interval after providing the first transmit signal, wherein the second signal includes the first data;
• and
• provide the first data for storage.

A method comprising:

• accessing, by a controller, first data from a memory or a cache in response to receiving a read request from a processor;
• transmitting, by the controller, a first signal at a first nondeterministic time interval after receiving the read request, wherein the first signal indicates that the accessed first data is available for transmission to the processor;
• and
• transmitting, by the controller, a second signal at a first deterministic time interval after receiving a first transmit request sent by the processor in response to the first signal, wherein the second signal includes the accessed first data.