Combined write enable mask and credit return field

A non-transitory machine-readable medium that stores instructions that, when executed by a system, cause the system to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, by a memory controller, across a network from a source:
• a first packet comprising a first field, a second field, and a third field, the third field comprising first data;
• and
• a second packet comprising a fourth field, a fifth field, and a sixth field, the sixth field comprising second data;
• determining whether the first field has a first value or a second value;
• in response to determining that the first field has the first value, interpreting the second field as a write-enable mask, identifying masked data by applying the write-enable mask to the third field, and writing the masked data to memory;
• determining whether the fourth field has the first value or the second value;
• and
• in response to determining that the fourth field has the second value, interpreting the fifth field as a credit return value and modifying credit data based on the credit return value.

A method comprising:

• receiving, by a memory controller, across a network from a source:
• a first packet comprising a first field, a second field, and a third field, the third field comprising first data;
• and
• a second packet, comprising a fourth field, a fifth field, and a sixth field, the sixth field comprising second data;
• determining whether the first field has a first value or a second value;
• in response to determining that the first field has the first value, interpreting the second field as a write-enable mask, identifying masked data by applying the write-enable mask to the third field, and writing the masked data to memory;
• determining whether the first fourth field has the first value or the second value;
• and
• in response to determining that the fourth field has the second value, interpreting the fifth field as a credit return value and modifying credit data based on the credit return value.