Method to improve the performance of a computer network

1. A method of indicating a status of a transfer of data from a first device to a second device over a network, the data being transferred using one or more data frames, each data frame including a header having one or more bits and at least a part of the data being transferred, the method comprising:

indicating, by the first device, a successful transfer status, without using a status frame containing no data being transferred, by setting a last bit of the one or more bits in the header of a last data frame of the one or more data frames to a first value;

indicating, by the first device, a failed transfer status by setting the value of the last bit of the last data frame to a second value;

discovering whether the second device receiving the data is adapted to check a value of the last bit of the one or more bits in the header of the last data frame to determine the status of the data request; and

sending a status frame following the last data frame to the second device if the second device fails to check the value of the last bit.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending a status frame following the last data frame if the transfer had an error.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network is one of a Fibre Channel over Ethernet network and a Fibre Channel network.

4. A method of executing a data transfer from an initiator to a target over a network, the method comprising:

receiving, at the target, a request for data from the initiator;

sending data from the target to the initiator in response to the request, the data stored in one or more sequences, each of the one or more sequences including one or more data frames, each data frame containing at least a part of the data being sent;

if the transfer is executed successfully, indicating a good status, without using a status frame containing no data being transferred, by setting at least one bit in a header of a last data frame of a last sequence of the one or more sequences to a predefined value;

discovering whether an initiator receiving the data is adapted to check a value of the at least one bit in the header of the last data frame to determine a status of the data request; and

sending a status frame following the last data frame to the initiator if the initiator fails to check the value of the at least one bit in the header of the last data frame.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising sending a status frame following the last data frame if the data transfer failed.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the request is a read command.

7. A method of improving performance of a computer network, the computer network adapted to handle data transfers between devices connected to the computer network, the method comprising:

utilizing, by one of the devices, one or more bits in a last data frame of one or more data frames used for transferring data to indicate a status of the respective transfer;

discovering whether one of the devices receiving the data is adapted to check a value of the at least one bit in the header of the last data frame to determine a status of the transfer; and

sending a status frame following the last data frame to the one of the devices if the one of the devices fails to check the value of the at least one bit in the header of the last data frame,

wherein each of the one or more data frames contains at least part of the data being transferred.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising sending a status frame following the last data frame if the data transfer failed.

9. A target device connected to a network, the target device comprising:

means for receiving a data request over the network;

means for transferring at least one sequence of data in response to the data request, the at least one sequence including one or more data frames, each of the one or more data frames containing at least a part of the requested data and including a header;

means for indicating a successful data transfer by setting at least one bit in the header of a last data frame of the one or more data frames to a predefined value without using a status frame containing no data being transferred;

means for discovering whether the target receiving the data is adapted to check a value of the at least one bit in the header of the last data frame to determine a status of the data request; and

means for sending a status frame following the last data frame to the initiator if the initiator fails to check the value of the at least one bit in the header of the last data frame.

10. The target device of claim 9 , further comprising means for sending a status frame following the last data frame if the data request failed.

11. The target device of claim 9 , wherein the target device is a data storage device.