A method of accessing data by a storage device includes issuing a DMA read request of a host memory to a host. A host turnaround time is estimated. The host turnaround time is a time interval between when the DMA read request is issued and when an initial data packet of requested data from the host from the DMA read request arrives to the storage device. A data-path of the storage device is initialized to transfer the requested data of the DMA read request to a device buffer of the storage device. Initialization of the data-path is started after issuance of the DMA read request and is completed at an end of the estimated host turnaround time. The requested data is received from the host. The received requested data is transferred utilizing the data-path to the device buffer.