There is provided an apparatus and method for transferring data packets from a peripheral module to a memory via a memory-controller. When a given peripheral module requests that it send a data packet to the memory via the memory-controller, the memory-controller sends an acknowledgement indicating that the peripheral module can send the data packet, whether or not there is a descriptor for the data packet. If there is a descriptor, the memory-controller receives the data packet from the peripheral module and stores it in the memory. If there is not a descriptor, the memory-controller discards the data packet as it receives it. Thus, whether or not there is a descriptor available for the data packet, the peripheral module still sends the data packet to the memory-controller. The data packets may be assigned classifications and each classification may be assigned a dedicated space in the memory.