A method and system for providing identification tags in a memory system having indeterminate data response times. An exemplary embodiment includes a memory controller in a memory system. The memory controller includes a mechanism for receiving data packets via an upstream channel, the data packets including upstream identification tags. The memory controller also includes a mechanism having instructions for facilitating determining if a received data packet is in response to a request from the memory controller. Input to the determining includes an upstream identification tag included in the received data packet. If the received data packet is determined to be in response to a request from the memory controller, then the received data packet is matched to the request, thereby allowing the memory controller to operate with indeterminate data response times.