In a first embodiment of the present invention, a method for handling a Transaction Layer Packets (TLPs) from devices in a switch is provided, the method comprising: subtracting a first number of credits from a credit pool associated with a first port on which a first device is connected; determining if the amount of credits in the credit pool associated with the first port is less than a first predetermined threshold; and if the amount of credits in the credit pool associated with the first port is less than the first predetermined threshold, assigning a second number of credits from a shared credit pool to the credit pool associated with the first port.