A format is provided for a command signal from a target device comprising a bit field adapted for communicating a unit attention signal from the target device following a status changing event. A method is provided for managing a unit attention signal from a target device in a distributed network, comprising: setting an indicator bit in a bit field of a command signal from the target device to a signaling value when a predetermined condition warrants an associated unit attention signal; detecting the indicator bit; and indexing a table in relation to the indicator bit to send the unit attention signal.