A method and data processing system for tracking global shared memory (GSM) operations to and from a local node configured with a host fabric interface (HFI) coupled to a network fabric. During task/job initialization, the system OS assigns HFI window(s) to handle the GSM packet generation and GSM packet receipt and processing for each local task. HFI processing logic automatically tags each GSM packet generated by the HFI window with a global job identifier (ID) of the job to which the local task is affiliated. The job ID is embedded within each GSM packet placed on the network fabric. On receipt of a GSM packet from the network fabric, the HFI logic retrieves the embedded job ID and compares the embedded job ID with the ID within the HFI window(s). GSM packets are forwarded to an HFI window only when the embedded job ID matches the HFI window's job ID.