A system and method for managing data in a ring buffer is disclosed. The system includes a legacy ring buffer functioning as an on-chip ring buffer, a supplemental buffer for storing data in the ring buffer, a preload ring buffer that is on-chip and capable of receiving preload data from the supplemental buffer, a write controller that determines where to write data that is write requested by a write client of the ring buffer, and a read controller that controls a return of data to a read client pursuant to a read request to the ring buffer.