A system and method for efficiently performing data transfer operations includes a source device for providing transfer data through a communication path or network to a destination device. The source device has a transfer manager that determines various transfer parameters including a transfer data size, a transfer speed, and a transfer duration. The transfer parameters are then presented on a user interface for interactive use by a system user to manipulate the transfer data with various transfer options to thereby perform the data transfer operation in an optimal manner under current transfer conditions.