An apparatus controls discovery of nodes for a network fabric and accommodates communication among the nodes. The apparatus may be a controller operating as a first node on a network and having a processor connected to memory. The controller is communicatively connected to a second node that has a native network protocol. The memory stores computer readable software instructions that, when implemented by the processor, cause the controller to send a discovery data packet to the second node in the second node's native network protocol. The discovery data packet advertises controller status information to the second node for use in establishing a communications link between the controller and the second node in the network fabric.