Techniques for controlling a network fabric are disclosed. Labels are assigned to paths between endpoints in the network fabric. Switches in the path are configured to communicate data communication packets having the label along the path. Upon receiving a first data communication packet from a first one of the switches in the network fabric for communication to a destination endpoint over the network fabric, the label for a path from the first switch to the destination is obtained, the first packet is communicated to the destination endpoint and the first switch is caused to communicate subsequent data communication packets corresponding to the first data communication packet over the path.