This technology enables directed broadcasts in network fabrics. To enable a directed broadcast, a control plane node is configured to resolve directed broadcast addresses by mapping the directed broadcast address to a subnet address associated with the network fabric. A fabric border node receives a directed broadcast, extracts a destination address associated with the directed broadcast, and transmits a request to the control plane node to resolve the destination address. The control plane node retrieves the stored mapping and generates a map reply to the fabric border node with a multicast destination comprising the network fabric subnet address. The fabric border node encapsulates the directed broadcast with a header comprising the multicast destination and forwards the encapsulated directed broadcast to fabric edge nodes, which decapsulate the directed broadcast and deliver a data set from the directed broadcast to appropriate end point devices.