An endpoint node on a switch fabric announces an intent to host a service for the switch fabric. The announcement includes an announcement entry to an announcement record in a data repository maintained at a designated endpoint node on the switch fabric. The announcement entry includes the endpoint node's preference to take a given role to host the service. The endpoint node queries the announcement record to determine what other endpoint nodes have announced an intent to host the service. Based, at least in part, on the query, the endpoint node determines a role it will take to host the service. The endpoint node updates the announcement record to indicate the role.