In one embodiment, a method includes accessing every local I2C bus device, using a local processor of a distributed fabric protocol (DFP) system member, to ascertain which local I2C bus devices are present, receiving a request from a remote DFP system master, using a dedicated processor of the DFP system member, to register local I2C devices on the DFP system member in order to allow the DFP system master to have access to the local I2C devices, sending an acknowledgement to the request back to the DFP system master, receiving a read request from the DFP system master to read the local I2C bus devices and authenticating the read request, encapsulating details of the local I2C bus devices into a packet similar to that in which the read request was received, and sending the packet to a local network switch to be switched to the DFP system master.