A network fabric includes interconnected network nodes, each having access to a database containing predetermined paths from each network node to each other network node in the network fabric. Each network node determines, in response to an incoming frame, whether the frame is a fabric protocol data unit (PDU) having a header containing path attributes including a destination node address. If the frame is a fabric PDU, the node selects a first path to the destination node from the database, and forwards the fabric PDU to a next hop in accordance with the selected path. If the frame is not a fabric PDU, the node selects a second path through the network fabric to the destination node from the database, adds the header with the path attributes to the frame to produce the fabric PDU, and forwards the fabric PDU to the next hop in accordance with the second path.