Abstract: A method for configuring a fabric managed by a software-defined networking (SDN) controller includes, with a first control host installed in a first rack having a first management switch and a second control host installed in a second rack, executing controller nodes that implement an SDN controller using a controller virtual network extending between the first rack and the second rack. The first management switch is configured to route traffic between the controller virtual network and a device management network extending from the first management switch to a fabric network device of the fabric managed by the SDN controller. The method further includes configuring, with the SDN controller, via the first management switch, the fabric network device with the controller virtual network to enable communications, via the controller virtual network, between the first control host and a compute node or a storage node connected to the fabric network device.