A system, comprising: a first network control entity associated with a first network segment including at least a portion (131, 132) of a plurality of data ports at a first network element operatively coupled to a data plane of a switch fabric; a second network control entity associated with the first network segment including at least a portion (141, 142, 143, 144) of a plurality of data ports at a second network element operatively coupled to the data plane of the switch fabric; and a third network control entity associated with a second network segment including at least a portion (121, 122) of a plurality of data ports at a third network element operatively coupled to the data plane of the switch fabric, the first network control entity to send to the second network control entity an identifier of the first network segment and forwarding-state information associated with a data port from the portion of the plurality of data ports at the first network element, the second network control entity to receive the identifier of the first network segment and the forwarding-state information, the second network control entity to store the forwarding-state information at a memory associated with the second network control entity, the second network control entity to send a control signal to the second network element in response to the forwarding-state information, the third network control entity to receive the identifier of the first network segment and the forwarding-state information, the third network control entity to discard the forwarding-state information based on the identifier of the first network segment and an identifier of the second network segment. a first network control entity associated with a first network segment including at least a portion (131, 132) of a plurality of data ports at a first network element operatively coupled to a data plane of a switch fabric; a second network control entity associated with the first network segment including at least a portion (141, 142, 143, 144) of a plurality of data ports at a second network element operatively coupled to the data plane of the switch fabric; and a third network control entity associated with a second network segment including at least a portion (121, 122) of a plurality of data ports at a third network element operatively coupled to the data plane of the switch fabric, the first network control entity to send to the second network control entity an identifier of the first network segment and forwarding-state information associated with a data port from the portion of the plurality of data ports at the first network element, the second network control entity to receive the identifier of the first network segment and the forwarding-state information, the second network control entity to store the forwarding-state information at a memory associated with the second network control entity, the second network control entity to send a control signal to the second network element in response to the forwarding-state information, the third network control entity to receive the identifier of the first network segment and the forwarding-state information, the third network control entity to discard the forwarding-state information based on the identifier of the first network segment and an identifier of the second network segment.