An apparatus, comprising: a destination edge device configured to receive one or more first validation packets according to a switch fabric validation protocol, the destination edge device configured to validate a plurality of data paths through a distributed switch fabric from a source edge device to the destination edge device based on the one or more first validation packets, the one or more first validation packets being packets upon which validation of the plurality of data paths through the distributed switch fabric from the source edge device to the destination edge device, by the destination edge device, is based, to identify any failures within any possible path through the distributed switch fabric that the first validation packets can be sent from the source edge device to the destination edge device, and to determine a first status state indicating a status of the plurality of data paths through the distributed switch fabric, the switch fabric validation protocol being a protocol associated with the distributed switch fabric, the destination edge device configured to send, in response to receiving the one or more first validation packets, a second validation packet to a destination peripheral processing device, the destination edge device configured to send the second validation packet according to a validation protocol different from the switch fabric validation protocol, the switch fabric validation protocol supporting a different number of status states than the validation protocol of the second validation packet, the second validation packet being a packet configured to cause the destination peripheral processing device to validate a data path from a source peripheral processing device through the distributed switch fabric to the destination peripheral processing device, the validation protocol of the second validation packet being a protocol with which the destination peripheral processing device is compatible, wherein the destination edge device is configured to define and to send the second validation packet based on the status of the plurality of data paths through the distributed switch fabric. a destination edge device configured to receive one or more first validation packets according to a switch fabric validation protocol, the destination edge device configured to validate a plurality of data paths through a distributed switch fabric from a source edge device to the destination edge device based on the one or more first validation packets, the one or more first validation packets being packets upon which validation of the plurality of data paths through the distributed switch fabric from the source edge device to the destination edge device, by the destination edge device, is based, to identify any failures within any possible path through the distributed switch fabric that the first validation packets can be sent from the source edge device to the destination edge device, and to determine a first status state indicating a status of the plurality of data paths through the distributed switch fabric, the switch fabric validation protocol being a protocol associated with the distributed switch fabric, the destination edge device configured to send, in response to receiving the one or more first validation packets, a second validation packet to a destination peripheral processing device, the destination edge device configured to send the second validation packet according to a validation protocol different from the switch fabric validation protocol, the switch fabric validation protocol supporting a different number of status states than the validation protocol of the second validation packet, the second validation packet being a packet configured to cause the destination peripheral processing device to validate a data path from a source peripheral processing device through the distributed switch fabric to the destination peripheral processing device, the validation protocol of the second validation packet being a protocol with which the destination peripheral processing device is compatible, wherein the destination edge device is configured to define and to send the second validation packet based on the status of the plurality of data paths through the distributed switch fabric.