Switch fabric management

A computer-implemented method to facilitate reduced wiring, the computer-implemented method comprising:

• switching, by a plurality of switch modules, network traffic for one or more server cards of a server system including a midplane, the one or more server cards, and the plurality of switch modules, wherein the midplane comprises a fabric interconnect for a switch fabric, wherein each server card and each switch module is communicably connected to the midplane;
• and
• by operation of one or more computer processors of a management controller, managing the plurality of switch modules via the fabric interconnect and exclusive of any wiring required for an independent management interconnect between the management controller and the plurality of switch modules, wherein managing the plurality of switch modules comprises:
• upon determining that at least one switch module has failed, facilitating replacement of the at least one switch module without requiring a restart of either the system or the switch fabric.