1. A method for obtaining device information comprising: sending a device description request message to a plurality of remote devices, wherein the device description request message comprises indications of criteria for a responding device of the plurality of remote devices, wherein the indications of criteria for the responding device comprises: a fabric identifier for the responding device, wherein the fabric identifier identifies a fabric to which the responding device is connected; a device mode for the responding device, wherein the device mode indicates a mode for the responding device; a vendor identifier for the responding device, wherein the vendor identifier identifies a vendor for the responding device; and a product identifier for the responding device, wherein the product identifier identifies a product type for the responding device; and receiving a response message from the responding device in response to the device description request message, wherein the response message includes device description data about the responding device, and the device description data in the response message is encoded in a tag-length-value format, and the responding device is a remote device of the plurality of remote devices that satisfies all criteria indicated in the indications of criteria.