1. One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform acts comprising: communicating goal state indicators from a fabric controller of a computer cluster to each of multiple compute instances in the computer cluster, the compute instances being managed by the fabric controller, the goal state indicators being formatted according to a structured protocol that defines multiple possible goal states; and receiving status reports from the compute instances, the status reports being formatted according to the structured protocol, one or more of the status reports each indicating a current state of one of the compute instances relative to a goal state, which was previously indicated in a goal state indicator communicated to the one of the compute instances, and one or more of the status reports indicating a current health of the one of the compute instances, the current health being different from the current state relative to the goal state.