diff --git a/weed/command/command.go b/weed/command/command.go
index 0d72ee0db..61f13c5e2 100644
--- a/weed/command/command.go
+++ b/weed/command/command.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ var Commands = []*Command{
 	cmdCompact,
 	cmdCopy,
 	cmdFix,
+	cmdFilerExport,
 	cmdServer,
 	cmdMaster,
 	cmdFiler,
diff --git a/weed/command/filer_export.go b/weed/command/filer_export.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ab8962630
--- /dev/null
+++ b/weed/command/filer_export.go
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+package command
+
+import (
+	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/server"
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
+	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/filer2"
+	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/glog"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	cmdFilerExport.Run = runFilerExport // break init cycle
+}
+
+var cmdFilerExport = &Command{
+	UsageLine: "filer.export -sourceStore=mysql -targetStroe=cassandra",
+	Short:     "export meta data in filer store",
+	Long: `Iterate the file tree and export all metadata out
+
+	Both source and target store:
+        * should be a store name already specified in filer.toml
+        * do not need to be enabled state
+
+	If target store is empty, only the directory tree will be listed.
+
+  `,
+}
+
+var (
+	// filerExportOutputFile  = cmdFilerExport.Flag.String("output", "", "the output file. If empty, only list out the directory tree")
+	filerExportSourceStore = cmdFilerExport.Flag.String("sourceStore", "", "the source store name in filer.toml")
+)
+
+type statistics struct {
+	directoryCount int
+	fileCount      int
+}
+
+func runFilerExport(cmd *Command, args []string) bool {
+
+	weed_server.LoadConfiguration("filer", true)
+	config := viper.GetViper()
+
+	var sourceStore filer2.FilerStore
+
+	for _, store := range filer2.Stores {
+		if store.GetName() == *filerExportSourceStore {
+			viperSub := config.Sub(store.GetName())
+			if err := store.Initialize(viperSub); err != nil {
+				glog.Fatalf("Failed to initialize store for %s: %+v",
+					store.GetName(), err)
+			} else {
+				sourceStore = store
+			}
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
+	if sourceStore == nil {
+		glog.Errorf("Failed to find source store %s", *filerExportSourceStore)
+		println("existing data sources are:")
+		for _, store := range filer2.Stores {
+			println("    " + store.GetName())
+		}
+		return false
+	}
+
+	stat := statistics{}
+	doTraverse(&stat, sourceStore, filer2.FullPath("/"), 0, printout)
+
+	glog.Infof("processed %d directories, %d files", stat.directoryCount, stat.fileCount)
+
+	return true
+}
+
+func doTraverse(stat *statistics, filerStore filer2.FilerStore, parentPath filer2.FullPath, level int, fn func(level int, entry *filer2.Entry) error) {
+
+	limit := 1000
+	lastEntryName := ""
+	for {
+		entries, err := filerStore.ListDirectoryEntries(parentPath, lastEntryName, false, limit)
+		if err != nil {
+			break
+		}
+		for _, entry := range entries {
+			if fnErr := fn(level, entry); fnErr != nil {
+				glog.Errorf("failed to process entry: %s", entry.FullPath)
+			}
+			if entry.IsDirectory() {
+				stat.directoryCount++
+				doTraverse(stat, filerStore, entry.FullPath, level+1, fn)
+			} else {
+				stat.fileCount++
+			}
+		}
+		if len(entries) < limit {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func printout(level int, entry *filer2.Entry) error {
+	for i := 0; i < level; i++ {
+		print("  ")
+	}
+	println(entry.FullPath.Name())
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/weed/server/filer_server.go b/weed/server/filer_server.go
index 7a4d1be7f..0150caf5e 100644
--- a/weed/server/filer_server.go
+++ b/weed/server/filer_server.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func NewFilerServer(defaultMux, readonlyMux *http.ServeMux, option *FilerOption)
 
 	go fs.filer.KeepConnectedToMaster()
 
-	loadConfiguration("filer", true)
+	LoadConfiguration("filer", true)
 	v := viper.GetViper()
 
 	fs.filer.LoadConfiguration(v)
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func (fs *FilerServer) jwt(fileId string) security.EncodedJwt {
 	return security.GenJwt(fs.secret, fileId)
 }
 
-func loadConfiguration(configFileName string, required bool) {
+func LoadConfiguration(configFileName string, required bool) {
 
 	// find a filer store
 	viper.SetConfigName(configFileName)     // name of config file (without extension)