Systems and methods are provided for scanning files and directories in a distributed file system on a network of nodes. The nodes include metadata with attribute information corresponding to files and directories distributed on the nodes. In one embodiment, the files and directories are scanned by commanding the nodes to search their respective metadata for a selected attribute. At least two of the nodes are capable of searching their respective metadata in parallel. In one embodiment, the distributed file system commands the nodes to search for metadata data structures having location information corresponding to a failed device on the network. The metadata data structures identified in the search may then be used to reconstruct lost data that was stored on the failed device.