1. A method for scanning files and directories in a distributed file system on a network having a plurality of nodes, at least a portion of the nodes including metadata with attribute information for one or more files striped across the distributed file system, the method comprising commanding at least a subset of the nodes to search their respective metadata for a selected attribute and to perform an action in response to identifying the selected attribute in their respective metadata, the subset of nodes being capable of searching their respective metadata in parallel.