diff --git a/weed/command/filer.go b/weed/command/filer.go
index cddad4c0d..279fc3fbb 100644
--- a/weed/command/filer.go
+++ b/weed/command/filer.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ type FilerOptions struct {
 	maxMB                   *int
 	secretKey               *string
 	dirListingLimit         *int
+	dataCenter              *string
 }
 
 func init() {
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ func init() {
 	f.maxMB = cmdFiler.Flag.Int("maxMB", 32, "split files larger than the limit")
 	f.secretKey = cmdFiler.Flag.String("secure.secret", "", "secret to encrypt Json Web Token(JWT)")
 	f.dirListingLimit = cmdFiler.Flag.Int("dirListLimit", 1000, "limit sub dir listing size")
+	f.dataCenter = cmdFiler.Flag.String("dataCenter", "", "write to volumes in this data center")
 }
 
 var cmdFiler = &Command{
@@ -99,6 +101,7 @@ func (fo *FilerOptions) start() {
 		MaxMB:              *f.maxMB,
 		SecretKey:          *f.secretKey,
 		DirListingLimit:    *f.dirListingLimit,
+		DataCenter:         *f.dataCenter,
 	})
 	if nfs_err != nil {
 		glog.Fatalf("Filer startup error: %v", nfs_err)
diff --git a/weed/command/server.go b/weed/command/server.go
index 3796a5785..983b3075f 100644
--- a/weed/command/server.go
+++ b/weed/command/server.go
@@ -110,6 +110,8 @@ func runServer(cmd *Command, args []string) bool {
 	master := *serverIp + ":" + strconv.Itoa(*masterPort)
 	filerOptions.ip = serverIp
 
+	filerOptions.dataCenter = serverDataCenter
+
 	if *filerOptions.defaultReplicaPlacement == "" {
 		*filerOptions.defaultReplicaPlacement = *masterDefaultReplicaPlacement
 	}
diff --git a/weed/server/filer_grpc_server.go b/weed/server/filer_grpc_server.go
index f553956cd..183904284 100644
--- a/weed/server/filer_grpc_server.go
+++ b/weed/server/filer_grpc_server.go
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ func (fs *FilerServer) AssignVolume(ctx context.Context, req *filer_pb.AssignVol
 		Replication: req.Replication,
 		Collection:  req.Collection,
 		Ttl:         ttlStr,
+		DataCenter:  fs.option.DataCenter,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("assign volume: %v", err)
diff --git a/weed/server/filer_server.go b/weed/server/filer_server.go
index 0e5135763..601790f8a 100644
--- a/weed/server/filer_server.go
+++ b/weed/server/filer_server.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ type FilerOption struct {
 	MaxMB              int
 	SecretKey          string
 	DirListingLimit    int
+	DataCenter         string
 }
 
 type FilerServer struct {