diff --git a/weed/cluster/lock_client.go b/weed/cluster/lock_client.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6a6f7a450
--- /dev/null
+++ b/weed/cluster/lock_client.go
@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+package cluster
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/glog"
+	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/pb"
+	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/pb/filer_pb"
+	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/util"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	"time"
+)
+
+type LockClient struct {
+	grpcDialOption  grpc.DialOption
+	maxLockDuration time.Duration
+	sleepDuration   time.Duration
+}
+
+func NewLockClient(grpcDialOption grpc.DialOption) *LockClient {
+	return &LockClient{
+		grpcDialOption:  grpcDialOption,
+		maxLockDuration: 5 * time.Second,
+		sleepDuration:   4 * time.Millisecond,
+	}
+}
+
+type LiveLock struct {
+	key            string
+	renewToken     string
+	expireAtNs     int64
+	filer          pb.ServerAddress
+	cancelCh       chan struct{}
+	grpcDialOption grpc.DialOption
+	isLocked       bool
+}
+
+func (lc *LockClient) NewLock(filer pb.ServerAddress, key string, lockDuration time.Duration) (lock *LiveLock) {
+	lock = &LiveLock{
+		key:            key,
+		filer:          filer,
+		cancelCh:       make(chan struct{}),
+		expireAtNs:     time.Now().Add(lockDuration).UnixNano(),
+		grpcDialOption: lc.grpcDialOption,
+	}
+	var needRenewal bool
+	if lockDuration > lc.maxLockDuration {
+		lockDuration = lc.maxLockDuration
+		needRenewal = true
+	}
+	util.RetryForever("create lock:"+key, func() error {
+		errorMessage, err := lock.doLock(lockDuration)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if errorMessage != "" {
+			return fmt.Errorf("%v", errorMessage)
+		}
+		return nil
+	}, func(err error) (shouldContinue bool) {
+		if err != nil {
+			glog.Warningf("create lock %s: %s", key, err)
+		}
+		return lock.renewToken == ""
+	})
+
+	lock.isLocked = true
+
+	if needRenewal {
+		go lc.keepLock(lock)
+	}
+
+	return
+}
+
+func (lock *LiveLock) IsLocked() bool {
+	return lock.isLocked
+}
+
+func (lock *LiveLock) Unlock() error {
+	close(lock.cancelCh)
+	return pb.WithFilerClient(false, 0, lock.filer, lock.grpcDialOption, func(client filer_pb.SeaweedFilerClient) error {
+		_, err := client.Unlock(context.Background(), &filer_pb.UnlockRequest{
+			Name:       lock.key,
+			RenewToken: lock.renewToken,
+		})
+		return err
+	})
+}
+
+func (lc *LockClient) keepLock(lock *LiveLock) {
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-time.After(lc.sleepDuration):
+			// renew the lock if lock.expireAtNs is still greater than now
+			util.RetryForever("keep lock:"+lock.key, func() error {
+				lockDuration := time.Duration(lock.expireAtNs-time.Now().UnixNano()) * time.Nanosecond
+				if lockDuration > lc.maxLockDuration {
+					lockDuration = lc.maxLockDuration
+				}
+				if lockDuration <= 0 {
+					return nil
+				}
+
+				errorMessage, err := lock.doLock(lockDuration)
+				if err != nil {
+					lock.isLocked = false
+					return err
+				}
+				if errorMessage != "" {
+					lock.isLocked = false
+					return fmt.Errorf("%v", errorMessage)
+				}
+				return nil
+			}, func(err error) (shouldContinue bool) {
+				if err == nil {
+					return false
+				}
+				glog.Warningf("keep lock %s: %v", lock.key, err)
+				return true
+			})
+			if !lock.isLocked {
+				return
+			}
+		case <-lock.cancelCh:
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (lock *LiveLock) doLock(lockDuration time.Duration) (errorMessage string, err error) {
+	err = pb.WithFilerClient(false, 0, lock.filer, lock.grpcDialOption, func(client filer_pb.SeaweedFilerClient) error {
+		resp, err := client.Lock(context.Background(), &filer_pb.LockRequest{
+			Name:          lock.key,
+			SecondsToLock: int64(lockDuration.Seconds()),
+			RenewToken:    lock.renewToken,
+			IsMoved:       false,
+		})
+		if err == nil {
+			lock.renewToken = resp.RenewToken
+		}
+		if resp != nil {
+			errorMessage = resp.Error
+			if resp.MovedTo != "" {
+				lock.filer = pb.ServerAddress(resp.MovedTo)
+			}
+		}
+		return err
+	})
+	return
+}