diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/MetadataManager.java b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/MetadataManager.java
index 0ab5c7b..254c372 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/MetadataManager.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/MetadataManager.java
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 import org.apache.asterix.metadata.api.IAsterixStateProxy;
 import org.apache.asterix.metadata.api.IExtensionMetadataEntity;
 import org.apache.asterix.metadata.api.IExtensionMetadataSearchKey;
+import org.apache.asterix.metadata.api.IMetadataIndex;
 import org.apache.asterix.metadata.api.IMetadataManager;
 import org.apache.asterix.metadata.api.IMetadataNode;
 import org.apache.asterix.metadata.entities.CompactionPolicy;
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.LogManager;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
 
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonNode;
 import com.google.common.base.Strings;
 
 /**
@@ -1192,6 +1194,16 @@
     }
 
     @Override
+    public JsonNode getEntitiesAsJson(MetadataTransactionContext mdTxnCtx, IMetadataIndex metadataIndex,
+            int payloadPosition) throws AlgebricksException {
+        try {
+            return metadataNode.getEntitiesAsJson(mdTxnCtx.getTxnId(), metadataIndex, payloadPosition);
+        } catch (RemoteException e) {
+            throw new MetadataException(ErrorCode.REMOTE_EXCEPTION_WHEN_CALLING_METADATA_NODE, e);
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Override
     public void rebindMetadataNode() {
         rebindMetadataNode = true;
     }
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/MetadataNode.java b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/MetadataNode.java
index 87f5129..7a6de19 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/MetadataNode.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/MetadataNode.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 import static org.apache.asterix.common.api.IIdentifierMapper.Modifier.PLURAL;
 import static org.apache.asterix.common.utils.IdentifierUtil.dataset;
 
+import java.io.PrintStream;
 import java.rmi.RemoteException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@
 import org.apache.asterix.common.transactions.TxnId;
 import org.apache.asterix.common.utils.StoragePathUtil;
 import org.apache.asterix.external.indexing.ExternalFile;
+import org.apache.asterix.formats.nontagged.CleanJSONPrinterFactoryProvider;
 import org.apache.asterix.formats.nontagged.NullIntrospector;
 import org.apache.asterix.formats.nontagged.SerializerDeserializerProvider;
 import org.apache.asterix.formats.nontagged.TypeTraitProvider;
@@ -119,11 +121,14 @@
 import org.apache.asterix.transaction.management.service.transaction.DatasetIdFactory;
 import org.apache.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import org.apache.hyracks.algebricks.common.utils.Triple;
+import org.apache.hyracks.algebricks.data.IPrinter;
+import org.apache.hyracks.algebricks.data.IPrinterFactory;
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.IBinaryComparator;
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.IBinaryComparatorFactory;
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ISerializerDeserializer;
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.exceptions.ErrorCode;
 import org.apache.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
+import org.apache.hyracks.data.std.util.ByteArrayAccessibleOutputStream;
 import org.apache.hyracks.dataflow.common.comm.io.ArrayTupleBuilder;
 import org.apache.hyracks.dataflow.common.comm.io.ArrayTupleReference;
 import org.apache.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.ITupleReference;
@@ -142,9 +147,12 @@
 import org.apache.hyracks.storage.common.IModificationOperationCallback;
 import org.apache.hyracks.storage.common.MultiComparator;
 import org.apache.hyracks.util.ExitUtil;
+import org.apache.hyracks.util.JSONUtil;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.LogManager;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
 
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonNode;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.node.ArrayNode;
 import com.google.common.base.Strings;
 
 public class MetadataNode implements IMetadataNode {
@@ -327,6 +335,16 @@
         return getEntities(txnId, searchKey.getSearchKey(), tupleTranslator, index);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public JsonNode getEntitiesAsJson(TxnId txnId, IMetadataIndex metadataIndex, int payloadPosition)
+            throws AlgebricksException, RemoteException {
+        try {
+            return getJsonNodes(txnId, metadataIndex, payloadPosition);
+        } catch (HyracksDataException e) {
+            throw new AlgebricksException(e);
+        }
+    }
+
     private <T extends IExtensionMetadataEntity> ExtensionMetadataDataset<T> getExtensionMetadataDataset(
             ExtensionMetadataDatasetId datasetId) throws AlgebricksException {
         ExtensionMetadataDataset<T> index = (ExtensionMetadataDataset<T>) extensionDatasets.get(datasetId);
@@ -2485,4 +2503,44 @@
     public ITxnIdFactory getTxnIdFactory() {
         return txnIdFactory;
     }
+
+    private ArrayNode getJsonNodes(TxnId txnId, IMetadataIndex mdIndex, int payloadPosition)
+            throws AlgebricksException, HyracksDataException {
+        IValueExtractor<JsonNode> valueExtractor = createValueExtractor(mdIndex, payloadPosition);
+        List<JsonNode> results = new ArrayList<>();
+        searchIndex(txnId, mdIndex, null, valueExtractor, results);
+        ArrayNode array = JSONUtil.createArray();
+        results.forEach(array::add);
+        return array;
+    }
+
+    private static IValueExtractor<JsonNode> createValueExtractor(IMetadataIndex mdIndex, int payloadFieldIndex) {
+        return new IValueExtractor<>() {
+
+            final ARecordType payloadRecordType = mdIndex.getPayloadRecordType();
+            final IPrinterFactory printerFactory =
+                    CleanJSONPrinterFactoryProvider.INSTANCE.getPrinterFactory(payloadRecordType);
+            final IPrinter printer = printerFactory.createPrinter();
+            final ByteArrayAccessibleOutputStream outputStream = new ByteArrayAccessibleOutputStream();
+            final PrintStream printStream = new PrintStream(outputStream);
+
+            @Override
+            public JsonNode getValue(TxnId txnId, ITupleReference tuple) {
+                try {
+                    byte[] serRecord = tuple.getFieldData(payloadFieldIndex);
+                    int recordStartOffset = tuple.getFieldStart(payloadFieldIndex);
+                    int recordLength = tuple.getFieldLength(payloadFieldIndex);
+
+                    printer.init();
+                    outputStream.reset();
+
+                    printer.print(serRecord, recordStartOffset, recordLength, printStream);
+                    printStream.flush();
+                    return JSONUtil.readTree(outputStream.getByteArray(), 0, outputStream.getLength());
+                } catch (Throwable th) {
+                    return JSONUtil.createObject();
+                }
+            }
+        };
+    }
 }
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/api/IMetadataManager.java b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/api/IMetadataManager.java
index 5ff8a03..d08578a 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/api/IMetadataManager.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/api/IMetadataManager.java
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@
 import org.apache.asterix.metadata.entities.Synonym;
 import org.apache.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonNode;
+
 /**
  * A metadata manager provides user access to Asterix metadata (e.g., types,
  * datasets, indexes, etc.). A metadata manager satisfies requests by contacting
@@ -865,6 +867,20 @@
             IExtensionMetadataSearchKey searchKey) throws AlgebricksException;
 
     /**
+     * Gets all the records of a metadata dataset as JSON.
+     *
+     * @param mdTxnCtx metadata transaction context
+     * @param metadataIndex the metadata dataset
+     * @param payloadPosition the position of the record in the tuple
+     *
+     * @return the metadata records as JSON
+     *
+     * @throws AlgebricksException AlgebricksException
+     */
+    JsonNode getEntitiesAsJson(MetadataTransactionContext mdTxnCtx, IMetadataIndex metadataIndex, int payloadPosition)
+            throws AlgebricksException;
+
+    /**
      * Indicate when the metadata node has left or rejoined the cluster, and the
      * MetadataManager should rebind it
      */
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/api/IMetadataNode.java b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/api/IMetadataNode.java
index 561a4fa..378cf47 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/api/IMetadataNode.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/api/IMetadataNode.java
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@
 import org.apache.asterix.transaction.management.opcallbacks.AbstractIndexModificationOperationCallback;
 import org.apache.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonNode;
+
 /**
  * A metadata node stores metadata in its local storage structures (currently
  * BTrees). A metadata node services requests on behalf of the (possibly remote)
@@ -969,6 +971,21 @@
     <T extends IExtensionMetadataEntity> List<T> getEntities(TxnId txnId, IExtensionMetadataSearchKey searchKey)
             throws AlgebricksException, RemoteException;
 
+    /**
+     * Gets all the records of a metadata dataset as JSON.
+     *
+     * @param txnId transaction id
+     * @param metadataIndex the metadata dataset
+     * @param payloadPosition the position of the record in the tuple
+     *
+     * @return the metadata records as JSON
+     *
+     * @throws AlgebricksException AlgebricksException
+     * @throws RemoteException RemoteException
+     */
+    JsonNode getEntitiesAsJson(TxnId txnId, IMetadataIndex metadataIndex, int payloadPosition)
+            throws AlgebricksException, RemoteException;
+
     void addFeedConnection(TxnId txnId, FeedConnection feedConnection) throws AlgebricksException, RemoteException;
 
     FeedConnection getFeedConnection(TxnId txnId, DataverseName dataverseName, String feedName, String datasetName)
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/DatasetTupleTranslator.java b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/DatasetTupleTranslator.java
index 0d05d46..d502322 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/DatasetTupleTranslator.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/DatasetTupleTranslator.java
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
 public class DatasetTupleTranslator extends AbstractTupleTranslator<Dataset> {
 
     // Payload field containing serialized Dataset.
-    private static final int DATASET_PAYLOAD_TUPLE_FIELD_INDEX = 2;
+    public static final int DATASET_PAYLOAD_TUPLE_FIELD_INDEX = 2;
 
     protected AMutableInt32 aInt32;
     protected AMutableInt64 aInt64;
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/DataverseTupleTranslator.java b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/DataverseTupleTranslator.java
index 77c838a..700beb9 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/DataverseTupleTranslator.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/DataverseTupleTranslator.java
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 public class DataverseTupleTranslator extends AbstractTupleTranslator<Dataverse> {
 
     // Payload field containing serialized Dataverse.
-    private static final int DATAVERSE_PAYLOAD_TUPLE_FIELD_INDEX = 1;
+    public static final int DATAVERSE_PAYLOAD_TUPLE_FIELD_INDEX = 1;
 
     protected AMutableInt32 aInt32;
 
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/FunctionTupleTranslator.java b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/FunctionTupleTranslator.java
index ef9c143..9ad83c1 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/FunctionTupleTranslator.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/FunctionTupleTranslator.java
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
 public class FunctionTupleTranslator extends AbstractDatatypeTupleTranslator<Function> {
 
     // Payload field containing serialized Function.
-    private static final int FUNCTION_PAYLOAD_TUPLE_FIELD_INDEX = 3;
+    public static final int FUNCTION_PAYLOAD_TUPLE_FIELD_INDEX = 3;
 
     protected OrderedListBuilder dependenciesListBuilder;
     protected OrderedListBuilder dependencyListBuilder;
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/IndexTupleTranslator.java b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/IndexTupleTranslator.java
index b00a706..08f947f 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/IndexTupleTranslator.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/IndexTupleTranslator.java
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
 public class IndexTupleTranslator extends AbstractTupleTranslator<Index> {
 
     // Payload field containing serialized Index.
-    private static final int INDEX_PAYLOAD_TUPLE_FIELD_INDEX = 3;
+    public static final int INDEX_PAYLOAD_TUPLE_FIELD_INDEX = 3;
 
     // Field name of open field.
     public static final String GRAM_LENGTH_FIELD_NAME = "GramLength";
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/LibraryTupleTranslator.java b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/LibraryTupleTranslator.java
index e3e879b..f255fff 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/LibraryTupleTranslator.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/LibraryTupleTranslator.java
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 public class LibraryTupleTranslator extends AbstractTupleTranslator<Library> {
 
     // Payload field containing serialized Library.
-    private static final int LIBRARY_PAYLOAD_TUPLE_FIELD_INDEX = 2;
+    public static final int LIBRARY_PAYLOAD_TUPLE_FIELD_INDEX = 2;
 
     protected LibraryTupleTranslator(boolean getTuple) {
         super(getTuple, MetadataPrimaryIndexes.LIBRARY_DATASET, LIBRARY_PAYLOAD_TUPLE_FIELD_INDEX);
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/SynonymTupleTranslator.java b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/SynonymTupleTranslator.java
index 6bad2d4..12b410c 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/SynonymTupleTranslator.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/metadata/entitytupletranslators/SynonymTupleTranslator.java
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 
     // Payload field containing serialized Synonym.
 
-    private static final int SYNONYM_PAYLOAD_TUPLE_FIELD_INDEX = 2;
+    public static final int SYNONYM_PAYLOAD_TUPLE_FIELD_INDEX = 2;
 
     protected SynonymTupleTranslator(boolean getTuple) {
         super(getTuple, MetadataPrimaryIndexes.SYNONYM_DATASET, SYNONYM_PAYLOAD_TUPLE_FIELD_INDEX);
diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-util/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/util/JSONUtil.java b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-util/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/util/JSONUtil.java
index f937e97..191df1f 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-util/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/util/JSONUtil.java
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-util/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/util/JSONUtil.java
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@
         SORTED_MAPPER.configure(MapperFeature.SORT_PROPERTIES_ALPHABETICALLY, true);
     }
 
+    public static JsonNode readTree(byte[] bytes, int start, int size) throws IOException {
+        return OBJECT_MAPPER.readTree(bytes, start, size);
+    }
+
     public static String convertNode(final JsonNode node) throws JsonProcessingException {
         return SORTED_MAPPER.writeValueAsString(SORTED_MAPPER.treeToValue(node, Object.class));
     }