diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9f4de367b030..cac60357ee64 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -31,26 +31,26 @@ implementing HDFS's file system API.
 <dependency>
   <groupId>org.alluxio</groupId>
   <artifactId>alluxio-core-client-fs</artifactId>
-  <version>1.8.0</version>
+  <version>1.8.1</version>
 </dependency>
 ```
 
 #### Gradle
 
 ```groovy
-compile 'org.alluxio:alluxio-core-client-fs:1.8.0'
+compile 'org.alluxio:alluxio-core-client-fs:1.8.1'
 ```
 
 #### Apache Ant
 ```xml
-<dependency org="org.alluxio" name="alluxio" rev="1.8.0">
+<dependency org="org.alluxio" name="alluxio" rev="1.8.1">
   <artifact name="alluxio-core-client-fs" type="jar" />
 </dependency>
 ```
 
 #### SBT
 ```
-libraryDependencies += "org.alluxio" % "alluxio-core-client-fs" % "1.8.0"
+libraryDependencies += "org.alluxio" % "alluxio-core-client-fs" % "1.8.1"
 ```
 
 ## Contributing
diff --git a/core/client/fs/src/main/java/alluxio/client/block/AlluxioBlockStore.java b/core/client/fs/src/main/java/alluxio/client/block/AlluxioBlockStore.java
index b02e907663a3..e66b0df6f770 100644
--- a/core/client/fs/src/main/java/alluxio/client/block/AlluxioBlockStore.java
+++ b/core/client/fs/src/main/java/alluxio/client/block/AlluxioBlockStore.java
@@ -285,12 +285,52 @@ public BlockOutStream getOutStream(long blockId, long blockSize, OutStreamOption
     WorkerNetAddress address;
     FileWriteLocationPolicy locationPolicy = Preconditions.checkNotNull(options.getLocationPolicy(),
         PreconditionMessage.FILE_WRITE_LOCATION_POLICY_UNSPECIFIED);
-    address = locationPolicy.getWorkerForNextBlock(getEligibleWorkers(), blockSize);
-    if (address == null) {
-      throw new UnavailableException(
-          ExceptionMessage.NO_SPACE_FOR_BLOCK_ON_WORKER.getMessage(blockSize));
+    java.util.Set<BlockWorkerInfo> blockWorkers;
+    blockWorkers = com.google.common.collect.Sets.newHashSet(getEligibleWorkers());
+    // The number of initial copies depends on the write type: if ASYNC_THROUGH, it is the property
+    // "alluxio.user.file.replication.durable" before data has been persisted; otherwise
+    // "alluxio.user.file.replication.min"
+    int initialReplicas = (options.getWriteType() == alluxio.client.WriteType.ASYNC_THROUGH
+        && options.getReplicationDurable() > options.getReplicationMin())
+        ? options.getReplicationDurable() : options.getReplicationMin();
+    if (initialReplicas <= 1) {
+      address = locationPolicy.getWorkerForNextBlock(blockWorkers, blockSize);
+      if (address == null) {
+        throw new UnavailableException(
+            ExceptionMessage.NO_SPACE_FOR_BLOCK_ON_WORKER.getMessage(blockSize));
+      }
+      return getOutStream(blockId, blockSize, address, options);
+    }
+
+    // Group different block workers by their hostnames
+    java.util.Map<String, java.util.Set<BlockWorkerInfo>> blockWorkersByHost =
+        new java.util.HashMap<>();
+    for (BlockWorkerInfo blockWorker : blockWorkers) {
+      String hostName = blockWorker.getNetAddress().getHost();
+      if (blockWorkersByHost.containsKey(hostName)) {
+        blockWorkersByHost.get(hostName).add(blockWorker);
+      } else {
+        blockWorkersByHost.put(hostName, com.google.common.collect.Sets.newHashSet(blockWorker));
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Select N workers on different hosts where N is the value of initialReplicas for this block
+    List<WorkerNetAddress> workerAddressList = new java.util.ArrayList<>();
+    for (int i = 0; i < initialReplicas; i++) {
+      address = locationPolicy.getWorkerForNextBlock(blockWorkers, blockSize);
+      if (address == null) {
+        break;
+      }
+      workerAddressList.add(address);
+      blockWorkers.removeAll(blockWorkersByHost.get(address.getHost()));
+    }
+    if (workerAddressList.size() < initialReplicas) {
+      throw new alluxio.exception.status.ResourceExhaustedException(String.format(
+          "Not enough workers for replications, %d workers selected but %d required",
+          workerAddressList.size(), initialReplicas));
     }
-    return getOutStream(blockId, blockSize, address, options);
+    return BlockOutStream
+        .createReplicatedBlockOutStream(mContext, blockId, blockSize, workerAddressList, options);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/core/client/fs/src/main/java/alluxio/client/block/stream/BlockOutStream.java b/core/client/fs/src/main/java/alluxio/client/block/stream/BlockOutStream.java
index 70108e63125b..18306867a27a 100644
--- a/core/client/fs/src/main/java/alluxio/client/block/stream/BlockOutStream.java
+++ b/core/client/fs/src/main/java/alluxio/client/block/stream/BlockOutStream.java
@@ -95,6 +95,47 @@ public long remaining() {
     return mLength - pos - (mCurrentPacket != null ? mCurrentPacket.readableBytes() : 0);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Creates a new remote block output stream.
+   *
+   * @param context the file system context
+   * @param blockId the block id
+   * @param blockSize the block size
+   * @param workerNetAddresses the worker network addresses
+   * @param options the options
+   * @return the {@link BlockOutStream} instance created
+   */
+  public static BlockOutStream createReplicatedBlockOutStream(FileSystemContext context,
+      long blockId, long blockSize, java.util.List<WorkerNetAddress> workerNetAddresses,
+      OutStreamOptions options) throws IOException {
+    List<PacketWriter> packetWriters = new ArrayList<>();
+    for (WorkerNetAddress address: workerNetAddresses) {
+      PacketWriter packetWriter =
+            PacketWriter.Factory.create(context, blockId, blockSize, address, options);
+      packetWriters.add(packetWriter);
+    }
+    return new BlockOutStream(packetWriters, blockSize, workerNetAddresses);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Constructs a new {@link BlockOutStream} with only one {@link PacketWriter}.
+   *
+   * @param packetWriters the packet writer
+   * @param length the length of the stream
+   * @param workerNetAddresses the worker network addresses
+   */
+  protected BlockOutStream(List<PacketWriter> packetWriters, long length,
+      java.util.List<WorkerNetAddress> workerNetAddresses) {
+    mCloser = Closer.create();
+    mLength = length;
+    mAddress = workerNetAddresses.get(0);
+    mPacketWriters = packetWriters;
+    for (PacketWriter packetWriter : packetWriters) {
+      mCloser.register(packetWriter);
+    }
+    mClosed = false;
+  }
+
   @Override
   public void write(int b) throws IOException {
     Preconditions.checkState(remaining() > 0, PreconditionMessage.ERR_END_OF_BLOCK);
@@ -123,6 +164,38 @@ public void write(byte[] b, int off, int len) throws IOException {
     updateCurrentPacket(false);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Writes the data in the specified byte buf to this output stream.
+   *
+   * @param buf the buffer
+   * @throws IOException
+   */
+  public void write(io.netty.buffer.ByteBuf buf) throws IOException {
+    write(buf, 0, buf.readableBytes());
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Writes len bytes from the specified byte buf starting at offset off to this output stream.
+   *
+   * @param buf the buffer
+   * @param off the offset
+   * @param len the length
+   */
+  public void write(io.netty.buffer.ByteBuf buf, int off, int len) throws IOException {
+    if (len == 0) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    while (len > 0) {
+      updateCurrentPacket(false);
+      int toWrite = Math.min(len, mCurrentPacket.writableBytes());
+      mCurrentPacket.writeBytes(buf, off, toWrite);
+      off += toWrite;
+      len -= toWrite;
+    }
+    updateCurrentPacket(false);
+  }
+
   @Override
   public void flush() throws IOException {
     if (mClosed) {
diff --git a/core/client/fs/src/main/java/alluxio/client/file/FileInStream.java b/core/client/fs/src/main/java/alluxio/client/file/FileInStream.java
index 93562c134d29..db57e259b946 100644
--- a/core/client/fs/src/main/java/alluxio/client/file/FileInStream.java
+++ b/core/client/fs/src/main/java/alluxio/client/file/FileInStream.java
@@ -315,6 +315,10 @@ private void closeBlockInStream(BlockInStream stream) throws IOException {
 
       // Send an async cache request to a worker based on read type and passive cache options.
       boolean cache = mOptions.getOptions().getReadType().isCache();
+      boolean overReplicated = mStatus.getReplicationMax() > 0
+          && mStatus.getFileBlockInfos().get((int) (getPos() / mBlockSize))
+          .getBlockInfo().getLocations().size() >= mStatus.getReplicationMax();
+      cache = cache && !overReplicated;
       boolean passiveCache = Configuration.getBoolean(PropertyKey.USER_FILE_PASSIVE_CACHE_ENABLED);
       long channelTimeout = Configuration.getMs(PropertyKey.USER_NETWORK_NETTY_TIMEOUT_MS);
       if (cache) {
diff --git a/core/client/fs/src/main/java/alluxio/client/file/options/CreateFileOptions.java b/core/client/fs/src/main/java/alluxio/client/file/options/CreateFileOptions.java
index 08cbe384cc78..74de98d2de4f 100644
--- a/core/client/fs/src/main/java/alluxio/client/file/options/CreateFileOptions.java
+++ b/core/client/fs/src/main/java/alluxio/client/file/options/CreateFileOptions.java
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ private CreateFileOptions() {
             PropertyKey.USER_FILE_WRITE_LOCATION_POLICY), new Class[] {}, new Object[] {});
     mWriteTier = Configuration.getInt(PropertyKey.USER_FILE_WRITE_TIER_DEFAULT);
     mWriteType = Configuration.getEnum(PropertyKey.USER_FILE_WRITE_TYPE_DEFAULT, WriteType.class);
+    mReplicationDurable = Configuration.getInt(PropertyKey.USER_FILE_REPLICATION_DURABLE);
+    mReplicationMax = Configuration.getInt(PropertyKey.USER_FILE_REPLICATION_MAX);
+    mReplicationMin = Configuration.getInt(PropertyKey.USER_FILE_REPLICATION_MIN);
     mMode = Mode.defaults().applyFileUMask();
   }
 
diff --git a/integration/docker/Dockerfile b/integration/docker/Dockerfile
index fb1f639c00f1..fad3dc610555 100644
--- a/integration/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/integration/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 FROM openjdk:8-jdk-alpine
 
-ARG ALLUXIO_TARBALL=http://downloads.alluxio.org/downloads/files/1.8.0/alluxio-1.8.0-bin.tar.gz
+ARG ALLUXIO_TARBALL=http://downloads.alluxio.org/downloads/files/1.8.1/alluxio-1.8.1-bin.tar.gz
 
 RUN apk add --update bash && \
     rm -rf /var/cache/apk/*
diff --git a/integration/docker/Dockerfile.fuse b/integration/docker/Dockerfile.fuse
index c50c475b47ac..da6677af003f 100644
--- a/integration/docker/Dockerfile.fuse
+++ b/integration/docker/Dockerfile.fuse
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 FROM ubuntu:16.04
 
-ARG ALLUXIO_TARBALL=http://downloads.alluxio.org/downloads/files/1.8.0/alluxio-1.8.0-bin.tar.gz
+ARG ALLUXIO_TARBALL=http://downloads.alluxio.org/downloads/files/1.8.1/alluxio-1.8.1-bin.tar.gz
 ENV ENABLE_FUSE true
 
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends software-properties-common && \