Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for replicating data in a distributed storage cluster using an underlying network. In some examples, a primary node of a placement group in a network overlay of a distributed storage cluster can receive data for replication in the placement group. The primary node can provide the data to a first slave node of a plurality of slave nodes within the placement group in an underlying network of the distributed storage cluster. The data can subsequently be replicated using the underlying network by providing the data to at least one other slave node of the plurality of slave nodes within the placement group in the underlying network directly from the first slave node in the underlying network.