diff --git a/spring-data-cassandra/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/CassandraClusterFactoryBean.java b/spring-data-cassandra/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/CassandraClusterFactoryBean.java
index 8ef41bc48..34b3a70b3 100644
--- a/spring-data-cassandra/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/CassandraClusterFactoryBean.java
+++ b/spring-data-cassandra/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/CassandraClusterFactoryBean.java
@@ -34,13 +34,16 @@ import org.springframework.dao.DataAccessException;
 import org.springframework.dao.support.PersistenceExceptionTranslator;
 import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.CassandraExceptionTranslator;
 import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.CqlTemplate;
+import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.generator.AlterKeyspaceCqlGenerator;
 import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.generator.CreateKeyspaceCqlGenerator;
 import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.generator.DropKeyspaceCqlGenerator;
+import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.keyspace.AlterKeyspaceSpecification;
 import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.keyspace.CreateKeyspaceSpecification;
 import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.keyspace.DropKeyspaceSpecification;
 import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.keyspace.KeyspaceActionSpecification;
 import org.springframework.lang.Nullable;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
+import org.springframework.util.ClassUtils;
 import org.springframework.util.CollectionUtils;
 import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 
@@ -131,6 +134,7 @@ public class CassandraClusterFactoryBean
 	private @Nullable LatencyTracker latencyTracker;
 
 	private List<CreateKeyspaceSpecification> keyspaceCreations = new ArrayList<>();
+	private List<AlterKeyspaceSpecification> keyspaceAlterations = new ArrayList<>();
 	private List<DropKeyspaceSpecification> keyspaceDrops = new ArrayList<>();
 	private Set<KeyspaceActionSpecification> keyspaceSpecifications = new HashSet<>();
 	private List<KeyspaceActions> keyspaceActions = new ArrayList<>();
@@ -219,7 +223,12 @@ public class CassandraClusterFactoryBean
 		Optional.ofNullable(latencyTracker).ifPresent(cluster::register);
 
 		generateSpecificationsFromFactoryBeans();
-		executeSpecsAndScripts(keyspaceCreations, startupScripts, cluster);
+
+		List<KeyspaceActionSpecification> startup = new ArrayList<>(keyspaceCreations.size() + keyspaceAlterations.size());
+		startup.addAll(keyspaceCreations);
+		startup.addAll(keyspaceAlterations);
+
+		executeSpecsAndScripts(startup, startupScripts, cluster);
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -307,6 +316,10 @@ public class CassandraClusterFactoryBean
 			if (keyspaceActionSpecification instanceof DropKeyspaceSpecification) {
 				keyspaceDrops.add((DropKeyspaceSpecification) keyspaceActionSpecification);
 			}
+
+			if (keyspaceActionSpecification instanceof AlterKeyspaceSpecification) {
+				keyspaceAlterations.add((AlterKeyspaceSpecification) keyspaceActionSpecification);
+			}
 		});
 	}
 
@@ -332,11 +345,22 @@ public class CassandraClusterFactoryBean
 		}
 	}
 
-	private String toCql(KeyspaceActionSpecification keyspaceActionSpecification) {
+	private String toCql(KeyspaceActionSpecification specification) {
 
-		return (keyspaceActionSpecification instanceof CreateKeyspaceSpecification
-				? new CreateKeyspaceCqlGenerator((CreateKeyspaceSpecification) keyspaceActionSpecification).toCql()
-				: new DropKeyspaceCqlGenerator((DropKeyspaceSpecification) keyspaceActionSpecification).toCql());
+		if (specification instanceof CreateKeyspaceSpecification) {
+			return new CreateKeyspaceCqlGenerator((CreateKeyspaceSpecification) specification).toCql();
+		}
+
+		if (specification instanceof DropKeyspaceSpecification) {
+			return new DropKeyspaceCqlGenerator((DropKeyspaceSpecification) specification).toCql();
+		}
+
+		if (specification instanceof AlterKeyspaceSpecification) {
+			return new AlterKeyspaceCqlGenerator((AlterKeyspaceSpecification) specification).toCql();
+		}
+
+		throw new IllegalArgumentException(
+				"Unsupported specification type: " + ClassUtils.getQualifiedName(specification.getClass()));
 	}
 
 	/*
diff --git a/spring-data-cassandra/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactory.java b/spring-data-cassandra/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactory.java
index 8d9f6e4e3..b8fa77198 100644
--- a/spring-data-cassandra/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactory.java
+++ b/spring-data-cassandra/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactory.java
@@ -23,10 +23,12 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.KeyspaceIdentifier;
+import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.keyspace.AlterKeyspaceSpecification;
 import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.keyspace.CreateKeyspaceSpecification;
 import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.keyspace.DataCenterReplication;
 import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.keyspace.DefaultOption;
 import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.keyspace.DropKeyspaceSpecification;
+import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.keyspace.KeyspaceActionSpecification;
 import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.keyspace.KeyspaceOption;
 import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.keyspace.KeyspaceOption.ReplicationStrategy;
 import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.keyspace.Option;
@@ -83,25 +85,77 @@ class KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactory {
 		CreateKeyspaceSpecification create = CreateKeyspaceSpecification.createKeyspace(name).ifNotExists(ifNotExists)
 				.with(KeyspaceOption.DURABLE_WRITES, durableWrites);
 
-		Map<Option, Object> replicationStrategyMap = new HashMap<>();
-		replicationStrategyMap.put(new DefaultOption("class", String.class, true, false, true),
-				replicationStrategy.getValue());
+		Map<Option, Object> replication = getReplication();
 
-		if (replicationStrategy == ReplicationStrategy.SIMPLE_STRATEGY) {
-			replicationStrategyMap.put(new DefaultOption("replication_factor", Long.class, true, false, false),
-					replicationFactor);
+		if (!replication.isEmpty()) {
+			create.with(KeyspaceOption.REPLICATION, replication);
 		}
 
-		if (replicationStrategy == ReplicationStrategy.NETWORK_TOPOLOGY_STRATEGY) {
-			for (DataCenterReplication datacenter : replications) {
-				replicationStrategyMap.put(new DefaultOption(datacenter.getDataCenter(), Long.class, true, false, false),
-						datacenter.getReplicationFactor());
+		return create;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Generate a {@link AlterKeyspaceSpecification} for the keyspace.
+	 *
+	 * @return the {@link AlterKeyspaceSpecification}.
+	 * @since 2.0.1
+	 */
+	public KeyspaceActionSpecification alter() {
+
+		AlterKeyspaceSpecification alter = AlterKeyspaceSpecification.alterKeyspace(name)
+				.with(KeyspaceOption.DURABLE_WRITES, durableWrites);
+
+		Map<Option, Object> replication = getReplication();
+
+		if (!replication.isEmpty()) {
+			alter.with(KeyspaceOption.REPLICATION, replication);
+		}
+
+		return alter;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Create replication options represented as {@link Map}.
+	 *
+	 * @return the replication options represented as {@link Map}.
+	 * @since 2.0.1
+	 */
+	protected Map<Option, Object> getReplication() {
+
+		Map<Option, Object> replicationStrategyMap = new HashMap<>();
+
+		if (hasReplicationOptions()) {
+
+			replicationStrategyMap.put(new DefaultOption("class", String.class, true, false, true),
+					replicationStrategy.getValue());
+
+			if (replicationStrategy == ReplicationStrategy.SIMPLE_STRATEGY) {
+				replicationStrategyMap.put(new DefaultOption("replication_factor", Long.class, true, false, false),
+						replicationFactor);
+			}
+
+			if (replicationStrategy == ReplicationStrategy.NETWORK_TOPOLOGY_STRATEGY) {
+				for (DataCenterReplication datacenter : replications) {
+					replicationStrategyMap.put(new DefaultOption(datacenter.getDataCenter(), Long.class, true, false, false),
+							datacenter.getReplicationFactor());
+				}
 			}
 		}
 
-		create.with(KeyspaceOption.REPLICATION, replicationStrategyMap);
+		return replicationStrategyMap;
+	}
 
-		return create;
+	private boolean hasReplicationOptions() {
+
+		if (replicationStrategy == ReplicationStrategy.SIMPLE_STRATEGY && replicationFactor > 0) {
+			return true;
+		}
+
+		if (replicationStrategy == ReplicationStrategy.NETWORK_TOPOLOGY_STRATEGY && !replications.isEmpty()) {
+			return true;
+		}
+
+		return false;
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/spring-data-cassandra/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactoryBean.java b/spring-data-cassandra/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactoryBean.java
index 8ae80654e..f6bc46405 100644
--- a/spring-data-cassandra/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactoryBean.java
+++ b/spring-data-cassandra/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactoryBean.java
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ public class KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactoryBean implements FactoryBean<Keysp
 	@Override
 	public void afterPropertiesSet() {
 
-		Assert.hasText(name, "Keyspace Name is required for a Keyspace Action");
-		Assert.notNull(action, "Keyspace Action is required for a Keyspace Action");
+		Assert.hasText(name, "Keyspace name is required for a keyspace action");
+		Assert.notNull(action, "Keyspace action is required for a keyspace action");
 
 		KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactoryBuilder builder = KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactory.builder(name)
 				.durableWrites(durableWrites);
@@ -84,16 +84,20 @@ public class KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactoryBean implements FactoryBean<Keysp
 
 		KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactory factory = builder.build();
 
+		this.actions = createActions(factory);
+	}
+
+	private KeyspaceActions createActions(KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactory factory) {
+
 		switch (action) {
 			case NONE:
-				this.actions = new KeyspaceActions();
-				break;
+				return new KeyspaceActions();
 			case CREATE_DROP:
-				this.actions = new KeyspaceActions(factory.create(ifNotExists), factory.drop(ifNotExists));
-				break;
+				return new KeyspaceActions(factory.create(ifNotExists), factory.drop(ifNotExists));
 			case CREATE:
-				this.actions = new KeyspaceActions(factory.create(ifNotExists));
-				break;
+				return new KeyspaceActions(factory.create(ifNotExists));
+			case ALTER:
+				return new KeyspaceActions(factory.alter());
 			default:
 				throw new IllegalStateException(String.format("KeyspaceAction %s not supported", action));
 		}
diff --git a/spring-data-cassandra/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactoryBeanUnitTests.java b/spring-data-cassandra/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactoryBeanUnitTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ff207d2eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-data-cassandra/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactoryBeanUnitTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2017 the original author or authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package org.springframework.data.cassandra.config;
+
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.*;
+
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.List;
+
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.KeyspaceIdentifier;
+import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.keyspace.AlterKeyspaceSpecification;
+import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.keyspace.KeyspaceActionSpecification;
+import org.springframework.data.cassandra.core.cql.keyspace.KeyspaceOption.ReplicationStrategy;
+
+/**
+ * Unit tests for {@link KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactoryBean}.
+ * 
+ * @author Mark Paluch
+ */
+public class KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactoryBeanUnitTests {
+
+	KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactoryBean bean = new KeyspaceActionSpecificationFactoryBean();
+
+	@Test // DATACASS-502
+	public void shouldAlterKeyspace() {
+
+		bean.setAction(KeyspaceAction.ALTER);
+		bean.setDurableWrites(true);
+		bean.setName("my_keyspace");
+		bean.setNetworkTopologyDataCenters(Arrays.asList("foo", "bar"));
+		bean.setNetworkTopologyReplicationFactors(Arrays.asList("1", "2"));
+		bean.setReplicationStrategy(ReplicationStrategy.NETWORK_TOPOLOGY_STRATEGY);
+
+		bean.afterPropertiesSet();
+
+		List<KeyspaceActionSpecification> actions = bean.getObject().getActions();
+
+		assertThat(actions).hasSize(1).hasAtLeastOneElementOfType(AlterKeyspaceSpecification.class);
+
+		AlterKeyspaceSpecification alter = (AlterKeyspaceSpecification) actions.get(0);
+
+		assertThat(alter.getName()).isEqualTo(KeyspaceIdentifier.of("my_keyspace"));
+		assertThat(alter.getOptions()).containsKeys("durable_writes", "replication");
+	}
+
+	@Test // DATACASS-502
+	public void shouldAlterKeyspaceWithSimpleReplication() {
+
+		bean.setAction(KeyspaceAction.ALTER);
+		bean.setDurableWrites(true);
+		bean.setName("my_keyspace");
+		bean.setReplicationFactor(5);
+
+		bean.afterPropertiesSet();
+
+		List<KeyspaceActionSpecification> actions = bean.getObject().getActions();
+
+		assertThat(actions).hasSize(1).hasAtLeastOneElementOfType(AlterKeyspaceSpecification.class);
+
+		AlterKeyspaceSpecification alter = (AlterKeyspaceSpecification) actions.get(0);
+
+		assertThat(alter.getName()).isEqualTo(KeyspaceIdentifier.of("my_keyspace"));
+		assertThat(alter.getOptions()).containsKeys("durable_writes", "replication");
+	}
+
+	@Test // DATACASS-502
+	public void shouldAlterKeyspaceWithoutReplication() {
+
+		bean.setAction(KeyspaceAction.ALTER);
+		bean.setDurableWrites(true);
+		bean.setName("my_keyspace");
+		bean.afterPropertiesSet();
+
+		List<KeyspaceActionSpecification> actions = bean.getObject().getActions();
+
+		assertThat(actions).hasSize(1).hasAtLeastOneElementOfType(AlterKeyspaceSpecification.class);
+
+		AlterKeyspaceSpecification alter = (AlterKeyspaceSpecification) actions.get(0);
+
+		assertThat(alter.getName()).isEqualTo(KeyspaceIdentifier.of("my_keyspace"));
+		assertThat(alter.getOptions()).doesNotContainKeys("replication");
+	}
+}
diff --git a/spring-data-cassandra/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/FullySpecifiedKeyspaceCreatingXmlConfigIntegrationTests-context.xml b/spring-data-cassandra/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/FullySpecifiedKeyspaceCreatingXmlConfigIntegrationTests-context.xml
index fca03cdc8..ce905b59f 100644
--- a/spring-data-cassandra/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/FullySpecifiedKeyspaceCreatingXmlConfigIntegrationTests-context.xml
+++ b/spring-data-cassandra/src/test/resources/org/springframework/data/cassandra/config/FullySpecifiedKeyspaceCreatingXmlConfigIntegrationTests-context.xml
@@ -20,11 +20,15 @@
 				<cass:data-center name="bar" replication-factor="2" />
 			</cass:replication>
 		</cass:keyspace>
-		<cass:keyspace action="CREATE_DROP" durable-writes="true"
-			name="full2">
-			<cass:replication class="SIMPLE_STRATEGY">
-				<cass:data-center name="foo" replication-factor="1" />
-				<cass:data-center name="bar" replication-factor="2" />
+		<cass:keyspace action="CREATE_DROP" durable-writes="false"
+					   name="full2">
+			<cass:replication class="SIMPLE_STRATEGY" replication-factor="2"/>
+		</cass:keyspace>
+		<cass:keyspace action="ALTER" durable-writes="true"
+					   name="full2">
+			<cass:replication class="NETWORK_TOPOLOGY_STRATEGY">
+				<cass:data-center name="foo" replication-factor="4"/>
+				<cass:data-center name="bar" replication-factor="4"/>
 			</cass:replication>
 		</cass:keyspace>
 		<cass:startup-cql><![CDATA[