The described technology is directed towards a cache framework that accesses a tier of ordered caches, in tier order, to satisfy requests for data. The cache framework may be implemented at a front-end service level server, and/or a back end service level server, or both. The cache framework handles read-through and write-through operations, including handling batch requests for multiple data items. The cache framework also facilitates dynamically changing the tier structure, e.g., for adding, removing, replacing and/or reordering caches in the tier, e.g., by re-declaring a data structure such as an array that identifies the tiered cache configuration.