1. A method, comprising: employing one or more processors to execute code instructions retained in a memory, the code instructions when executed by the processor perform the following acts: receiving a request for a data element, wherein the request originates in at least one of an application server or a network component; if in response to the request it is determined the data element is not available in a data cache, conveying a directive to retrieve the data element form a consolidate storage layer disparate from the data cache; and if retrieval of the data element is successful: receiving the data element and recording the data element in the data cache according at least in part to a cache retention protocol; and supplying the data element in response to the request.