tier2

Tier 2, often written as tier2, denotes the second level in a hierarchical system and appears in many industries. It generally carries more responsibility than Tier 1 and is used to manage complexity, risk, or redundancy. The exact meaning varies by context.

In IT and customer support, Tier 2 is the second line of help after Tier 1. Tier 2 staff handle more complex problems, use advanced tools, and perform configuration changes. They may reproduce issues, apply workarounds, or escalate to Tier 3 engineers.

In data centers and facilities, Tier II refers to a level of redundancy and reliability. A Tier II facility adds redundant components for power and cooling and may have multiple paths, but is typically less fault-tolerant than Tier III or IV facilities and cheaper to operate.

In finance, Tier 2 capital refers to loss-absorbing instruments that supplement Tier 1 capital. Examples include subordinated debt and certain reserves. Regulators define Tier 2 under frameworks such as Basel II and Basel III to gauge a bank's resilience.

In supply chains and networks, Tier 2 describes entities that supply to Tier 1 suppliers rather than directly to customers, requiring governance and risk management. In networking, Tier 2 networks connect Tier 1 backbones to end users, often via transit arrangements.