> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://build.intract.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://build.intract.io/protocol-overview/protocol-components.md).

# Protocol Components

The protocol has 4 components or 4 pillars of the Intract Protocol

1. Data Ingestion Engine (DIE)
2. Encrypted Storage Service (ESS)
3. Trusted Execution Cluster (TEC)
4. Secure Access Management (SAM)

Each of these component/layer is developed to be independent of each other so that each of them could be upgraded and enhanced independently based on the requirements of use cases. Network participants can choose which layer they want to support.

Also decoupling these things means better security for the user as the power that resides in the protocol is also distributed across components and they each ensure each other's security.

Read more about each component in coming sections.


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