> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.inrupt.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.inrupt.com/ess/3.0/introduction.md).

# Introduction

The Inrupt Enterprise Solid Server (ESS) is an enterprise-grade data platform built on the [Solid Protocol](https://solidproject.org/TR/protocol). It gives individuals and organizations secure, interoperable storage — called [Pods](https://github.com/inrupt/docs-gitbook/tree/main/reference/glossary.md#pod) — where data is stored under the owner's control and shared on their terms.

## Storage

Pods are where users store their data. Each Pod is a standard HTTP resource server — clients create, read, update, and delete resources using standard HTTP methods. ESS supports the [Solid Protocol specification](https://solidproject.org/TR/protocol), so any Solid-compliant client can interact with Pod data without vendor-specific APIs.

For more information, see [Pod Storage Service](/ess/3.0/services/service-pod-management/service-pod-storage.md).

## Identity

ESS integrates with your existing enterprise identity infrastructure. Clients authenticate with an external OIDC-compliant Identity Provider (e.g., Okta, Azure AD, Ping Identity) and exchange the IdP's token for an ESS Access Token via the [Platform Management Service](/ess/3.0/services/service-platform-management/token-exchange.md). No proprietary identity broker is required. User provisioning — including account creation, WebID management, and storage allocation — is handled through the Platform Management API.

Each user has a [WebID](https://github.com/inrupt/docs-gitbook/tree/main/reference/glossary.md#webid) — a URI that uniquely identifies them across the Solid ecosystem. Pods and WebIDs are independent, allowing multiple Pods per identity and flexibility in how identities and storage are provisioned.

For more information, see [Token Exchange](/ess/3.0/services/service-platform-management/token-exchange.md).

## Access Control

ESS provides fine-grained access control through two complementary mechanisms:

* **Access Control Policies (ACP)** — Resource owners set policies that determine who can access their data and what operations are permitted.
* **Access Grants** — A consent-based mechanism where resource owners grant specific access to requestors. Access Grants are W3C Verifiable Credentials, providing a portable, auditable record of consent.

For more information, see [Authorization](https://github.com/inrupt/docs-gitbook/tree/main/security/authorization/README.md) and [Access Requests and Grants](https://github.com/inrupt/docs-gitbook/tree/main/security/authorization/access-requests-grants/README.md).

## Notifications

ESS notifies applications when resources change. The [Notification Delivery Service](/ess/3.0/services/service-notification/notification-delivery-service.md) pushes notifications to remote HTTPS endpoints, enabling event-driven architectures without polling.

For more information, see [Notification Services](/ess/3.0/services/service-notification.md).

## Security

ESS is designed for regulated industries and sensitive data:

* **Authentication** — Native IdP integration with short-lived access tokens (5-minute default TTL)
* **Authorization** — Fine-grained access control policies and consent-based Access Grants
* **Auditing** — Comprehensive audit trail of all data access and operations
* **Encryption** — Data protection in transit and at rest

For more information, see [Security](https://github.com/inrupt/docs-gitbook/tree/main/security/ess-security-faq.md).

## AI Agent Integration

ESS includes an [MCP Service](/ess/3.0/services/service-mcp.md) that enables AI agents and applications to securely access and manage personal data through the [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/). AI agents operate within the same access control and consent framework as any other client — users grant access through Access Grants and can revoke it at any time.

For more information, see [MCP Service](/ess/3.0/services/service-mcp.md).

## Enterprise Grade

ESS is built for production deployments:

* **Microservices architecture** — Each service scales independently to meet demand
* **High availability** — Support for [highly available deployment configurations](/ess/3.0/installation/architecture.md)
* **Flexible deployment** — Standard enterprise deployment with optional [Solid interoperability services](/ess/3.0/services/advanced-configuration.md) when ESS needs to interoperate with other Solid servers
* **Monitoring** — Built-in [health checks](/ess/3.0/administration/health-checks.md), [metrics](/ess/3.0/administration/ess-metrics.md), and [centralized logging](/ess/3.0/administration/logging.md)
* **Support** — Up to 24/7 support with a commercial license. See [Inrupt Support Center](https://inrupt.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portals).

For more information, see [Installation](/ess/3.0/installation.md) and [Administration](/ess/3.0/administration.md).