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Back to Glossary

Network Hardening

Network Hardening Banner Image

Network Hardening is a comprehensive approach to strengthening broadband infrastructure through physical protection, weather resistance, redundant power, and cyber defenses. Examples include burying fiber instead of aerial placement, using concrete vaults instead of plastic pedestals, and equipping sites with backup generators.
Hardened networks can withstand extreme conditions such as Category 5 hurricanes or deep freezes, and recover quickly from attacks or disasters. States leveraging BEAD Supporting Funds for hardening investments build networks that remain reliable for decades. Federal programs increasingly view hardening as essential to climate resilience and long-term service continuity.

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Related Terms

BEAD Grant Cybersecurity Requirements

BEAD Grant Cybersecurity Requirements

Electromagnetic Pulse Resistant Enclosures

Electromagnetic Pulse Resistant Enclosures

Assassin's Maces (杀手锏, Shashoujian)

Assassin's Maces (杀手锏, Shashoujian)

Critical Infrastructure Terms

6

6D Attack Methodology 63-20 Financing

9

95th Percentile Latency Rule

A

ACP Administrative Expenses Aerial Deployment Aerial Installation AI Edge Node Annual Outage Allowance Application Model Area Challenge Module ARPA ARPU Assassin's Maces Assassin's Maces (杀手锏, Shashoujian)Asymmetric Autonomous Recovery

B

BABA BABA Whitelist Compliant Equipment Backhaul Bandwidth BEAD Grant Cybersecurity Requirements BEAD Program BEAD Supporting Funds BEAD Timelines Benefit of the Bargain Analysis BIP Bit Blended Domains Broadband Broadband Audit Broadband DATA Act Broadband DATA Maps Broadband Feasibility Study Broadband Service Provider Broadband Serviceable Locations BTOP Bulk Fabric Challenge Buried Fiber Deployment

C

Cable CAF CAI CAP Capex Capital Projects Program Capital Stack Cascading Failure CBG Census Block Challenge Process Clawback Provisions CMC Pilot Program Co-op Coax Common Stock Communications Act of 1934 Community Development Financial Institution Community Reinvestment Act Conduit Financing Connectivity Profile Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 Content Provider Contested Logistics CPE

D

Data Packet Davis-Bacon Act (for BEAD)Debt/EBITDA Digital Contested Logistics Digital Divide Digital Equity Act Programs Digital Inclusion Digital Infrastructure Digital Infrastructure as a Strategic Target Digital Sovereignty Digital Twin Infrastructure Mapping Disaster Exemption Standard DPP DSL DSRC

E

EBITDA EBITDA Margin Economic Development Incentive Edge Computing Readiness Eligible Community Anchor Institution Eligible Entity EMP Resitant Enclosures Ethernet Cable EV

F

Fabric False Confidence Paradox FCC FCC 80/80 Feasibility Study Fiber Fiber to the Home Fiber to the home/premises/curb/node Final Proposal Final Proposal Submission Five-Year Action Plan Formula Grant FRN FTTC FTTH FTTN FTTP

G

GAN GO Bond Graceful Degradation Grant Adjusted YOC Grant Revenue Anticipation Notes Gross Profit Margin Ground Deployment Guaranteed Bank Loan

H

I

ILEC In-kind Matching Funds Indian Tribe Infrastructure Hardening ROI Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act Initial Funding Availability Initial Proposal Internet Exchange Facility Internet Protocol IRBs IRU ISP IXP

K

Kessler Cascade

L

Last Mile Legal Expenses Letter of Credit Limited-Tax General Obligation Pledge Loan LOC Local Coordination LOI Low-Cost Broadband Service Option

M

Make Ready Work Match Funding Matching Funds for BEAD Grants MDU Challenge Module Mezz Debt Micro DC Middle Mile Millimeter Wave Mission-Critical Ruggedization Mobile Multi-Dwelling Unit Multi-Modal Network Multi-Modality Muni Bond

N

Native American Native Entity Net Working CapitalNetwork HardeningNetwork Node NOFO NTIA

O

OLT ONT Outside Plant

P

Packet Loss Peering and Transit Agreements Performance Bonds for BEAD Grants Physical Layer Attack Ping Point to Point PPP Preferred Equity Private Activity Bonds Project Finance PT&S

R

RDOF ReConnect RECs Reliability Reliable Broadband Service Request for Initial Planning Funds Resilient Digital Infrastructure Revenue Bond Revolver Rural Utility Service

S

SACs SAFE Satellite Internet Secondary Addresses Secured Debt Security Senior Debt Service Continuity During Compromise Shareholders’ Equity Speed Speed Test Module State Strategic (High Altitude) EMP Subgrantee Subgrantee Selection Subordinated Debenture Subsidiarity Symmetric

T

Tactical (Close Range) EMP Take Rate Tax-Exempt Debt Taxable Debt Telecommunications Act of 1996 The Good. The BEAD. The Ugly.Three-Legged Stool Model Transmission Diversity Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program Tribal Data Sovereignty Tribal Government Tribal Land Trust Land

U

Underserved Underserved Service Project Universal Service Fund Unlevered Returns Unlimited-Tax General Obligation Pledge Unsecured Debt Unserved community Unserved Service Project Upload and download USS Utility

W

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Router Wireless

Y