Our main use cases for Fortinet FortiGate include using it as a perimeter firewall. Fortinet FortiGate manages all our policies and other things.
Fortinet FortiGate (BYOL) Next-Generation Firewall
Fortinet Inc.External reviews
External reviews are not included in the AWS star rating for the product.
Simple to use and does a wonderful job in protecting enterprises
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
Fortinet FortiGate has impacted our cost savings and security efficiency positively.
Fortinet FortiGate's VPN capabilities are very effective for us. We utilize the VPN facilities of Fortinet FortiGate all the time, so anybody who accesses our SAP systems utilizes the VPN of Fortinet FortiGate.
It has been quite seamless in terms of integration. We find it very useful for us.
What is most valuable?
The features I find most useful in Fortinet FortiGate are its simplicity of utilization, which is very important, and its provision of interfaces to see the alerts and other things. It is very useful. We use it to understand who our top users of the internet are, what they are using, and when they are using it. It gives us many glimpses into the inner workings of the organization.
What needs improvement?
At this moment, we believe that Fortinet FortiGate should be improved by injecting more AI because the kind of threats we are seeing are more ransomware threats. Fortinet FortiGate is able to ensure these threats do not enter, but we would prefer to see more proactive alerting mechanisms come out.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate in this company for about a year or over a year now, and in my previous company, I used it for almost four years, totaling five years of experience.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
For stability, I have no complaints; we are satisfied customers.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Fortinet FortiGate is scalable enough for our environment. We are using Fortinet FortiGate in the consumer durables industry for electrical products. We currently have a little over 2,000 users working with Fortinet FortiGate in our environment.
We plan to increase the usage of Fortinet FortiGate in the future, shortly upgrading and increasing the number of users.
How are customer service and support?
For technical support of Fortinet FortiGate, we utilize a channel partner and we are very happy with them. They support us almost instantly. They have backend support from Fortinet FortiGate, which they utilize. I would rate the support an eight out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The setup of Fortinet FortiGate is very simple, worthy of a nine out of ten rating.
The deployment part of Fortinet FortiGate takes a couple of hours. We decided to go for Fortinet FortiGate because it was simple to implement, it was simple to get the policies implemented, and the interfaces were quite simple. Simplicity was the main reason. The product is very good.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I find it quite reasonable.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Before working with Fortinet FortiGate, we evaluated Check Point, Palo Alto, and Blue Coat solutions. The reason we chose Fortinet FortiGate was basically because of security and simplicity of use.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Fortinet FortiGate to those who are looking into using it because if they look at the manner in which it protects their enterprise, it does a wonderful job of that.
I would rate Fortinet FortiGate an eight out of ten.
Organize networks efficiently while benefiting from strong reliability and support
What is our primary use case?
The main use is for clients who are migrating to the cloud. We started this journey during the pandemic, and the main case is with clients who are moving to either a private or a public cloud.
What is most valuable?
The solution allows us to organize our networks and access within one vendor, using an integrated platform. The more integrated we become, the less we spend on solving bugs and issues, allowing us to reduce time focusing on understanding and improving our network. We value the reliability and versatility.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used the solution for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Fortinet offers stability with fewer fixes and adjustments needed compared to other solutions like SonicWall.
How are customer service and support?
Customer service and support are very good. I would rate them a nine on a scale of one to ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I had a small experience with SonicWall. The main difference is Fortinet's stability, requiring fewer adjustments.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy.
What about the implementation team?
We have three people specialized in Fortinet. One person can handle a normal project with one or two VMs. They are SOC engineers providing support.
What was our ROI?
Clients receive operational impacts through improved reliability. They have a platform that organizes their networks and access effectively.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Pricing is complex. They could be slightly cheaper, however, Fortinet offers a good cost-benefit ratio. They are above average.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I evaluated SonicWall.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Fortinet FortiGate-VM as a very good solution.
I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.
Purchase options enable long-term cost savings by saving on capital expenditures
What is our primary use case?
I mostly use FortiGate VM for securing cloud databases or internal in-house databases. It serves as the main perimeter firewall in our data centers.
What is most valuable?
FortiGate VM allows me to avoid the hardware lease recycle every five to eight years. I can purchase the VM, lock the hardware cost, and simply pay for licensing each year. This saves on capital expenditures in the long run. It can be upgraded or downgraded as needed. If the organization grows, a partial license can increase the device's capacity.
What needs improvement?
The previous version 5.6 had integrated features for logging, monitoring, and management. Now, these features require separate products like FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer, and a FortiCloud subscription for reporting. Many users are now turning to Sophos for the integrated features that were once part of Fortinet but are now separate.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with FortiGate VM for three to four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability as eight out of ten. Previously, patches had fewer bugs, however, recently they have had more, requiring internal testing to ensure deployment stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is an excellent selling point for FortiGate VM. It can start with a single core and scale up to a 32-core license for a robust deployment.
How are customer service and support?
The partner support is quite low, and the end-user support is delayed at levels L2 and L3. L1 support is quick.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Many users have shifted to Sophos due to changes in Fortinet's logging and monitoring features.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup depends on the hardware. It should be compatible with supported drivers for optimal performance.
What about the implementation team?
I often customize the hardware and drivers based on client needs to deploy FortiGate VM.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
FortiGate VM is considered a premium product, which can be costly, especially in regions with low budgets for IT infrastructure like Pakistan.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I evaluated Sangfor and MikroTik as the main competitors in Pakistan.
What other advice do I have?
The solution rates as an eight out of ten.
It is essential for the best solution to be properly deployed with appropriate policies, and users must be trained; otherwise, it might fail.
Cost-effective solution with strong network security features and VPN capabilities
What is our primary use case?
I use FortiGate VM primarily to enhance network security within our environment. It acts as a primary firewall.
What is most valuable?
FortiGate VM provides valuable network security features that are effective in enhancing our security posture. The ease of deployment and management is commendable. Its VPN capabilities support our remote workforce effectively. Monitoring and cost-effectiveness are also significant areas where it helps. AI integration has not been tested yet.
What needs improvement?
Interoperability could be improved. The API needs better integration to match accounts and objects more effectively. VPN capabilities present some issues, and configuration and customization could be refined.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using FortiGate VM for four years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the stability of the solution at eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the scalability of the solution at nine out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
I rate technical support at eight out of ten. Their support is helpful and effective.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I switched from another vendor to FortiGate VM, which has significantly reduced our operational costs.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was easy, and I did it myself without requiring assistance from third-party services.
What about the implementation team?
Two engineers from our side were involved in the installation process.
What was our ROI?
I observed a fifty to sixty percent reduction in operational costs after migrating to FortiGate VM.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I find the pricing of FortiGate VM to be quite affordable.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I considered other vendors and chose FortiGate VM primarily for its cost-effectiveness.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend FortiGate VM to others due to its ease of deployment, ease of management, and cost-effectiveness.
I rate the overall solution eight out of ten.
Efficiently manages subscription-based licensing and ensures compliance with regulatory requirements for banking environments
What is our primary use case?
We use the product primarily in environments requiring robust network security and compliance, especially in the banking and enterprise sectors.
How has it helped my organization?
The platform has enhanced our organization's security posture by providing effective threat protection, bandwidth management, and SDN capabilities.
What needs improvement?
They could enhance the product's functionality for more comprehensive threat detection and mitigation, especially for large-scale deployments.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiGate-VM for several years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product is scalable.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of FortiGate was straightforward. It involved detailed planning for appliance selection based on user numbers, throughput requirements, firewall, IPS capacity, and VPN needs.
What about the implementation team?
We managed the implementation in-house, leveraging our expertise in network configuration.
What was our ROI?
FortiGate offers a favorable ROI due to its competitive pricing structure and effective network security capabilities, making it a cost-effective choice for our organization.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We evaluated alternatives like Checkpoint and Palo Alto. We chose FortiGate for its cost-effectiveness, robust performance in our specific use cases, and the comprehensive support provided by Fortinet.
What other advice do I have?
The product's threat protection features have been instrumental in managing subscription-based licensing and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, especially in banking environments.
I rate Fortinet FortiGate-VM an eight out of ten.
I like the solution's IPS, IDS, and URL filtering
What is our primary use case?
We use FortiGate-VM as a firewall. My company has more than 4,000 users, and we plan to increase usage.
What is most valuable?
I like FortiGate's IPS, IDS, and URL filtering.
What needs improvement?
I think Fortinet should provide us with more reporting from the AI/ML point of view. They could also offer the SaaS application in a single box. The VPN and ZTNA have so many verticals that they work as a standalone solution. They need to be in a single box.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have worked with FortiGate-VM for the last three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate FortiGate-VM eight out of 10 for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
From a scalability point of view, we have a physical user license. If we need to upgrade, we can get a box. There is presently sufficient formal organization to scale up.
How are customer service and support?
I have no problems with Fortinet support.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have used Check Point and Palo Alto firewalls.
How was the initial setup?
We deployed FortiGate-VM with the help of a partner and the vendor. The deployment process took three months. We previously used Cisco ASA and had no migration tool, so we had to start from scratch.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
FortiGate-VM is affordable. In terms of operating costs, we contract with the OEM for a three-year contract and then renew. We haven't received any notice from them because all of our infrastructure is under contract. Every three years, if we cannot get a good price from the vendor, we replace the box.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Fortinet FortiGate-VM eight out of 10. It has all the features. The only recommendation is to combine the vertical into a single box. To improve performance, they should build an engine in the box that enables them to scale per the user requirement.
Helps secure complex environments through strong integration and security features
What is our primary use case?
I primarily use it for the Nextiva SIM firewall and the website application firewall. We strive to serve our customers, including utilizing the SD-WAN feature in FortiGate in our office.
What is most valuable?
The features that are beneficial for failure mitigation and security include PPN and firewall security. The integration of multiple networks, especially in complex environments such as the finance and manufacturing industries, makes FortiGate valuable. In these industries, it can be difficult to implement and integrate several applications.
What needs improvement?
Currently, I am working on improvements. One of the main areas is the processing and integration of new features. In my opinion, refreshing the CPM technology with zero-trust access could enhance its performance.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used the solution mostly for maybe ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product has been very stable, based on my ten to eleven years of experience. When I propose FortiGate to customers, hardware problems have been minimal, which suggests a reliable performance.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is well-supported, with the notable ability to implement features easily. FortiGate offers robust scalability options.
How are customer service and support?
I find the customer service to be good.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup typically takes three to five days.
What other advice do I have?
Sometimes, questions arise about the backup position, especially regarding firewall operations. FortiGate, placed next to Nextiva SIM, excels in terms of pricing and operational efficiency. Customers can easily troubleshoot with great technical support. I would rate it nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
A value-for-money appliance that provides good security and technical support
What is our primary use case?
Fortinet FortiGate-VM is used for the firewall. Some clients would like to go for the solution because of pricing. They feel they can run it on their own hardware, cut down costs, and manage it.
What is most valuable?
I can vouch for the security aspect of Fortinet FortiGate-VM. It's a value-for-money appliance. Fortinet has always been our number one firewall appliance regarding recommendations to customers. The solution is very secure, and its technical support is on point.
I like Fortinet FortiGate-VM for tutorial purposes. You can set up the solution on your personal computer for apps and teaching.
What needs improvement?
Fortinet FortiGate-VM should improve its asset identification, wherein the device can identify assets on the network, like computers. We should be able to identify a device and the user account used to log on to that device.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiGate-VM for more than five to six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Since it is a VM, the solution runs on a client-provided host machine. Most of the time, the host machine gives issues that affect the VM.
I rate the solution a five out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Around 20 users are using Fortinet FortiGate-VM in our organization.
I rate the solution an eight out of ten for scalability.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's technical support is responsive, but the only issue is you need to be specific with your problem. If you are not specific with your problem, it will take longer to resolve the issue because of time zone differences. All the engineers would like to know exactly the problem before they offer solutions.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously worked with pfSense. We switched to Fortinet FortiGate-VM because pfSense was giving us issues.
How was the initial setup?
Fortinet FortiGate-VM is easy to implement, provided you know your network architecture and the basics.
On a scale from one to ten, where one is complex and ten is easy, I rate the solution's initial setup a nine out of ten.
What about the implementation team?
The solution can be deployed in less than ten minutes.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Fortinet FortiGate-VM is a very expensive solution. It's a value-for-money appliance. You don't have every client going in for the solution unless there are some specific points.
You need to know exactly what you need at the point of purchase. That will guide you in purchasing the required license. If you miss and purchase the wrong license, you can wait and purchase another license during renewal. You can also negotiate with Fortinet to have your license changed to get the feature you want.
On a scale from one to ten, where one is expensive and ten is cheap, I rate the solution's pricing a three out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
We used to troubleshoot for Fortinet FortiGate-VM, but now the new firmware doesn't really give issues. We do maintain the solution by checking on devices and updating the firmware. We have seven engineers in our technical team to deploy and maintain the solution.
I would not recommend Fortinet FortiGate-VM to other users because most users don't have the infrastructure. They will tell you they want to cut down costs. You get them the solution, and at the end of the day, as a technical person, you will be bothered by the solution.
Regarding the upgrade, the only time we've had an issue is when the customer gave the wrong information. The utilization exceeded what they actually needed. Aside from that, Fortinet FortiGate-VM is a good appliance for us.
Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Provides ease of management and has a simple setup process
What is our primary use case?
The primary use case for Fortinet FortiGate-VM involves formulating policies and services within the environment.
What needs improvement?
They could provide more integration options with different platforms.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Fortinet FortiGate-VM for six months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the platform's stability an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have 200 Fortinet FortiGate-VM users in our organization. I rate the scalability a ten out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup process is simple. It involves defining the parameters for deployment, such as the number of sites, PCs, and Wi-Fi users.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We don't have to pay for the licenses. But we might purchase licenses in the future.
What other advice do I have?
FortiGate improved security within our virtualized environment by providing robust first-line defense capabilities and optimized cost-effectiveness.
It provides an ease of management and configuration as well. I rate it a nine out of ten.
Provides robust web filtering capabilities and has an easy setup process
What needs improvement?
They could simplify the troubleshooting process. Troubleshooting requires expertise, often necessitating the command-line interface (CLI). It could be more advanced and easier to use than other products.
Additionally, they could enhance support capabilities and a facility to communicate efficiently with the team.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Fortinet FortiGate-VM for seven years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable. However, there are a few areas of improvement. I rate the stability an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is best in terms of pricing for small and medium-sized companies, where it stands out as a cost-effective and feature-rich solution. For larger enterprises, we emphasize the potential benefits of complementing FortiGate-VM with additional firewalls, such as Palo Alto, to enhance security and address potential vulnerabilities.
I rate the scalability a nine out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup process is easy. It can deployed on the cloud and premises based on the client's requirements.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There are products like Cisco Meraki that are more inexpensive than Fortinet FortiGate-VM. However, it provides better security features. Palo Alto's pricing is similar to that of the FortiGate-VM regarding quality for security features. It is reasonable.
What other advice do I have?
FortiGate VM in a cloud infrastructure provides security benefits. It offers the same robust features and functionality in virtual, on-premise, and traditional data center environments. It protects against external attacks and internal threats through features such as web filtering, secure application filtering, and antivirus capabilities. These functionalities collectively enhance security measures, safeguarding against various potential risks.
It is extensible, as we can add as much functionality as we require. It is simple to add more resources. It has a flexible pay-as-you-go pricing model.
I rate it an eight out of ten.