We use Fortinet FortiGate for SD-WAN as well as the switches for renewable plants and energy sector power plants.
FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall (ARM64/Graviton)
Fortinet Inc.External reviews
External reviews are not included in the AWS star rating for the product.
Seamlessly connects and efficiently supports various regional offices with enterprise-level assistance
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
All the features needed to protect the digital landscape are available. The enterprise-level support is excellent, and we receive quick assistance from Fortinet FortiGate.
With the SD-WAN network, the connectivity is seamless. The dependency on bandwidth and MPLS connectivity is expensive compared to SD-WAN. Currently, there is seamless connectivity between all plants and corporate offices. The implementation is straightforward and not complex to execute.
The SD-WAN connects all sites, as we have many regional offices in different locations. The Fortinet FortiGate devices are very useful and easy to configure, and we are benefiting from their features.
In the utilities and electrical generation sector, we use various models. In IT security, we have different models, and for sites, we use 40F, 460F, and various others. While my part is limited to India, Fortinet FortiGate is used worldwide across our group.
What needs improvement?
There should be some open-source training or free training for decision makers, or some webinars should be available. These would help understand the new product line and the existing product line features.
Additionally, it would be helpful to have comparisons between competitors such as Cisco, Juniper, and others with Fortinet FortiGate.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The system is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The system is very easy to scale.
How are customer service and support?
We receive quick support from Fortinet FortiGate. When we raise a ticket, we get support via email reply promptly. The experience has been perfect, and we are satisfied with it.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy. I'd rate it nine out of ten.
What about the implementation team?
This is handled by my team. I am in leadership and do not handle the technical aspects directly.
What was our ROI?
While we haven't calculated specific ROI numbers, most devices are very stable and seamless. We don't typically consider money since this is an infrastructure requirement. Fortinet FortiGate support is available, annual maintenance contracts are in place, and the devices haven't failed in three years. The product quality is good, eliminating the need to reinvest in the same devices or setup.
What other advice do I have?
Fortinet FortiGate has an excellent portfolio including firewalls, switches, and access points. I would recommend it to anyone. We are using FortiSwitches as part of our implementation.
I rate Fortinet FortiGate a nine out of ten.
User-friendly design facilitates seamless firewall implementation and network security management
What is our primary use case?
We usually use Fortinet FortiGate for a perimeter firewall, but also for our outbound traffic as well as for the tunnels, with around 40 to 50 tunnels on our firewall.
We are using it in our data center; we have the 2,000 series HA firewalls.
How has it helped my organization?
Fortinet FortiGate has positively impacted my organization by allowing us to replace all the firewalls in other locations, as around 90% of our company operates on Fortinet.
We enable the SD-WAN zone to handle multiple ISPs, allowing it to automatically switch over the WAN link if any latency hits the threshold value, eliminating the need for manual failover. The impact of SD-WAN on our network performance provides great stability with zero downtime; it immediately switches over without any delay, not even a fraction of a second.
Fortinet addresses many vulnerabilities with respect to SSL VPN on their devices; quarterly patch upgrades are released, and the Fortinet team is retiring remote VPN services in favor of whole encrypted IPsec remote VPN to enhance security against hackers.
What is most valuable?
I have found Fortinet FortiGate's user-friendly design to be the most valuable feature so far. Anyone can easily understand how exactly it works, unlike Palo Alto and Check Point which are complex to understand.
What needs improvement?
I believe one area that could be improved in Fortinet FortiGate is posturing, specifically for remote VPN users, as there are OS-based limitations I encountered with only Windows; adding domain restrictions for VPN access would make it more competitive and useful.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate for almost five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Overall, my impression of the stability of Fortinet FortiGate is very good, as I haven't seen any issues in the five years I've been using it, and there is no degradation of services on the firewall. However, I have observed some issues with FortiAPs, which is a different platform.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Based on my experience, Fortinet FortiGate is very scalable. Earlier it was suitable for mid-infra, but now we can use the firewalls for enterprise-level needs.
How are customer service and support?
Whenever I am stuck or need help, Fortinet support is available 24/7, regardless of the time zone I'm in, and they immediately jump in to assist, provided it is licensed.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before implementing Fortinet FortiGate, we were using SonicWall and ASA firewalls, which have now been replaced. The reason the previous firewalls were not suitable for our company anymore is that they were not competitive; they lacked UTM features, had limited VPN capabilities, and were outdated, which led us to select Fortinet over Cisco FTD for future needs.
How was the initial setup?
It's not so complex. It's user friendly. I have implemented more than hundred devices from scratch.
What about the implementation team?
As partners with Fortinet, we are end-users of this tool for our customers.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I am not exactly aware of the pricing of Fortinet FortiGate, but I would say it is considerably cheaper compared to other firewalls.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I evaluated other options, particularly Palo Alto. Fortinet FortiGate is user-friendly and as competitive as Palo Alto, Check Point, and FTD. It has the same features as other vendors but at a lower cost.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate Fortinet FortiGate a ten out of ten.
Integrating communications ensures operational continuity and cost-effective agility
What is our primary use case?
We have a Fortinet FortiGate 900 series that is a big UTM. We also have 10 Gig switches, all fiber, for distribution of the service provider's connections.
What is most valuable?
The key features include SD-WAN, firewall use, intrusion prevention, intrusion detection, and application control.
I have tested 90% of the features that Fortinet FortiGate offers. This type of solution helps us integrate all communications of our company. They guarantee operational continuity of our company and reduce risks by eliminating and detecting threats. This solution gives us agility.
What needs improvement?
The area that Fortinet may improve is customer support. When you have an incident, situation, or open a case, the support is not as good as Cisco or other platforms I have tested. There are many opportunities for improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Currently, we are experiencing a general outage of one of the main internet service providers of the Dominican Republic, and we have not been impacted in our operations because with SD-WAN, we have another internet service provider and we are working with the second WAN connection without any disruption.
How are customer service and support?
The area that Fortinet may improve is customer support. When you have an incident, situation, or open a case, the support is not as good as Cisco or other platforms I have tested.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before Fortinet FortiGate, we had Cisco.
How was the initial setup?
It was not easy. While it might be easier now than eight years ago, you have to be careful and ensure you use a great partner that helps you implement this solution as easily as possible.
What about the implementation team?
The experience is good when you use a quality partner or integrator. We use an integrator, located in the Dominican Republic. They have great support here and extensive knowledge.
What was our ROI?
The return on investment is great. Previously, we were using a dedicated point-to-point connection from the service provider that cost approximately $3,000 a month. When we implemented Fortinet FortiGate, we changed to two internet high-speed dedicated connections, costing approximately $2,000 in total, resulting in significant cost savings.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost efficiency is notable because it is an overall product with a mid-range price point, and you receive more value for the price.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Before Fortinet FortiGate, we had Cisco.
What other advice do I have?
The only product that I have not integrated yet is the Unified SASE. This gives my team agility because as the Chief Information Security Officer, I do not have frequent contact with the platform, but my team has this interaction.
On a scale of one to ten, I rate this solution a nine.
Networking capabilities and community resources facilitate problem-solving
What is our primary use case?
Mostly firewalls.
What is most valuable?
The best features of Fortinet FortiGate include everything about networking, such as routing and VPNs. Fortinet FortiGate is specifically user-friendly with an easy guide. It is easy to follow and learn about and work with. It has resources available all over the internet with an extensive database. It is very popular, so every community discusses Fortinet FortiGate. Every problem has been solved at some point.
What needs improvement?
Without a license, it becomes difficult to implement static DNS. The FortiDDNS.com functionality is particularly challenging to access without a license.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate for approximately a year and a half.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Fortinet FortiGate is quite stable. The main problem occurs when customers do not update their Fortinet FortiGate properly and regularly. Most issues stem from firewalls not being updated. I have not encountered any problems with Fortinet FortiGate devices.
How are customer service and support?
I have not opened many cases due to lack of need. When we do open cases, we receive fast and friendly replies. The support has been good, though I have not experienced significant issues to fully evaluate this aspect.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have worked with other firewalls including Palo Alto, specifically their Prisma Access SASE solution. I have also briefly worked with Cisco systems.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I am not in that field, but it is quite expensive, especially for personal or home use.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We recommend it primarily because we have more knowledge in the Fortinet FortiGate field. Customers ultimately choose what they prefer. We work better with Fortinet FortiGate due to our extensive experience with it.
What other advice do I have?
I have not used FortiGuard extensively as it is not in my field. The only SASE solution I have used is Prisma Access from Palo Alto, not the Fortinet FortiGate SASE. The interface is very user-friendly and easy to use, though knowledge of networking aspects, VPNs, and protocols is necessary. Fortinet FortiGate offers great compatibility with other Fortinet FortiGate functions such as IDS, antivirus, and sandbox features.
All problems we have encountered have had straightforward solutions. Throughout my year and a half working with Fortinet FortiGate, I have not found myself needing additional features.
I rate this solution 8 out of 10.
Response time and throughput have improved network efficiency
What is our primary use case?
We are currently using Fortinet FortiGate firewall instead of Cisco.
What is most valuable?
The best features of Fortinet FortiGate include good functionality, though the licensing cost is a bit higher. Their response time and throughput are very good advantages.
What needs improvement?
Some websites or proxies are not embedded in the correct category, and we need to update the Fortinet FortiGate database because numerous websites are appearing every day. Some websites are embedded in the wrong category which we can block, resulting in everything being blocked, so this database needs improvement.
The licensing cost should be more affordable than it is currently. The SD-WAN of Fortinet FortiGate needs improvement; when we create a group address, sometimes the rule doesn't work properly.
Regarding the Fortinet FortiGate database issues, some websites or categories that should be classified as proxy are in different categories. When we open that category due to some other website that needs to be accessed, some proxies are also opened. The FortiGate web filter categories need to improve their database for better control.
For how long have I used the solution?
I joined the current company two and a half years ago, and we have been using Fortinet FortiGate for about three or four years.
How are customer service and support?
I have only required technical support from Fortinet FortiGate once or twice in two and a half years, and I have had a good experience with them. Their technical team is very knowledgeable. Their response time is very good; whenever we open a case, they respond promptly.
One issue I encountered was with FortiToken, which we configured on the admin profile. While managing four firewalls, I discovered that FortiToken was not enabling due to an issue on one firewall. I opened a case, but it has not been resolved yet. Despite this, my overall experience with them has been very good.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
In my previous company, we were using Sophos, which had better licensing costs compared to Fortinet FortiGate.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We are not using enhanced SD-WAN Cisco SD-WAN; we are just using the SD-WAN for load balancing.
What other advice do I have?
We are using Ubiquiti for wireless. One drawback about UniFi is that it lacks BeamFlexing, which is available in Ruckus, and the AP radius or Wi-Fi signals are not as strong as Ruckus. However, UniFi is still a good option, though not as robust as Ruckus.
Fortinet FortiGate is quite expensive, but according to the Gartner report, it ranks second or third. My experience with Fortinet FortiGate firewall has been quite good.
I would rate Fortinet FortiGate 9 out of 10 overall.
Monitors systems effectively and integrates security devices seamlessly
What is our primary use case?
The main use case for Fortinet FortiGate is to monitor different systems of our customers. The solution handles the security of the company, manages VPNs, handles inside security, and integrates with NAC solutions while integrating every security device inside the company to ensure data protection. We are utilizing Fortinet FortiGate's SD-WAN capabilities. The network performance is handled effectively by the Fortinet FortiGate solution, and depending on the capacity of the solution, it can manage all traffic inside the company.
What is most valuable?
The main benefits of Fortinet FortiGate are security and the ability to manage all information throughout the company. This includes managing all data inside the company to prevent intrusions from outside.
What needs improvement?
There is always room for improvement. They could enhance their support in different ways, such as having technical support available during night hours.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used the Fortinet FortiGate solution for about seven to eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Fortinet FortiGate is very stable. We have experienced no problems with the hardware, updated software, or management of the solution, with stability over 99%, making it a very good solution for us.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
The Fortinet FortiGate service is very good in Chile, making it difficult to improve upon.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We use both Fortinet solutions and Cisco solutions, depending on customer needs. The primary difference between Fortinet FortiGate and Cisco's firewall is pricing, with Cisco being more expensive.
How was the initial setup?
It is a medium-sized deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is competitive at this moment, and customers recognize that Fortinet solutions offer good pricing while providing a very good product. The stability is excellent for customers, and the capacity to integrate different solutions of the same brand is also very good.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
They use other products to integrate information with different brands, including the NAC solution, which can be used for every brand in the market since it's based on the SNMP protocol.
What other advice do I have?
We are not currently using the Fortinet FortiGate's data center solution. We are not using any AI or machine learning enhanced services at this moment as it's very new in Chile. Overall, I would rate Fortinet FortiGate a nine out of ten.
Enables seamless SD-WAN deployment and offers robust security features
What is our primary use case?
Majorly, I use Fortinet FortiGate for establishing SD-WAN in different remote locations. I also use it for segmenting wireless from LAN and implementing basic policy routing for departments. The next-gen features on Fortinet FortiGate permit proxy access, where URLs can be specified for specific users or departments to access.
What is most valuable?
Fortinet FortiGate has several valuable features. The configuration and policy setup are easy to implement. There are embedded features in Fortinet FortiGate, including DLP features, WAF presence in the firewall, and proxy capabilities. It has security profiles that can be set for various functions. In terms of security, it is particularly strong.
SD-WAN offers better reach, good reachability, and enhanced performance for network optimization. People implement SD-WAN today because of reachability and network optimization capabilities.
Fortinet FortiGate is effective in protecting against malicious access. It has a robust security architecture, which is something I truly like about FortiGate.
The SD-WAN integration is very simple. I appreciate the simplicity of the FortiGate system. It's one of the things I like most about it. With FortiAI, it's very easy to input your queries, and the system helps you set it up. If you prefer to do it manually, there is excellent documentation and step-by-step guides available to assist you. For me, the experience has been seamless and straightforward.
What needs improvement?
I cannot think of many improvements needed for Fortinet FortiGate. However, the pricing compared to competitors is quite high, though you get value for what you pay with Fortinet FortiGate.
With FortiSIEM, I have experienced some challenges. It has been suspended and is not available for utilization now. They should work on improving FortiSIEM.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have worked with both virtual appliances and physical devices, primarily with hardware devices, for over five years. The models I have used include 60, 100, and 201 series.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Fortinet FortiGate is one of the best firewalls available. There are no crashes or performance issues. It is very stable and reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have worked with Sophos and Check Point firewalls. Fortinet FortiGate leads compared to other solutions. Based on customer requests, we provide different options. I recommend people should consider Fortinet or Sophos, depending on their needs. Fortinet FortiGate performs well against other firewalls in the market.
How was the initial setup?
The hardware is easy to set up. I have only had issues with the activation of the evaluation license.
What was our ROI?
There has definitely been a return on investment with Fortinet FortiGate.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing depends on the capacity required. There are 100 series, 200 series, and 500 series options. The prices are moderate and reasonable for each series.
What other advice do I have?
For organizations using Fortinet FortiGate, it is important to utilize the security profiles properly. Make sure anti-spoofing is set up and networks are well-segmented on the Fortinet. Ensure proxy configuration is based on URL access stability.
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Easy interface and resilience against power interruptions improve network security
What is our primary use case?
We are using Fortinet FortiGate firewall as a data center firewall.
What is most valuable?
Two aspects I'm happy with regarding Fortinet FortiGate firewall are the easy user interface and its resilience during power interruptions. We experienced two power interruptions where the firewall got disconnected from electricity, but it resumed working normally without any issues.
The firewall provides enhanced security for our network, and as administrators, we are satisfied with the friendly interface. We are particularly pleased with the Fortinet FortiGate firewall's ability to provide network and security convergence.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using it for three years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not use any solution before Fortinet FortiGate.
What was our ROI?
The price-to-performance ratio that we get from using Fortinet FortiGate firewall is very good.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is affordable. We are satisfied with the Fortinet FortiGate firewall.
What other advice do I have?
I would highly recommend Fortinet FortiGate firewall. We feel more secure after implementing it. We are securing the whole network with the Fortinet FortiGate firewall, not specifically the data.
On a scale of one to ten, I rate this solution a nine.
Experience facilitates easy configuration while needing improvements in smaller models
What is our primary use case?
A typical use case for this solution is that we have small to medium-based customers, and we need a central firewall, which should provide firewall and next-generation features, VPN for home office, and for mobility users, mobile users, and this is what we all use with the Fortinet FortiGate firewall.
What is most valuable?
Fortinet FortiGate has positively impacted my client's organization because we have know-how of FortiGate; we could debug problems, we could set up our settings as planned, and I appreciate the easy way of configuration, that we can use parallel GUI and CLI, or CLI and web interface, which we can use in parallel. It is a product that we can use very easily.
What needs improvement?
Fortinet FortiGate can be improved because we have some smaller customers, and with the SMB or small customer solutions with the two letters, 50, 70, 90, they sometimes cause problems. They could improve the smaller devices. One issue is that they have retired SSL VPN for existing devices. This causes significant effort for us to change customer setups. Additionally, they changed features when we only make a patch update and not only a major update. This is really a problem.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have experience working with Fortinet FortiGate for 20 years, and I wanted to see if we have the right product because we have some problems currently with Fortinet.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I find Fortinet FortiGate to be a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is definitely a scalable solution.
How are customer service and support?
I rate technical support seven out of ten because we made a migration from a FortiGate 200 on another customer side, and we wanted to switch a FortiToken from one model to another one, which was only possible with support. It worked, but we needed about 10 different calls; it was really complicated. Support helped, but people changed every time. Every call, we had a call number, and in each call, people changed, so we had to explain again what we wanted to do. For a similar process, we had to make two different calls, one for mobile token, one for hardware token. This was really challenging. Support is working and good, but it's not perfect.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We've used Sophos firewalls, but we don't use them anymore because they cause too many problems for us.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Fortinet FortiGate is straightforward.
What was our ROI?
I haven't seen an ROI with Fortinet FortiGate.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My experience with pricing, setup costs, and licensing of Fortinet FortiGate is okay. We won a deal in comparison to Check Point where FortiGate was much cheaper. Compared to Sophos, the base models seem to be cheaper with Sophos, but the services seem to be cheaper with FortiGate.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I remember doing research on peerspot.com about IT solutions. I wanted to investigate differences between firewall competitors or firewall vendors and Google led me to their site. I have checked a few reports, and they have not been very useful for us. For comparing different vendors, I was also led to their site. They have different types of reports, including user voices and Palo Alto Networks review tips and advice from real users in an 80-page long report. They have market shares and rankings and customer voices, but the customer voices point to a single feature, so I don't get an overall picture of the comparison.
What other advice do I have?
My relationship with Fortinet is that we are a reseller. We have made some tests with SD-WAN but have not introduced this product into production. We use Fortinet FortiGate firewalls and some next-generation fire features proxy, but we don't use SASE. We utilize NPS services, FortiGuard services, antivirus, and malware protection. My clients are typically small to medium businesses, with customers from about 20 to 500 people. I would rate Fortinet FortiGate overall as a seven based on my experience in the last year. Before it would be an eight, but now it's seven because of the problems with the SSL VPN. Additionally, we bought some 50G models that still have a 7.0 firmware, which is really old, and this is not good.
SD-WAN configuration streamlines network management and reduces IT workload
What is our primary use case?
We are using Cisco for the core switch, and for the firewall and WAN security, we are using Fortinet FortiGate. For distribution switches, we are using Ubiquiti.
We are using the 200F series of Fortinet FortiGate for our main branch and model 60 for our branch offices at five locations. We have connected a site-to-site VPN with Fortinet FortiGate.
What is most valuable?
We have used multiple WAN ASPs and set up SD-WAN. It's quite interesting and user-friendly; essentially, anyone can configure it. All you need to do is go through the documentation, and you'll be able to set it up directly. We experimented with Cisco and other devices, but found them to be somewhat challenging. Additionally, there are commercial aspects to consider. However, with FortiGate, everything is bundled together, eliminating the need to pay extra for SD-WAN management.
Performance-wise, we have great output with SD-WAN in our network. Earlier, when we were using it without SD-WAN, it was very difficult, and our IT team's effort was greater. After this SD-WAN configuration, we have no need to worry about whether the link is going down or not. We just get the notification, and at that time, we work on it. There is no need to run behind that.
What needs improvement?
The only issue is their renewal pricing. For more than 10 years, we have been customers of multiple Fortinet FortiGate security devices, and every time, it's at a high price. It is very difficult for small companies, especially in India. If Fortinet can reduce the renewal price a little bit, it can expand and target small businesses as well. Currently, only medium and large-scale organizations can afford it. Startups and small companies cannot afford it. The renewal cost is very high. When we get the equipment along with the license, it's acceptable, but the next renewal after one or three years is very expensive compared to other firewalls.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Fortinet FortiGate for more than 10 years. It's the fifth device we are using. Earlier devices reached the end of life. After that, we moved to the next product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Fortinet FortiGate is absolutely scalable enough for our needs.
We have more than 400 employees, and there are six branch offices connected. The branch offices are connected with site-to-site VPN, and multiple roaming employees or working from home employees are connected with SSL VPN. More than 100 people are connecting at a time. We only need two IT people to maintain the security devices.
How are customer service and support?
We very rarely raised tickets with Fortinet. Only on one occasion, when the FortiCloud account was locked, we raised a ticket. Apart from the configuration part, we never contacted them. They were very supportive. With that particular ticket, we got help immediately.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We are also customers of Cisco and Ubiquiti. We have a core switch, 9000 series switches, and Ubiquiti equipment.
I have earlier worked with Cyberoam and Sophos as a partner. They have a range of devices, and the renewal price is also lower in Sophos compared to Fortinet FortiGate.
How was the initial setup?
I was involved in the deployment of Fortinet FortiGate. The deployment process of Fortinet FortiGate is very straightforward, and since we have experience, it's very easy for us. Even for freshers, if they have basic theoretical knowledge of the setup, they can easily implement it.
It's deployed on-premises. We are not planning for the cloud. Our clients are not comfortable with the cloud solutions.
What about the implementation team?
We deployed it ourselves with one or two people for the deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The renewal cost is much higher than other firewalls. It is not reasonable.
What other advice do I have?
I would definitely recommend Fortinet FortiGate to others.
My experience with Fortinet FortiGate has been good overall. I would rate Fortinet FortiGate an eight out of ten.