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Specialist at a comms service provider with 11-50 employees
Real User
Jul 2, 2023
Feature-rich, affordable, and has good performance
Pros and Cons
  • "It works very well. It has a lot of different functionalities. Its cost is also fine for our customers."
  • "In some cases, its initial setup could be hard for customers."

What is our primary use case?

Our customers use these devices as security devices, and we sell these devices to our customers. We also use it ourselves. We have the entire lab, and we use some of the functions in our local network.

How has it helped my organization?

It protects our customers' networks from viruses and threats.

What is most valuable?

The firewall, IPS, and VPN functions are the most valuable features. The antivirus functions are also good.

It works very well. It has a lot of different functionalities. Its cost is also fine for our customers.

What needs improvement?

In some cases, its initial setup could be hard for customers.

Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
June 2026
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2026.
902,588 professionals have used our research since 2012.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have 10 to 12 years of experience with these devices.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Their devices are quite stable. We have not had any problems with the operating systems or maintenance of subscriptions. It is a robust device.

How are customer service and support?

In most cases, they work very fast. It also depends on the device they are supporting. In the case of FortiGate, we do not have any complaints, but when we had to buy the FortiADC solution for one of our customers, we faced quite a few difficulties with technical support. I do not know why, but it could be that some devices are supported by different teams in Fortinet. We had difficulties with FortiADC, but we have not had any problems with FortiGate. I would rate their support for FortiGate a nine out of ten.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We worked with Cisco and Check Point firewalls. We worked with Cisco ASA for a long time. We worked with it for about five years, and we were happy with it, but it was old-fashioned. We went to Fortinet and started working with this company. 

FortiGate has good security functions and high-level technical documentation. Their documentation is very easy to understand. 

FortiGate's performance is also better than Cisco ASA. It has 10 VDOMs. It is a great function because you can add virtual functions for different groups in your network. It is quite useful.

How was the initial setup?

It is deployed on-premises. Our customers prefer to deploy not only Fortinet devices but all security devices on-premises. They rarely use cloud licenses. Some customers only buy it from us, and for some customers, we also set it up.

Its setup is easy for us, but not every company wants to use our service for setting it up because of the cost. They prefer to install it themselves. In some cases, it could be hard for them.

In terms of the implementation strategy, we first try to understand what problem a customer wants to solve by using FortiGate. We collect a lot of information about a customer's network, such as protocols and devices being used. We try to prepare this device in our local lab. We preload the device and send it to the customer, and then we finalize the installation in the customer's building.

We have very technical staff, and we do not have difficulties with installations. We have had situations where customers do not have much experience with it, and then we recommend them to go for certain features such as IPS, antivirus, etc. 

The deployment duration depends on the size of the environment, but generally, it does not take more than one or two months. 

What about the implementation team?

Generally, two to three people are required for the deployment.

For maintenance, our customers have technical staff. They regularly check and ensure that all the functions are working. We are glad to help them if they need any help.

What was our ROI?

We have seen an ROI. We have bought a lot of these devices, and we have had a good experience with them. It has saved us a lot of money.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It is quite affordable for our customers. There is a separate cost for IPS, antivirus, web filtering, and other features. They have a great choice of licenses. You can go for the license that you want, which is quite useful.

You have to buy a support license for FortiCare. In most cases, people buy the UTM bundle that comes with IPS, web filtering, and FortiCare. 

What other advice do I have?

They are on the right path. They have improved a lot over the past 10 years. Fortinet is one of the leaders in security devices along with Cisco, Palo Alto, and Check Point.

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate a nine out of ten. It is stable. It has quite a lot of features, such as IPS, VPN, etc. It is affordable for our customers. It is a good choice.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Reseller
PeerSpot user
BrunoClicque - PeerSpot reviewer
CEO at iTeam sarl
Real User
Top 5
Jan 9, 2026
Provides an ease of deploying IoT security and good stability
Pros and Cons
  • "The product's most valuable feature is the ease of deploying IoT security with a single click. Additionally, the frequent updates to the online database ensure that our security measures are always up to date, enhancing our protection against emerging threats."
  • "One area for improvement is the licensing policy. If support licenses are not renewed, the product's functionality ceases, which can be disruptive."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the product to enhance our network security infrastructure. It monitors and investigates inbound and outbound traffic across our organization, ensuring comprehensive security coverage.

How has it helped my organization?

one interface to manage all our fortinet product

What is most valuable?

The product's most valuable feature is the ease of deploying IoT security with a single click. Additionally, the frequent updates to the online database ensure that our security measures are always up to date, enhancing our protection against emerging threats.

What needs improvement?

One area for improvement is the licensing policy. If support licenses are not renewed, the product's functionality ceases, which can be disruptive. 

Integrating more advanced threat detection capabilities utilizing artificial intelligence would be highly beneficial in future releases.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using FortiGate for around 15 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is highly stable, with minimal disruptions. I rate it a ten out of ten for stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Once deployed, the product scalability is constrained, requiring appliance upgrades for increased port capacity.

How are customer service and support?

The customer support team is responsive but relies heavily on external partners for frontline assistance, which can lead to delays in critical situations.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

aruba, cisco

the move was decided for the convinence of the fortinet's management interface

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward for those with a technical background in network security. However, configuring the system requires a good understanding of the product.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented FortiGate with our technical team, which has extensive experience with network security solutions.

What was our ROI?

Since implementing FortiGate IPS, we've seen an approximately ten percent reduction in operational costs, largely due to consolidating security measures onto a single platform.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The platform offers a reasonable price point compared to its competitors.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Before opting for FortiGate, I evaluated several competitors, including Palo Alto, Checkpoint, WatchGuard, Barracuda, SonicWall, and Sophos. 

What other advice do I have?

FortiGate is a solid choice for organizations seeking comprehensive network security. Ensure your team has the technical knowledge required for effective deployment and ongoing management.

I rate it an eight. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Last updated: Jan 9, 2026
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PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
June 2026
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2026.
902,588 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Bernard Rocke - PeerSpot reviewer
Group Head of IT at BG Gorup
Real User
Top 20
Oct 2, 2024
User-friendly and effective threat identification solution with helpful support
Pros and Cons
  • "The ease of use, concise reports, and threat identification are very user-friendly and valuable."
  • "There are no areas that need improvement at this point in time."

What is our primary use case?

Overall, we use Fortinet FortiGate IPS for group security, managing several companies across the region via a central location in Trinidad.

How has it helped my organization?

It ensures that we safeguard our environment effectively.

What is most valuable?

The ease of use, concise reports, and threat identification are very user-friendly and valuable.

What needs improvement?

There are no areas that need improvement at this point in time.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used FortiGate IPS for about two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

So far, we have had no issues with stability. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

FortiGate IPS seems to grow with us as we grow. We are on the latest edition, and it is fairly easy to maintain going forward.

How are customer service and support?

I do not normally interact with customer service, yet I had a very good conversation with them the other day. I would rate the experience a ten out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

What about the implementation team?

The setup was done by the infrastructure team, including four network admins and one infrastructure security person. The initial setup appears to have been straightforward based on indications.

What was our ROI?

We haven't implemented it for ROI benefits but rather for intrusion detection. It's just to make sure that we safeguard our environment.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

FortiGate is slightly more expensive. CrowdStrike is offering better rates, which is something you need to look at.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

CrowdStrike and other vendors have more competitive pricing, and CrowdStrike is currently number one in the quadrant while FortiGate is ranked lower.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to others because it is a good product. Overall, I would rate it nine out of ten. It ensures security and is easy to use.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Minarto Basuki - PeerSpot reviewer
Director of Finance at Pakuwon
Real User
Top 10
Sep 25, 2024
Ensuring network protection with robust IPS solution and good training
Pros and Cons
  • "Having IPS helps in ensuring that our network is protected from potential threats, which is crucial as we implement our payment gateway."
  • "Maybe they can offer a smaller scope for a cheaper price for smaller organizations."

What is our primary use case?

Since we are going to implement a payment gateway, digitalizing our payment to the vendors, where they can upload their invoice, we think it is really necessary to upgrade our network from the potential threat. So, we use Fortinet FortiGate IPS to address this.

How has it helped my organization?

Having IPS helps in ensuring that our network is protected from potential threats, which is crucial as we implement our payment gateway.

What is most valuable?

My IT team has not had any complaints and finds Fortinet FortiGate IPS quite smooth. We also get yearly updates and training from the vendors.

What needs improvement?

Pricing is one of the factors that need improvement. Maybe they can offer a smaller scope for a cheaper price for smaller organizations.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Fortinet FortiGate IPS for about three to four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the stability of the solution as nine out of ten. We have not experienced any bugs, glitches, or downtime. It is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate the scalability of the solution as nine out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

I rate the customer service and support as nine out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup took about two to three weeks, with everything completed within one and a half to two months, considering we have multiple locations.

What about the implementation team?

My IT team, which is small (about three to five people), handled this.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Pricing is expensive compared to other solutions. I would rate it as nine out of ten in terms of expense.

What other advice do I have?

I recommend Fortinet FortiGate IPS to others due to its stability and effectiveness.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Solution Architect at AMBSAN TECHNOLOGIES
Real User
Top 5
Jun 25, 2024
Has an effective intrusion prevention system feature for maintaining security efficiently
Pros and Cons
  • "Fortinet FortiGate meets all the security demands of my industry. It covers endpoint security, including web interface, DNS security, and ELP. I'm currently using the latest version. The features that have most improved our network security are Web Control, filtering, application control, IDS, IPS policies, and Deep SSL inspection."
  • "The firmware updates are sometimes not stable. The stability issues can vary, sometimes happening once a month or quarterly. New firmware updates can occasionally introduce bugs, causing some policies to fail. We then have to raise a ticket, and Fortinet usually provides a fix within a few days."

How has it helped my organization?

Fortinet FortiGate offers a new official solution for SASE. This solution is more cost-effective for my organisation than the hardware. It doesn’t require renewals every year or every three years. With FortiGate, you get a firewall as a cloud service and optimal protection.

What is most valuable?

Fortinet FortiGate meets all the security demands of my industry. It covers endpoint security, including web interface, DNS security, and ELP. I'm currently using the latest version. The features that have most improved our network security are Web Control, filtering, application control, IDS, IPS policies, and Deep SSL inspection.

The intrusion prevention system (IPS) in FortiGate is highly effective. It detects and prevents intrusions, maintaining security efficiently. It works seamlessly with my environment and Google Analytics, providing robust protection.

What needs improvement?

The firmware updates are sometimes not stable. The stability issues can vary, sometimes happening once a month or quarterly. New firmware updates can occasionally introduce bugs, causing some policies to fail. We then have to raise a ticket, and Fortinet usually provides a fix within a few days.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for the past three to five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

For overall stability, I'd rate FortiGate an eight. It is stable, but there are sometimes issues with the software, so there's room for improvement.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

There are no scalability issues with Fortinet FortiGate. I haven't needed to scale it yet, but I have a relationship with the vendor, and they have a program to scale their hardware if required.

They also offer many solutions free of cost with the hardware, including advanced solutions. We have four branches of our organization, and they use these effectively.

How are customer service and support?

The support team is very effective.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I previously used Cisco for my environment, specifically Cisco ISE for access control, but I have shifted to Fortinet products due to their cost-effectiveness.

How was the initial setup?

The deployment process of Fortinet FortiGate was very straightforward. The installation took about twenty minutes, and fully configuring it with security features took about an hour. It was pretty fast, so I didn't need to spend days preparing and configuring.

I am involved in the maintenance of FortiGate, and I have five engineers with me. Three are on-site, handling different boxes, and two are remote.

What was our ROI?

I've noticed benefits in terms of performance and timing with Fortinet FortiGate. Its implementation and deployment are quick, and migration from other vendors to Fortinet is smooth and easy. Typically, we only have about fifteen minutes of downtime during the transition and gradually implement the policies.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

For the price, I'd rate it a ten because it's very cost-effective.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I chose Fortinet FortiGate because it is effortless to use compared to other vendors. Their customer support is excellent, with quick responses and qualified attack engineers. They provide relevant documentation and immediate engineer assistance if needed.

What other advice do I have?

Regarding AI capabilities, the product promises threat intelligence based on AI and machine learning, which I plan to explore. FortiGate integrates smoothly with other solutions.

I'd rate FortiGate a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Network & System Admin at Invoke Studios
Real User
Top 10
Jun 17, 2024
Has a good network security feature with effective threat intelligence
Pros and Cons
  • "FortiGate's ability to perform as expected and fulfil our needs has been the most compelling feature for network security."
  • "FortiGate can improve its token system, as it requires a purchase before use."

What is our primary use case?

I'm managing security rules, bandwidth for the internet, switches, and fifty access points. Everything, including the network in Afghanistan, is managed from there, and it's something critical for us.

What is most valuable?

FortiGate's ability to perform as expected and fulfil our needs has been the most compelling feature for network security. FortiGate has proven to be secure and effective in terms of threat intelligence, as it alerts us about external login attempts and suspicious scripts, contributing to our system's overall security.

What needs improvement?

FortiGate can improve its token system, as it requires a purchase before use. Additionally, the VPN system could be more efficient, especially regarding VLAN passing through, which is currently a limitation. Another suggestion for improvement would be better timezone coordination for customer support. Currently, there are issues with calls coming at inconvenient times due to timezone differences. Another area for enhancement could be the response time for support tickets, as there is a delay of at least twelve hours, even for urgent tickets, which can be frustrating.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for the past three years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable as we expand our usage of FortiGate as our company grows. We're currently using one, but we plan to use two as our network expands.

How are customer service and support?

I open a ticket and communicate with the engineers when I encounter issues. Although it may take some time, they always get back to me with a resolution. There are mainly due to these issues with time zone coordination and response time.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

The setup process for FortiGate depends on the complexity of your network. For simpler setups, a user-friendly interface is easy to use. However, for more advanced configurations, it may require expertise. Integration into the ecosystem is neither too easy nor too complex.

The maintenance process is relatively easy.

What was our ROI?

Regarding return on investment, I believe FortiGate is worth the money. It has helped us stay safe, and considering what we are paying for such a system and service aligns well with our expectations and financial goals.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The price of FortiGate is reasonable as I plan to buy new switches. The initial gadgets are already booted, and the pricing seems normal on the market. As for additional costs, I haven't subscribed to many extra features, so I'm only using what I need. Last year, I renewed the support for three years, which can sometimes be expensive but depends on the security benefits and how it helps us.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
PeerSpot user
Saurabh-Pal - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Security Specialist at a tech vendor with 11-50 employees
Real User
Jun 14, 2023
It's a reliable solution that's easy to install and cheaper than competitors
Pros and Cons
  • "FortiGate is on the cheaper end, and it offers good value."
  • "Palo Alto has a feature called WildFire Analysis that is unavailable in FortiGate. WildFire is better than a sandbox because it can address zero-day threats and vulnerabilities. It can immediately identify zero-day threats from the cloud."

What is our primary use case?

FortiGate is a hardware firewall that we deploy for our customers. I work on the system integration team and install whichever solution the clients choose. We also provide support, including maintenance and service. The customers contact us if they have any problems. 

The firewalls are deployed on-premise, but you can also implement FortiCloud, which can integrate with public or private cloud platforms. If you have five or six locations in various countries, FortiCloud can provide centralized security support for those offices.

What is most valuable?

FortiGate is on the cheaper end, and it offers good value. 

What needs improvement?

Palo Alto has a feature called WildFire Analysis that is unavailable in FortiGate. WildFire is better than a sandbox because it can address zero-day threats and vulnerabilities. It can immediately identify zero-day threats from the cloud. 

Fortinet uses a separate solution called FortiSandbox. It needs to download signatures to identify malware, which takes significantly longer. WildFire is a cloud-based platform that collects threat information from users worldwide. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used FortiGate for eight months, but I have worked with Fortinet products, including FortiManager, for three years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate FortiGate nine out of 10 for stability. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate FortiGate nine out of 10 for scalability. Fortinet sells models that can accommodate more people. You can choose a cheaper model if you only have 20-30 users, but you will need to spend more money for a FortiGate solution that covers 5,000. 

How are customer service and support?

I rate Fortinet support eight out of 10. Sometimes, the Level 1 support can't fix the issue, so it needs to be escalated, and we can't get help until the next day. Otherwise, it's okay. Their frontline support can fix most basic issues, but we may need to wait a day or two for special problems. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I also deploy Check Point and Palo Alto hardware for my clients. Check Point has been in the Indian market longer. Palo Alto came into the picture about three or four years ago. 

In my opinion, Palo Alto is the better solution. It has WildFire Analysis, and you can configure virtual routers within the system, but Fortinet is less expensive. We deploy Check Point for our larger customers. It's more appropriate for multinational companies with 10,000 employees or more. 

How was the initial setup?

Deploying FortiGate is straightforward. You have to check with the customers to see if their offices use other devices. Next, you must do the basic configuration and connect all the networks available at the customer's site individually. 

The SD-WAN setup is the most time-consuming task because you need to configure the address and service objects. After that, you implement basic policies and connect the office network with Fortinet. Deployment only requires one person. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

FortiGate is on the cheaper end. The price varies depending on the model of appliance you're using. It's affordable for a university or a small business. A firewall typically has a license for three years that includes installation and support, but maintenance is separate. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate Fortinet FortiGate eight out of 10. FortiGate is a solid solution, but Palo Alto is the best. I recommend Palo Alto to customers who can afford it. The second best is Check Point. When considering which firewall solution to use, you should look at your budget and the number of users. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
PeerSpot user
Irshad Ali - PeerSpot reviewer
Presales Manager at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Jun 13, 2023
Good licensing, saves costs, and provides good security and visibility
Pros and Cons
  • "The security features that they have are quite good. On top of that, their licensing model is quite nice where they don't charge you anything for the SD-WAN functionality for the firewall."
  • "Tunnel flapping was one of the major things I had seen wherein your internet link remains but your VPN tunnel is down. However, since I got a fix from the TAC team, I have not noticed it, but the customer complained a few times that they couldn't access the internet because of this problem."

What is our primary use case?

I used this solution while working with my last organization. I handled plain firewall deployment as well as SD-WAN deployment. 

How has it helped my organization?

I was providing consulting services to various Telco customers. It helped customers save on the cost of highly expensive MPLS links. With the help of Secure SD-WAN, they were able to utilize broadband or even LTE connectivity, which saves costs. That's the flexibility that Secure SD-WAN gives to various customers. In addition to saving costs, they are also able to utilize active-active load balancing, where you can have two parallel links: primary and secondary. The secondary one used to sit idle in traditional scenarios, whereas now, the solution gives you the flexibility to configure both links as active-active, so you can prioritize critical traffic from link one and other traffic from link two. At the same time, you also have the option to maintain redundancy.

Secure SD-WAN is a great way to manage your entire organization network, especially the WAN network. Customers don't have to hop to multiple places. Fortinet has a solution called FortiManager. With the help of that, you can monitor, configure, and maintain your entire organization's network. It's a very convenient option. It's a single pane of glass from a customer's point of view. They don't have to log in to individual devices, and they can see the real traffic. They can see what's coming into the network, what sort of alerts or logs are there, and what sort of applications are being consumed.

Secure SD-WAN doesn't help with tool consolidation, but it's a secure way or mechanism they provide so that if branch users are accessing the internet, they can directly break out from the branch location rather than coming back to the data center. In that way, it improves the user experience while also giving security at the highest level.

I have not interacted much with Secure SD-WAN in terms of API integration or third-party integrations. However, they have pretty good integration with the RADIUS, LDAP, and AD servers. In that way, they have everything in-built. You can make the firewall a DNS server or some sort of DHCP server. Such features are included there. From a security standpoint, they have open API integration with their own SIEM or SOAR solutions. Third-party API integration is also possible, but the API details that are exposed are very limited.

The integrated application protection provided by Secure SD-WAN is a cool feature. They have real-time scanning of the application with the help of SSL inspection. You get to see the real-time traffic of applications, and you can protect your network from harmful websites. They have a signature database for that. This data also gets refreshed. It's a direct feed that the device takes from the central intelligence.

When you have Secure SD-WAN in place, you are more secure from the outside internet. They have a flavor of SASE, but I have not worked on it.

When you have a granular view of your entire network including users and security features being enabled, you get more visibility into your network. You get to know what's coming in and going out. If an administrator sees that some traffic is being hit repetitively from a particular location, functionality is available to block a region, country, or even an IP or domain.

In terms of Secure SD-WAN reducing our mean time to resolve, in the case of issues specific to SD-WAN, I've seen instances where customers can look into the dashboard and inform the support team that this is the issue they are facing. This helps them to have some visibility into these firewalls and isolate the entire issue from the technology perspective; for example, when a wireless client is facing some sort of challenge accessing the internet, whereas some of the wired users are able to access the internet. The testing tools given in the FortiGate GUI dashboard come in handy during troubleshooting. With the very user-friendly interface, it becomes very obvious and easy for any IT guy to simply follow the workflow to resolve any day-to-day operational issues.

What is most valuable?

The security features that they have are quite good. On top of that, their licensing model is quite nice where they don't charge you anything for the SD-WAN functionality for the firewall. The routing and firewall features are also good.

The unified view that they have built into this firewall is good. Within the same dashboard, you get to see the security profiles, the type of traffic that's passing through, the top applications that are being consumed, etc.

It's also very easy to use.

What needs improvement?

I was not looking after the operations part, but sometimes, I did get engaged in some critical activities related to operations. There are some caveats in every product. Tunnel flapping was one of the major things I had seen wherein your internet link remains but your VPN tunnel is down. However, since I got a fix from the TAC team, I have not noticed it, but the customer complained a few times that they couldn't access the internet because of this problem. There were tunnel issues where there was already established connectivity, but at the kernel level, there were some issues. For example, there's a feature for auto-site connectivity wherein whenever it automatically creates a new tunnel, at the kernel level, it also creates an interface. Sometimes, that interface crashes and a new interface could not be created, which results in connectivity loss. 

Fortinet has established itself in the SMB market segment. It's doing pretty well in that space, but when it comes to the enterprise segment, they are lagging a little bit. It all boils down to the performance of the hardware. If I enable all of the security features available on my device, the throughput degrades quite a lot. If I have put 10 GBPS of throughput on a firewall and I enable all of these features available, such as IPS or UTM functionalities, the throughput comes down to 1 GBPS.

For how long have I used the solution?

I used Fortinet FortiGate for seven months. I last used it in February of this year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I'd rate it a seven out of ten in terms of stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution offers the option of deploying VMs or virtual machines to any public cloud, such as AWS or Azure. It provides such flexibility. If you have any application hosted in the cloud space, you can have a VM spin of the FortiGate over there and have a site-to-site tunnel established, so the scalability is there. Otherwise, at the site level, it's mostly hardware-based work. If you size it properly, then you have the option to expand. You might have chosen a low-end model because of the tight budget. In that case, it's not scalable on a specific site. However, if you have a certain number of sites, for example, if you have 400 of them and you want to expand to 500 or 1,000, there is simply a license that goes at the FortiManager level to support additional devices. FortiManager provides a single pane of management. 

I'd rate it a seven out of ten in terms of scalability.

How are customer service and support?

My experience was not that rewarding. It took me around three hours in total to get a simple issue identified and fixed. I escalated it to their L3 engineer, and after that, I was able to resolve the issue. The entire process took around three hours. First, their initial level person was troubleshooting, then it went to the next level, and then it went to the highest level.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

From the security perspective, I have not used any other solution, but I did have a glance at Cisco's portfolio. Cisco Meraki is one of the solutions that you can compare it with. Others were more specific to the routing and switching domain. I know the concepts and theory of Cisco SD-WAN, but I have not used it in a real environment for any customer.

How was the initial setup?

For one of the clients, it was deployed on the Azure public cloud. Initially, it was not easy. It was complex. Every product and technology requires a certain type of prerequisite, and when you have anything hosted on a public cloud, it becomes a tedious job to get things done quickly because multiple stakeholders are involved in that.

I have deployed Secure SD-WAN specifically for many customers. I find it easy, but you need one person to be at the site for remote connectivity. That person just needs to do the basic configuration. Once the device has IP reachability, you can easily discover it from FortiManager, which is the central controller. So, once you have the device on FortiManager, it takes a few clicks to onboard the device because you already would have a template in place.

The deployment duration depends on the number of sites. For a customer with ten sites, it would take a week's time because there are a lot of dependencies. It also depends on the customer's readiness and availability, but a week's time would be enough for the deployment of ten sites. If there is proper planning in place, you can also deploy 50 sites in a week, but that's something you cannot control from your side because there are a lot of dependencies on the customer and the service provider. If you have to integrate it into a customer's existing network, it becomes quite challenging to make them understand your prerequisites. There are instances where nobody is available from the customer side from the technical standpoint to help you. Those are the roadblocks, but from the solution perspective, it's quite easy to onboard devices.

What about the implementation team?

The deployment can be done by one person if that person is dedicated to a single project, but if more projects are running in parallel, you would require a few more people.

It does require maintenance, which includes upgrading the operating system and installing patches. Two to three people would be enough for around 500 site maintenance but not in the 24/7 case. If it's 24/7, then nine people would be required for that.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

By default, they give SD-WAN along with the firewall. They don't have separate licensing for the SD-WAN functionality. However, they have security licenses that are sold separately on a subscription basis. Customers can consume these security features to protect their users from internet traffic.

What other advice do I have?

To those evaluating this solution, I'd advise doing a PoC of different vendors who are meeting their requirements. They can then decide for themselves after seeing the demo.

Overall, I'd rate it an eight out of ten. It's user-friendly. It's also good features-wise, but their support is weak, and on the architecture front, it's not true SD-WAN. It's not decoupling the control chain functionality from the device to the controller. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1729623 - PeerSpot reviewer
Corporate Marketing Executive at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Top 5
Apr 10, 2025
Offers diverse features for threat detection and operational efficiency
Pros and Cons
  • "Fortinet FortiGate has SD-WAN, FortiView, antivirus, sandbox, and IPS, which are generally well-known features."
  • "Fortinet FortiGate has a threat detection capacity compared to other vendors."
  • "Fortinet technical support is lacking, as OEM support is slightly better."
  • "Fortinet technical support is lacking, as OEM support is slightly better. Improvement in their technical support could include response time as well as having more technically sound people in tech support."

What is our primary use case?

Generally, government and PSU, diamond companies, textile companies, and chemical companies are using Fortinet FortiGate in the Gujarat segment. We are also working with the Fortinet FortiSwitch and Fortinet AP. 

What is most valuable?

Fortinet FortiGate has SD-WAN, FortiView, antivirus, sandbox, and IPS, which are generally well-known features. Fortinet FortiGate has a threat detection capacity compared to other vendors.

What needs improvement?

Fortinet technical support is lacking, as OEM support is slightly better. Improvement in their technical support could include response time as well as having more technically sound people in tech support.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have more than 12 years of experience with Fortinet FortiGate.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This product is very scalable because Fortinet offers models ranging from thirty gigs to six thousand series and also offers solutions as VMs, making it highly scalable.

How are customer service and support?

Their support could be better.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We are working with both Fortinet and Check Point. Fortinet FortiGate is better compared to Check Point because I have worked with the Check Point model CP15,500.

What was our ROI?

Financial and operational ROI from Fortinet FortiGate is very fine compared to other products.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

There is no challenge in Fortinet FortiGate pricing. There is a little bit of extra cost for FortiManager and logging and reporting solutions. Fortinet can offer solutions such as FortiAnalyzer and FortiManager for free for SMB customers.

What other advice do I have?

We are not working with AI features in Fortinet FortiGate, but from my knowledge, FortiGuard is using AI tools for threat intelligence and protection. 

We recommend Fortinet FortiGate to other businesses with similar security needs. 

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
PeerSpot user
VINAY GUJARATHI - PeerSpot reviewer
Owner at Mindware Computer Solutions
Reseller
Jun 18, 2024
Has an initial setup phase that is easy to handle
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of the solution revolves around SSL VPN."
  • "Though the tool's GUI is user-friendly, it can be considered as an area with certain shortcomings where improvements are required."

What is our primary use case?

My company's customers use the solution for VPNs, specifically for SSL VPNs, IPSec VPNs, and other areas like web filters and application filters.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of the solution revolves around SSL VPN. SSL VPN is good since I stay in a family where we use some other servers with port forwarding features, and so there is a lot of risk with it. Last time, my server got hacked with a ransomware attack. After that, we got a firewall and gave an SSL VPN to my client to connect to their servers, after which, such kind of activities involving ransomware attacks stopped.

What needs improvement?

Though the tool's GUI is user-friendly, it can be considered as an area with certain shortcomings where improvements are required.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for five years. I am a reseller of the solution. I work with Fortinet FortiGate 40F and 60F.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

The challenges faced by our company related to the product are associated with the activation part. Whenever my company tries to activate the product, there are some challenges. Previously, my company had given a new product to our customer who had used Fortinet FortiGate in the past. When my company tried registering the product on the portal and activating the trial license, we saw that only 30 days of use remained in the tool. We installed the product's license after all the trial licenses were activated.

I have seven to ten customers running medium-sized businesses using Fortinet FortiGate.

After connecting to Fortinet Firewall, I have not faced any complaints related to large-scale traffic or attacks.

How are customer service and support?

The solution's technical support needs to be fast since whenever my company raises a complaint, it takes almost two to three hours to get a callback from the customer support team. I rate the technical support a seven out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I don't have any experience with SonicWall because it is not very user-friendly. Fortinet FortiGate is more user-friendly than SonicWall, so we are currently working with Fortinet FortiGate and Sophos.

How was the initial setup?

The product's initial setup phase is easy. I rate it as an eight, where one is difficult, and ten is easy. Sometimes, when configuring the SD-WAN policies, I have seen issues with the tool not working properly. After updating the firmware, the tool worked properly, but there was some issue with the SD-WAN part.

For the product's deployment phase, I configured LAN and WAN, followed by the web filter policies. If a customer requires it, you can configure the VPNs.

The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.

The solution can be deployed in half an hour.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It is a bit expensive. On a scale of one being cheap and ten being expensive, I rate the tool's price as an eight. The price is justified for the features and capabilities offered by the product.

What other advice do I have?

I can't describe how Fortinet FortiGate has been most effective for security posture since I haven't configured any security settings. It has a setting like in Outlook's configuration involving SMTP and POP. I didn't configure any security settings in the tool.

The tool's VPN functionality supports our company's customers' remote workforce since we have given an SSL VPN connection to support those working from outside the company. After connecting to the VPN, one needs to connect it to the server directly as it is better for security.

Whenever you upgrade firewall firmware, the user interface doesn't really change. If I upgrade to a new firmware with other tools, the user interface has slightly changed.

On the portal of Fortinet, there are VMs that are available for FortiGate. Our company can give the solution to the customer on a trial basis to check how it is working, so that there are no issues.

I rate the tool a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. reseller
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: June 2026
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.