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RohitKumar - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager Of Information Technology at Jubilant Foodworks
Real User
Top 20
A flexible and stable solution that helped limit user traffic and secured data
Pros and Cons
  • "It's a flexible solution."
  • "Another issue is how deduplication services don't work reliably after enabling deduplication on Fortinet."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution to secure our entire data, limiting user traffic from within the system, which needs to be assessed to be secure. That is the main motive behind choosing the solution.

How has it helped my organization?

Suppose I don't want to pay for the users. We would have done some whitelisting and content filtering on the FortiGate web gate. Based on the policies, any user traffic is filtered through the secure gateway.

What is most valuable?

It's a flexible solution.

What needs improvement?

What happens in FortiGate is that a lot of bugs come on a system-by-system basis, like when Fortinet launches new firmware in FortiGate. Most software launches with known or unknown bugs. When we go for upgradation, even after running a bug scoping exam, we don't know whether the BIOS for which we are upgrading would affect the end user. We don't know how the FortiGate firmware will behave in your environment. Whatever the known bug, FortiGate lists it in their documents, but you never know how the problem will impact your environment. That's a major disadvantage of FortiGate because, somewhere, it's very unstable.

Another issue is how deduplication services don't work reliably after enabling deduplication on Fortinet. When they launch any new firmware in the future, they have to ensure firmware functions.

Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
October 2025
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2025.
869,832 professionals have used our research since 2012.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've worked with Fortinet FortiGate SWG for more than ten years now.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the solution's stability a seven out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate the solution's scalability a seven out of ten. We have around 700 users on the platform.

How are customer service and support?

If any issues arise, we have to log a ticket with Fortinet. By default, they log all the tickets in P3 or P4 priorities. For P1 or P2, they ask to call us on their phone numbers and lines. Whenever we try to call on the phone for any P1 or P2 issues, the next time, the number gets busy, or the email is unavailable. That's why

I feel the support is not up to the mark, and they must work on it.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

I rate the solution's initial setup a seven out of ten. The deployment time depends on the scenario, such as your infrastructure size. To deploy the solution on a cloud, you have to buy it from the marketplace and deploy it on the cloud. But after that, you have to do a lot of configurations. That depends on the size of the operation.

One person is more than enough to implement the smaller version of the solution. But if the organization is bigger, with more than 500 or 600 users, we would need three to four people.

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

Fortinet is priced low.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We are exploring Netskope and evaluating it for the future.

What other advice do I have?

I recommend Fortinet FortiGate SWG because it is flexible and cost-effective. I rate it an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Saurabh-Pal - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Security Specialist at a tech vendor with 11-50 employees
Real User
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
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
October 2025
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2025.
869,832 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Network Security Engineer at Gofaster
Real User
Integrates cutting-edge features but has some complexity in implementation

What is our primary use case?

I use Fortinet FortiGate's data center solution, and I use the AI and ML-enhanced FortiGuard services within FortiGate.

What is most valuable?

The best features of Fortinet FortiGate are the integration of SD-WAN capabilities with Fortinet Unified SASE. I utilize Fortinet FortiGate's data center solution, and I use the AI and ML-enhanced FortiGuard services within FortiGate.

What needs improvement?

The ease of use related to Fortinet FortiGate and FortiNAC is a bit complex when implementing and supporting cases related to a FortiGate firewall. The software contains bugs, particularly in SSL VPN from all the firmware starting from version 7.6.3; the SSL VPN is not found in this version. If customers update the firewall firmware to 7.6.3, they might experience issues with the SSL VPN. In FortiNAC, there are issues with the passive agent on an endpoint. I currently conduct lab tests in my company to apply the FortiNAC agent on my endpoint, but I encounter issues with this application.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for three years and FortiNAC for one year.

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

I do not have information about the license costs for Fortinet FortiGate.

What other advice do I have?

I have experience with Fortinet FortiGate and FortiNAC. I need to apply some labs in my company to finalize the project, so I can identify the disadvantage points to share. The interface of Fortinet FortiGate is simplified and easy to use. 

On a scale of 1-10, I rate this solution a 7.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
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Bernard Rocke - PeerSpot reviewer
Group Head of IT at BG Gorup
Real User
Top 20
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
reviewer1729623 - PeerSpot reviewer
Corporate Marketing Executive at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Top 5
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
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IT Manager at Daltons Limited
Real User
Top 20
Intuitive with a user-friendly interface that simplifies network tasks
Pros and Cons
  • "The initial setup is very straightforward and easy, with wizards helping to configure the device efficiently."
  • "There's always something new that can be added or fixed."

What is our primary use case?

I used it as an IT provider, and our main firewall was the Fortinet series FortiGate. Currently, I am just a user on the end user side of the fence.

How has it helped my organization?

The Fortinet gear is really easy to use, intuitive, and pretty powerful. It has been great because we haven't had to change it out very much. The operational return on investment has been great as we don't have to keep replacing it.

What is most valuable?

I really liked the interface because it was extremely user-friendly. Unlike Cisco, where you didn't need to be certified to use the interface effectively. The consistency across all models has also been beneficial as it simplifies learning and usage. They put in a thing called the FortiCookbook, which is very easy to read with real-life scenarios that make networking tasks like joining networks very straightforward.

What needs improvement?

I just don't like giving products ten out of ten. There's always something new that can be added or fixed.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with the Fortinet FortiGate overall since 2006, which is quite a few years now.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We haven't had to change it out very much. It has been stable and reliable for us.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I would rate its scalability as a nine out of ten. They scale up really well from smaller models like the FortiGate 40 and 50 to bigger sites with the FortiGate 100 for more throughput - up to enterprise datacenters.

How are customer service and support?

Customer support is quite good. We purchased the 24/7 support, and they usually respond within an hour, even in the middle of the night.

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

I haven't switched from FortiGate. We still use the Fortinet solution as our firewall.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very straightforward and easy, with wizards helping to configure the device efficiently.

What was our ROI?

The ROI has been very good because it's operationally efficient, and we haven't needed to replace the equipment frequently.

What other advice do I have?

I would definitely recommend it to other businesses with similar security needs. For smaller businesses with just a couple of computers, the standard ISP-supplied modems are fine.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

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
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
reviewer2497986 - PeerSpot reviewer
Computer Networks and Systems Support Engineer at a real estate/law firm with 11-50 employees
Real User
Top 5
Provides good threat intelligence feeds, but the advanced models are expensive
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution provides good threat intelligence feeds."
  • "The advanced models are expensive."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution on the perimeter. We are a government entity. We have other organizations monitoring our network. We also have our own firewall to separate the DMZ and different things on our external servers.

What is most valuable?

The solution provides good threat intelligence feeds.

What needs improvement?

The advanced models are expensive.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for five to six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The tool’s stability is good. I rate the stability a seven or eight out of ten. The stability could be improved.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The tool is very scalable. It connects to its own wireless access points. The firewall is supported by other technologies. We can add more products and extend the features and the network.

How was the initial setup?

Fortinet has a tool that migrates all the policies from the previous firewall to the new one.

What about the implementation team?

The vendor helped us with the setup. It was quick. We connected the new firewall first. Then, we exported the policies from the live firewall to the new one. On a weekend, we deployed the new firewall.

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

If we buy licenses for a longer duration, we get discounts.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Fortinet has better models, but we are using the one within our budget. It's a good product. Besides Fortinet, we're using Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Defender, as well as the safety features that come with these products. There are many products in the market. The monitoring team is using Palo Alto. Palo Alto is better than Fortinet, but it's more expensive.

What other advice do I have?

We use Fortinet for VPN, too. We have not faced any major issues with the tool. It has a lot of capabilities that enable us to customize tunnels and allow traffic from certain countries or regions. The vendor provides cloud-based models, but we do not use them because they are subscription-based models that are not within our budget.

The vendor has a lot of free and paid training courses. It is the best way to learn about the product. It is similar to Palo Alto. All the good companies have a lot of training materials and training courses to understand the product. The initial versions are free of cost. The certifications will help people understand the process and make administration easier. The cloud version has AI features.

Overall, I rate the product a seven or eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: October 2025
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.