We use Fortinet FortiGate-VM as an edge firewall for Internet traffic control and as the main firewall for cloud environments. Whether they're on AWS, Alibaba Cloud, or another platform, FortiGate-VM serves as the primary firewall.
Presales Manager at Rayat Group
An easy to configure and manage solution with fabric features
Pros and Cons
- "One notable feature is the SD-WAN, which is a strong component of the FortiGate-VM. The fabric feature is also good, but not all customers use FortiGate's networking components, such as the switches."
- "Integrating multi-factor authentication with FortiGate-VM can be challenging. While multi-factor authentication is important, not all customers have it enabled. Integration with third-party solutions like ManageEngine or Duo can be complex and sometimes problematic during testing."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
One notable feature is the SD-WAN, which is a strong component of the FortiGate-VM. The fabric feature is also good, but not all customers use FortiGate's networking components, such as the switches. We enable various protection features on FortiGate, such as IPS and web application security. Most customers utilize these protection features to enhance their security.
What needs improvement?
Integrating multi-factor authentication with FortiGate-VM can be challenging. While multi-factor authentication is important, not all customers have it enabled. Integration with third-party solutions like ManageEngine or Duo can be complex and sometimes problematic during testing. However, high availability works smoothly with FortiGate-VM. We use high availability, and SD-WAN features effectively; overall, the performance is good.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiGate-VM as a reseller for eight years.
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate-VM
August 2025

Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate-VM. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: August 2025.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is good.
I rate the solution’s stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We implemented it for more than one thousand users.
I rate the solution’s scalability a ten out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
Support from the engineering team has some weaknesses. Sometimes, they focus on closing tickets quickly or asking for logs without thoroughly addressing the issue. However, the support team includes knowledgeable and responsive individuals, especially those from non-Arabic backgrounds.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
Setting up FortiGate-VM is straightforward, but there is a step that can be a bit tricky. After installing the VM, you need to log into the CLI for the first time to set a static IP address if you have multiple interfaces. By default, interfaces will receive IP addresses via DHCP from the cloud service provider. You must disable DHCP on the additional interfaces and set static IPs to ensure proper access and configuration. You may have trouble accessing the firewall if you don't do this.
Issues with certificates and licenses often arise from the distributor, not Fortinet.
The setup process is generally easy. FortiGate is becoming popular in Saudi Arabia due to its user-friendly interface and ease of configuration compared to other vendors like Palo Alto. High availability setup is also simple and not overly complicated.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
When comparing Fortinet to other vendors in Saudi Arabia, like Palo Alto, Fortinet stands out positively. In comparison to Sophos, many customers are currently switching to Fortinet. Fortinet's pricing is competitive, making it an attractive option.
What other advice do I have?
To block HTTPS management traffic from the WAN, you must carefully manage the HTTPS settings. If HTTPS is not enabled on the WAN interface, you won't be able to block management traffic effectively. Some customers require HTTPS because of NAT services and use public IPs. Disabling HTTPS can disrupt management access. Better controls for managing the interface from the WAN side would be helpful.
Fortinet FortiGate is easier to configure and manage compared to Palo Alto. Setting up policies, routing, and VPN tunnels on FortiGate is more straightforward and faster. Palo Alto can be complex, requiring multiple steps to create a policy and manage interfaces.
FortiGate also excels in troubleshooting and logging. The logs are easier to read and provide better classification, making it simpler to troubleshoot issues. In contrast, Sophos is less effective for larger-scale operations and doesn’t match Fortinet’s capabilities.
In cloud environments, we recommend FortiGate-VM because it integrates well with cloud service providers. On-premises, many customers prefer physical FortiGate hardware, particularly with VMware setups. However, FortiGate-VM is more commonly used for service providers like SCC, Alibaba, and AWS.
Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
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. Reseller

Project Engineer at CDAC
A tool to help businesses create a blockage for external traffic
Pros and Cons
- "The tool improved the security in our company's virtualized environment, as it was helpful in creating an additional layer of security for the organization and for the use of the internet."
- "The product's initial setup phase is a bit complex."
What is our primary use case?
My company had once deployed multiple firewalls and switches in an organization.
My company uses the firewall capabilities of the product for L1, L2, and L3 switches, along with FortiClient VPN.
My company mostly deals with an organization that works with on-premises software. My company uses the tool to block the traffic from the outside area that may reach our infrastructure or network. My company uses the product as a firewall to create a blockage for outside traffic.
What is most valuable?
The most likable feature of the firewall functionalities stemmed from the fact that it did not allow anyone from outside the organization to have any kind of access to the company's information, and it ensured that it blocked outside traffic.
What needs improvement?
The product's setup is quite complex, making it an area where improvements are required.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have experience with Fortinet FortiGate-VM for four to five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
My company is involved in research and development activities, and some of our employees or teams are constantly involved in research or development, owing to which some product features are not implemented in our organization. In general, the product is not used to its 100 percent potential.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have experience with Palo Alto Networks.
How was the initial setup?
The product's initial setup phase is a bit complex.
The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.
The solution can be deployed in three working days.
What about the implementation team?
The deployment process can be carried out with the help of our company's in-house team.
What was our ROI?
Though I cannot give any numbers, I can say that the product's ROI is good. The tool is able to give good returns considering the amount of money that my company invested in the product for our infrastructure.
I rate the tool's benefits a nine out of ten since the product always helps to maintain security and safety in our company.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is a need to make payments towards the licensing costs attached to the solution.
What other advice do I have?
The tool improved the security in our company's virtualized environment, as it was helpful in creating an additional layer of security for the organization and for the use of the internet. The tool was the most important product to be implemented in the organization.
To be able for our organization to build our services, we need to operate inside a certain network while ensuring that the outside traffic gets blocked by using the firewall services from the tool, as it helps to create a secure network inside our company. Without the tool in our organization, our network would have been compromised. The aforementioned area consists of details related to how the tool helps with the workload protection aspect.
I recommend the solution to others who plan to use it since it helps in areas where it helps block a particular website with the help of the firewall functionalities that it possesses. The tool also helps block outside traffic, and it is mandatory to implement a firewall as an organization grows for the smooth operations of business.
I rate the tool a ten 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.
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate-VM
August 2025

Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate-VM. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: August 2025.
866,744 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Senior Network Security at Gofaster
Provides protection from a broad array of network threats
Pros and Cons
- "GitDM, like FortiGate VM, provides similar features to FortiGate appliances or cloud solutions. However, FortiGate VM is more suitable for heavy traffic and inspection compared to GitDM. Unfortunately, FortiGate VM lacks a dedicated SPU for inspection, and all features rely on CPU and RAM."
- "I don't have any specific improvements to suggest, but perhaps the pricing could be enhanced. Regarding updates, more frequent updates would be appreciated. FortiGate-VM is currently focused on providing very good firmware updates, automation, and top-notch features. It stands as a great product for now. Based on our needs and the vulnerabilities we've encountered due to various downloads, I suggest integrating with Kaspersky Gateway. This integration would involve scanning and inspecting both official emails and spam emails. Our customer has successfully worked with Kaspersky Gateway, and overall, the integration has been effective."
What is our primary use case?
All firewalls, including Fortinet FortiGate-VM, provide similar features under the sync capability. The differences between them are minimal, with FortiGate-VM offering simplicity in use. It covers aspects such as intrusion prevention, web filtering, application control, routing, virtual domains, policy-based routing, and SSL.
How has it helped my organization?
For our customer, this product holds paramount importance. It is critical for them as we collaborate with government agencies, financial institutions, and oil and gas companies. Inspecting and controlling traffic, especially pertaining to credit cards, is crucial for their operations.
What is most valuable?
GitDM, like FortiGate VM, provides similar features to FortiGate appliances or cloud solutions. However, FortiGate VM is more suitable for heavy traffic and inspection compared to GitDM. Unfortunately, FortiGate VM lacks a dedicated SPU for inspection, and all features rely on CPU and RAM.
What needs improvement?
I don't have any specific improvements to suggest, but perhaps the pricing could be enhanced. Regarding updates, more frequent updates would be appreciated. FortiGate-VM is currently focused on providing very good firmware updates, automation, and top-notch features. It stands as a great product for now.
Based on our needs and the vulnerabilities we've encountered due to various downloads, I suggest integrating with Kaspersky Gateway. This integration would involve scanning and inspecting both official emails and spam emails. Our customer has successfully worked with Kaspersky Gateway, and overall, the integration has been effective.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate-VM for 3 years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In conjunction with the switch and based on the sizing, it indicates a suitable box or VM for the customer. If the level of mailbox is low, the stability will be good, and the box will not be in conserve mode. Regarding impressions of scalability, I would rate it eight out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
The support team is excellent, providing assistance and resolving issues effectively.
How was the initial setup?
The setup is straightforward for me, but our customers might find it a bit challenging. Overall, following the provided steps and consulting the official materials or documentation makes the FortiGate-VM setup relatively easy.Firstly, we establish a console connection to the firewall and access its default IP. In the second step, we create rules to enable the firewall to access the internet. Following these two steps, we register a rule with Fortinet Broadcom, download the necessary licenses, and upload them. After uploading the license, we set up an interface rule, check the license, and configure interfaces such as LAN, WAN, and VPN. Subsequently, we create profiles, including web filter, application, antivirus, and IPS profiles. The last steps involve configuring interfaces like LAN, WAN, and VPN, as well as attaching profiles to outbound policies. We also consider additional configurations, like server publishing, destination netting, or integrating with PBM for Alibaba Cloud. The final three configurations are optional and depend on the customer's requirements.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We can tailor the suitable license for the customer, whether they require UTB or enterprise features. The options are flexible based on their needs.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Fortinet for large-scale companies and Sophos for medium or small enterprises. I would rate it 8 out of 10.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
System&Network Administrator at All Limited Solutions
A value-for-money appliance that provides good security and technical support
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is very secure, and its technical support is on point."
- "Fortinet FortiGate-VM should improve its asset identification, wherein the device can identify assets on the network, like computers."
What is our primary use case?
Fortinet FortiGate-VM is used for the firewall. Some clients would like to go for the solution because of pricing. They feel they can run it on their own hardware, cut down costs, and manage it.
What is most valuable?
I can vouch for the security aspect of Fortinet FortiGate-VM. It's a value-for-money appliance. Fortinet has always been our number one firewall appliance regarding recommendations to customers. The solution is very secure, and its technical support is on point.
I like Fortinet FortiGate-VM for tutorial purposes. You can set up the solution on your personal computer for apps and teaching.
What needs improvement?
Fortinet FortiGate-VM should improve its asset identification, wherein the device can identify assets on the network, like computers. We should be able to identify a device and the user account used to log on to that device.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiGate-VM for more than five to six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Since it is a VM, the solution runs on a client-provided host machine. Most of the time, the host machine gives issues that affect the VM.
I rate the solution a five out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Around 20 users are using Fortinet FortiGate-VM in our organization.
I rate the solution an eight out of ten for scalability.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's technical support is responsive, but the only issue is you need to be specific with your problem. If you are not specific with your problem, it will take longer to resolve the issue because of time zone differences. All the engineers would like to know exactly the problem before they offer solutions.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously worked with pfSense. We switched to Fortinet FortiGate-VM because pfSense was giving us issues.
How was the initial setup?
Fortinet FortiGate-VM is easy to implement, provided you know your network architecture and the basics.
On a scale from one to ten, where one is complex and ten is easy, I rate the solution's initial setup a nine out of ten.
What about the implementation team?
The solution can be deployed in less than ten minutes.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Fortinet FortiGate-VM is a very expensive solution. It's a value-for-money appliance. You don't have every client going in for the solution unless there are some specific points.
You need to know exactly what you need at the point of purchase. That will guide you in purchasing the required license. If you miss and purchase the wrong license, you can wait and purchase another license during renewal. You can also negotiate with Fortinet to have your license changed to get the feature you want.
On a scale from one to ten, where one is expensive and ten is cheap, I rate the solution's pricing a three out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
We used to troubleshoot for Fortinet FortiGate-VM, but now the new firmware doesn't really give issues. We do maintain the solution by checking on devices and updating the firmware. We have seven engineers in our technical team to deploy and maintain the solution.
I would not recommend Fortinet FortiGate-VM to other users because most users don't have the infrastructure. They will tell you they want to cut down costs. You get them the solution, and at the end of the day, as a technical person, you will be bothered by the solution.
Regarding the upgrade, the only time we've had an issue is when the customer gave the wrong information. The utilization exceeded what they actually needed. Aside from that, Fortinet FortiGate-VM is a good appliance for us.
Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
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
Senior Cyber Security Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
A stable and easy-to-deploy solution that provides excellent security features
Pros and Cons
- "All the security features that are built into the product are valuable."
- "Support could be improved a little."
What is our primary use case?
We deploy the tool for customers who want a firewall in front of their cloud environment. We can use it for anything they want to protect in their data center or private cloud.
How has it helped my organization?
The solution has given us a good revenue stream and a better solution for our customers for network security. The product can take our customer’s basic firewall and take it to the next level and give them much more visibility and control over the traffic.
What is most valuable?
All the security features that are built into the product are valuable. It includes web filtering, DNS filtering, and intrusion prevention. FortiGate is the best firewall in the market. It pretty much does most things.
What needs improvement?
Support could be improved a little.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for four and a half years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the solution’s stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s scalability a ten out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
Sometimes, we get really good, knowledgeable engineers. At other times, it feels like we got somebody who started that day. We have to go through the wringer with them.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was very easy.
What was our ROI?
I have seen an ROI on the product.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is pretty decent compared to other products. The product’s licensing must be a little cheaper.
What other advice do I have?
If you're looking for an enterprise-level next-generation firewall, go with FortiGate. It’s hands down the best value for what you pay. Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Information Technology Division Director at Ethiopian Roads Administration
Helps segregate the VLANs in the data center, but it needs to improve on the security part
Pros and Cons
- "It is scalable because it is a virtual appliance. You can probably scale it up more."
- "The security offered by the tool has certain shortcomings, making it in area where improvements are required."
What is our primary use case?
I use the solution in my company for the data center's server protection to segregate the data center VLANs and the other VLANs used in the production, testing, and development phases, including the areas consisting of DMZ and VLAN. We are using Fortinet FortiGate-VM as a software-based tool and as a firewall for our data center.
What is most valuable?
It filters out the unnecessary connectivity that I would probably expect to be connected from the end user site or from external to the data center site. It is also used to filter unauthorized access to sites and to mitigate risks if, in cases, because of the asset policy, the remote desktop connectivity or remote connectivity is not allowed to restrict something. It is used to deal with phishing or something that may not pass through the network. The tool serves as an industrial firewall so that we can use it as a filter more efficiently.
What needs improvement?
The security offered by the tool has certain shortcomings, making it in area where improvements are required. Security, by nature, is very dynamic, and continuous improvement is required. Every time, the policy and the configuration need to be checked in that aspect now, so in that aspect, it needs some improvement, especially when it comes to some filtering mechanisms, and protocols.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiGate-VM for more than three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In terms of stability, it is stable. Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable because it is a virtual appliance. You can probably scale it up more.
Fortinet FortiGate-VM is a security solution, so users are not expected to access it. It is actually required to protect the network and the environment, so there is no need for actual user access for the solution.
How was the initial setup?
The product's initial setup phase requires some special expertise. The initial setup phase might not be complex, but it requires experts since it is a security solution.
If there is an expertise that is actually doing the implementation or deployment, then it is a straightforward process.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution requires a license. The tool is neither expensive nor cheap, so it is okay.
What other advice do I have?
The product's implementation does affect our compliance with industry regulations, and it is one of the reasons why we prefer using Fortinet FortiGate-VM.
My suggestion to other people related to the tool depends on their requirements because there are other different solutions in terms of cost, efficiency, security, reliability, and security. Depending on the requirements, the tool is recommendable. Fortinet is one of the top security solutions in the market. Anybody can choose from multiple tools in the market, including Palo Alto products and other solutions. Fortinet is usually recommended to others.
I think that Fortinet FortiGate-VM has some solutions that offer AI features. For our use case, we don't actually use the AI functionalities since we want to control everything. In my company, we are the ones who are actually dealing with the product and are just not supported by AI.
I rate the tool a seven out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Network Administrator at Letshego
Efficiently protects my internet network but storage configuration is volatile
Pros and Cons
- "The policies are very valuable. They allow me to secure and manage future traffic effectively."
- "The biggest area for improvement is storage configuration. It could be smoother."
What is our primary use case?
It's crucial for protecting my internet network. It works well internally.
How has it helped my organization?
Fortinet FortiGate-VM improved security within our virtualized environment.
However, I would rate the ease of management a seven out of ten, with ten being the best.
What is most valuable?
The policies are very valuable. They allow me to secure and manage future traffic effectively.
What needs improvement?
The biggest area for improvement is storage configuration. It could be smoother.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using it for four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
When it comes to stability, various factors are involved, including partners, configurations, and third-party integrations.
However, we do use it, and it seems reliable and secure for most situations.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The company that acquired us already had similar technology in place, so there wasn't a significant change when they integrated FortiGate-VM.
We have around 60 end users in our company using this solution. It is a very scalable solution.
How are customer service and support?
It's a new technology, and we're still learning. Support is crucial.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward and quick.
We moved the equipment to the site, connected it to the internet, and configured it through the console.
What about the implementation team?
I took a consultant's help.
What was our ROI?
It improved security a lot.
What other advice do I have?
My recommendation is: If you use FortiGate-VM, make sure your infrastructure is good first and that power generation is very stable.
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.
CEO at Easyteam
A flexible and scalable solution that easily integrates with the network infrastructure
Pros and Cons
- "It’s easy to integrate the solution with our network infrastructure."
- "We face some issues with the IPsec connection during replication."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for our private cloud.
What is most valuable?
We use Fortinet for everything in our organization. Our organization has Fortinet experts. The virtualized network features work fine. The flexibility is fine. It’s easy to integrate the solution with our network infrastructure.
What needs improvement?
We face some issues with the IPsec connection during replication. It must be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for six months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is fine.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s scalability an eight out of ten. We have many users in our organization.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is complex because we use CLI. The solution is cloud-based. We have moved our on-premise VM to a private VM.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have used Netgate. I prefer Fortinet FortiGate-VM.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I rate the product a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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Updated: August 2025
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