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Network Security Engineer at ZOL Zimbabwe
Real User
Offers visibility of critical data in real-time for our clients, but the reports are over-summarized
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features are customizing reports, and the ability to drill down to display critical information in real-time."
  • "The reports are good, but they are over-summarized."

What is our primary use case?

We use this solution for reporting. We also use it to keep logs for our clients that require logs with a history of more than seven days.

In addition to our own firewalls, we have several clients with firewalls that report into the same FortiAnalyzer.

We have a private cloud deployment, set up on-premises.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features are customizing reports, and the ability to drill down to display critical information in real-time. FortiGate itself, for example, doesn't offer all of this information on the entry-level firewalls. You can get more detailed information from FortiAnalyzer based on the log that is retrieved from FortiGate while it is operating.

What needs improvement?

I would like to be able to do more customization. For example, I would like to be able to develop my own set of reports that I can upload to the analyzer, and then it can report in a fashionable way as to what I really expect, rather than the ones that are preconfigured. Then we can play around with them in terms of where you can position your top bandwidth users, and such.

The reports are good, but they are over-summarized.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using this solution for four years.
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Fortinet FortiAnalyzer
May 2025
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The device has been pretty much stable. We haven't really had issues with it in the time that we've been using it.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The licensing limits the storage in terms of how much information it can store. For example, you can collect seven gigs of log files in a day.

We have twenty firewalls connecting to FortiAnalyzer. We are moving some of them to the FortiCloud platform because we get thirty days of reporting on a non-subscription basis with FortiCloud. With FortiAnalyzer, we would have to pay for more licenses.

At this stage, we do not plan to increase usage. The majority of our clients who have entry-level firewalls are now depending on FortiCloud. It is more robust than us having more of the FortiAnalyzer devices. Because FortiCloud is accessible from anywhere, a client can easily manage it, rather than us giving them access to the Fortianalyzer. So, we're finding FortiCloud being a better option than us having an on-site FortiAnalyzer.

How are customer service and support?

When I speak with Fortinet technical support it is usually in regards to FortiGate. I would rate their support team an eight out of ten. Sometimes, what happens is that we open a webchat with them where you don't have to open a ticket. The problem is that you may end up dealing with the level-one support who doesn't really give you the answer, so they then refer you to open a ticket. This delay can be a problem when you have a client that needs an issue resolved right then and there.

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

We have not used any other solutions for log analysis.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of this solution is pretty straightforward. We have a few FortiGate firewalls, and they communicate with FortiAnalyzer over the public networks by sending their logs.

The deployment was not difficult and did not take much time. It is just the initial configuration on FortiAnalyzer, which takes no more than ten minutes. Then, the analyzer will be synchronized with FortiGate. It is just a matter of entering the FortiAnalyzer IP address, then allowing it to register. In total, it takes about twenty minutes.

There are three administrators for this solution, and I handle the maintenance myself.

What about the implementation team?

We handled the deployment ourselves. The documentation from Fortinet is pretty straightforward.

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

The pricing of this solution is fair, and it is based on what you can manage. There are no costs in addition to the licensing fees.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We tried NetFlow Analyzer, and the product was good but it was highly expensive.

What other advice do I have?

This solution, at every stage, does what I expect it to.

My advice for anybody researching this solution is to consider the size of their organization. If it is very big and they need to retain a log for a specific number of days or a period of time, for example, going back to thirty days and they also need to analyze the traffic in real-time, then FortiAnalyzer would be ideal. However, the same service is now available on FortiCloud, which is something else that I highly recommend.

With other solutions, such as NetFlow Analyzer, you can really customize your report to what you expect. Together you can insert logs, you can customize your reports with the logs that you're receiving, unlike with FortiAnalyzer. This is a major drawback.

I would rate this solution a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner.
PeerSpot user
Mohamed Gohary - PeerSpot reviewer
Project Manager at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Enriches visibility for security solutions
Pros and Cons
  • "FortiAnalyzer's best feature is centralized log analysis. It's based on SQL database, so I can fully customize my report, chart-wise and log-wise, and can create as many reports as I want without any limit."
  • "FortiAnalyzer's price could be lower."

What is our primary use case?

I mainly use FortiAnalyzer to centralize logs from multiple devices and generate local reports. It can work in two operation modes: as a collector only or an analyzer.

How has it helped my organization?

FortiAnalyzer has enriched the visibility for all our security solutions.

What is most valuable?

FortiAnalyzer's best feature is centralized log analysis. It's based on SQL database, so I can fully customize my report, chart-wise and log-wise, and can create as many reports as I want without any limit. It also has an important feature called Indicators of Compromise, an artificial intelligence feature that detects and alerts you when there is a breach in your entity. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using FortiAnalyzer for ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

FortiAnalyzer is a very mature and stable product.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

FortiAnalyzer is scalable. When my organization expands in any way, I can implement a FortiAnalyzer as a collector only, it will collect the log, and I can send this to the main analyzer. If I use the virtual alert mode, this is a stackable license, so I can expand the log size or the internal hard-disc log size by purchasing a license. There is also a workaround solution, to automatically upload the old log file to shared storage and delete the old one, which gives more space in the hard drive.

How are customer service and support?

FortiAnalyzer's technical support is helpful.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

FortiAnalyzer is straightforward to implement and integrate, but a little experience is needed to generate a technical level.

What was our ROI?

We get good ROI from FortiAnalyzer.

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

FortiAnalyzer's price could be lower, but it is cheaper than competitors like Palo Alto, Forcepoint, or Sophos. The basic license is available on a yearly basis, but some other licenses can be for three, six, or nine months as required. There are no hidden costs associated with this product.

What other advice do I have?

Don't just depend on the basic reports, you can get much more out of FortiAnalyzer if you know how to create customized reports from the SQL queries. I would give FortiAnalyzer a rating of eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiAnalyzer
May 2025
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiAnalyzer. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2025.
851,823 professionals have used our research since 2012.
ICT System Specialist at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Log management that is scalable, easy to use, and priced well
Pros and Cons
  • "The interface is simple and easy to navigate."
  • "One of the main disadvantages is not having a direct link to the security policy when you see something in the log."

What is our primary use case?

We are using Fortinet FortiAnalyzer to manage services for our customers. We use it for log management.

What is most valuable?

Fortinet FortiAnalyzer is easy. For customers with basic knowledge, and for those who do not have a technical background, Fortinet is quite good and it should be the first choice.

The interface is simple and easy to navigate.

What needs improvement?

One of the main disadvantages is not having a direct link to the security policy when you see something in the log. You should be able to right-click and go directly to the security policy. When you compare with Checkpoint, they are very good with reporting and logging, and when you right-click on the log you can go to the policy and edit it.

In the next release, I would like to have a feature added where you can right-click and it takes you directly to the policy to edit it.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Fortinet FortiAnalyzer for four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiAnalyzer is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This is solution is very scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

I don't have any issues with technical support.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. Everything with Fortinet is straightforward.

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

When comparing with other solutions such as Checkpoint and Cisco, Fortinet is priced well.

What other advice do I have?

I am an expert in Juniper and Fortinet at a professional level.

Previously in another company, we were service providers, and I did the implementation for service delivery cargo, and for an enterprise company, I did the firewall migration.

I would recommend Fortinet FortiAnalyzer.

I would rate this solution 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: partner
PeerSpot user
Security Manager at Alternative Solutions
Real User
Top 5
Scales well, helpful GUI, and useful automation
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features of Fortinet FortiAnalyzer are the GUI and there is automation that can be done with playbooks and mini-books."
  • "Fortinet FortiAnalyzer can improve by introducing integration with other Fortinet solutions with automation with one interface would be helpful."

What is our primary use case?

My clients mainly use Fortinet FortiAnalyzer for the log and automation.

This solution can be deployed on-premise and on the cloud.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features of Fortinet FortiAnalyzer are the GUI and there is automation that can be done with playbooks and mini-books.

What needs improvement?

Fortinet FortiAnalyzer can improve by introducing integration with other Fortinet solutions with automation with one interface would be helpful.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiAnalyzer for approximately four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of Fortinet FortiAnalyzer is good.

I rate the stability of Fortinet FortiAnalyzer a ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable.

This solution is suitable for all sized companies.

I rate the scalability of Fortinet FortiAnalyzer a nine out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

My clients had a mixed experience with the support from Fortinet FortiAnalyzer. Some had good experiences and others had poor experiences.

I rate the support of Fortinet FortiAnalyzer a ten out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

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

My customers have tried Palo Alto Panorama and we only had positive feedback from Fortinet FortiAnalyzer.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Fortinet FortiAnalyzer is simple.

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

The price of Fortinet FortiAnalyzer is expensive.

I rate the price of Fortinet FortiAnalyzer a ten out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

I rate Fortinet FortiAnalyzer a ten out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
reviewer1406484 - PeerSpot reviewer
Jr. Engineer at a computer software company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Stable and scalable with robust security and performance
Pros and Cons
  • "Its robust security and performance are the two main features. We also use the log reporting feature."
  • "We should be able to do the patch upgrades in a centralized manner. This functionality is currently not there. It would be good to be able to do the firmware updates from one place and at the same time. Currently, if we want to update all appliances, we require FortiManager, which is another solution from Fortinet. Its documentation can be improved. It will be helpful for implementing the product and gaining knowledge for management purposes."

What is our primary use case?

We basically use it for security. We are using the latest version.

What is most valuable?

Its robust security and performance are the two main features. We also use the log reporting feature. 

What needs improvement?

We should be able to do the patch upgrades in a centralized manner. This functionality is currently not there. It would be good to be able to do the firmware updates from one place and at the same time. Currently, if we want to update all appliances, we require FortiManager, which is another solution from Fortinet.

Its documentation can be improved. It will be helpful for implementing the product and gaining knowledge for management purposes.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiAnalyzer for three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable. This solution is being used for a government department with a lot of users.

How are customer service and technical support?

Their technical support is good. We don't have any issues with their support.

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

In my earlier organization, I have used solutions from CheckPoint and Palo Alto. These are good products, but they are expensive as compared to Fortinet. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very easy. 

What about the implementation team?

We got help from Fortinet engineers. We have a tie-up with the Fortinet support team. They install it for us. 

We have three people for its deployment and maintenance. We have two network engineers and one technical support engineer.

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

Its price is okay for us. Fortinet products are cheaper than other solutions.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution, but it also depends on the organization. We are using this solution, and we are getting good results. 

I would rate Fortinet FortiAnalyzer a ten out of ten. It is the best. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Regional Head at MASS INFONET (P) LTD.
Real User
Enables us to see what the user is doing and what sites he goes to
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution allows for a lot of customization."
  • "Their in-house technical support is extremely slow to respond. We have our own in-house team to manage issues so clients don't have to wait over two weeks for a response to issues."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily distribute this product to our clients.

What is most valuable?

When you need the reporting on the ISP, you will hand it to FortiAnalyzer. It works amazingly well. 

With FortiAnalyzer, you can see what the user is doing and what sites he goes to. You can also see how much quota there is and how much (size-wise) you want to hit, as well as what the incoming or outbound traffic is, and if it is through the ISP or not. Basically, you can see absolutely all activity using FortiAnalyzer.

The solution is very complete.

The product is very simple to use. 

It's regularly updated with many versions constantly adding more content and information.

The solution has sandboxing, IPS, and DPS as well.

The solution allows for a lot of customization.

Whether it's FortiAnalyzer, FortiManager, FortiGate, FortiIP, and FortiSwitch you can manage everything through a single console. That is the beauty of Fortinet. It's the security fabrics on offer. When you use the security fabrics, harnessing that control on a single dashboard makes everything so easy and manageable. 

What needs improvement?

There aren't any features missing. It's very complete.

Their in-house technical support is extremely slow to respond. We have our own in-house team to manage issues so clients don't have to wait over two weeks for a response to issues.

The solution has some limitations. We use MNC, and it has a US patent. Here we can do this thing but we maybe can't do that thing. They provide some documents to customers, but the customers want remote support to take on and/or finish the work. That's why I have the deployment team in place. It's a team within our team.

For how long have I used the solution?

We don't really use the solution. We sell the solution to our clients.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We've never had issues with stability. It's excellent. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's very reliable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is good. If a company needs to scale the solution, they are able to do so very easily.

How are customer service and support?

We have our own technical support offering and have 22 people handling everything from tickets to critical issues. It's L3 support, not L2 or L1.

Fortinet's support, on the other hand, has a slow response time. That's why we handle issues. If you put in a ticket with Fortinet, you may not get a response for 15 or 20 days. Our response time is much quicker.

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

We deal specifically in Fortinet products. We don't sell other solutions to our clients.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not complex at all. It's very straightforward.

Deployment is very easy. If you're using multiple gateways you can just connect through a single gateway. 

What other advice do I have?

We are an official partner and distributor of Fortinet in Maharashtra and Goa. We have only Fortinet products, and we are the sales stockist and we also offer our services. We have a limited portfolio and handle products such as FortiGate, FortiManager, FortiSwitch, and FortiED as well as FortiAnalyzer.

You can see in the Gartner report, Fortinet remains in the top tier of products, alongside Palo Alto and Check Point. Even Sophos and Sonic Wall aren't as highly ranked as Fortinet.

There isn't much competition locally on the market here. Palo Alto is technically a competitor, however, it lacks a few things that Fortinet already has.

I would definitely recommend the product. In fact, I would recommend the whole Fortinet portfolio to each and every client. Of course, which product would depend on the client requirements. All are excellent.

I'd rate the solution ten out of ten. Technical support is lacking, however, we have an internal team that can fulfill those needs.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Distributor
PeerSpot user
Adriaan Boshoff - PeerSpot reviewer
Network and Security Engineer at RaytonCOrp
Real User
Top 10
Provides detailed reporting, customizable dashboards, and an easy deployment
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is the capability to create a customized dashboard."
  • "The integration between specific tenants and FortiAnalyzer can be simplified when utilizing a multi-tenant EMS for our FortiClient."

What is our primary use case?

Fortinet FortiAnalyzer is primarily utilized to generate quarterly reports showcasing blocked attacks and vulnerabilities. It employs features like WAV porting triggers and DNS triggers to effectively demonstrate to the client the security of their environment.

How has it helped my organization?

Fortinet FortiAnalyzer assists in showcasing the value of Fortinet and facilitates the upselling of additional Fortinet products to our customers.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the capability to create a customized dashboard. We can subsequently input our EMS, FortiClient, and FortiGate data into it and generate reports.

What needs improvement?

The integration between specific tenants and FortiAnalyzer can be simplified when utilizing a multi-tenant EMS for our FortiClient.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiAnalyzer for three months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiAnalyzer is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiAnalyzer is scalable.

How are customer service and support?

I utilized the technical support services once, and I received a prompt response.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. The deployment was an easy and smooth process. The deployment took one day and I did it myself.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Fortinet FortiAnalyzer a nine out of ten.

Fortinet FortiAnalyzer does not require maintenance after the initial report setup. We simply have to remove and add FortiGate as needed for each report.

Before utilizing Fortinet FortiAnalyzer, individuals should determine the type of reporting they require. Additionally, they ought to be acquainted with FortiGate before endeavoring to use FortiAnalyzer.

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: Integrator
PeerSpot user
Senior Network Engineer at Dejpaad
Real User
Top 5
Easy to set up with good performance and reliability
Pros and Cons
  • "It's easy to set up the product."
  • "The solution costs too much."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution for just one company for the analysis of the FortiGate switch.

What is most valuable?

The solution is scalable. 

The performance is good.

It's easy to set up the product. 

What needs improvement?

The solution costs too much. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for about three years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution has been stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches, and it doesn't crash or freeze. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's a scalable product and expands well.

Only admins use the solution. There are three to four people with direct access to the product. 

How are customer service and support?

I do not have access to technical support. In Iran, we have sanctions, and so we cannot get support. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is pretty straightforward and simple. It's not overly complex or difficult to manage. We can deploy it in about two hours. You only need one person to handle the deployment and maintenance tasks as it is very simple. 

What was our ROI?

We have witnessed a bit of an ROI and find the product to be worth the cost. 

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

We do need to pay for a license, and the payment is made yearly. There are no extra costs associated with the product beyond the main licensing fee. 

It is an expensive solution. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not evaluate other solutions before choosing this product.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I'd rate the product eight out of ten in terms of its functionality. I have been pleased with its capabilities so far. I'd recommend the solution to others. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
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