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EhabAli - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Cybersecurity Solutions Architect at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
Real User
May 16, 2023
Efficient, user-friendly, and affordable
Pros and Cons
  • "Fortinet FortiGate is user-friendly and affordable."
  • "For the migration, everyone has a firewall in use and I am selling Fortinet. Typically, I am replacing another firewall. Previously, there was a tool available to convert configurations from one firewall, such as Palo Alto, to Fortinet, but this tool is no longer free. If it could be made free again, it would be very beneficial."

What is our primary use case?

There are various use cases for Fortinet FortiGate, including firewall protection for internet access, data centers, branches, and SD-WAN. We use the firewall in multiple locations throughout our network, taking advantage of its many features, such as the promising CDR feature and security profiles like the WAF filter and application DNS security. We deploy these features in different parts of the network. Additionally, some customers use Fortinet FortiGate in the cloud to safeguard their cloud servers within platforms like Microsoft tenants.

Our customers are using Secure SD-WAN for connecting different branches. For example, oil and gas companies have different branches all over Egypt, which are not in the main city, so they need a secure connection and stability for certain protocols, such as voice and things like that. They also need visibility. They need to understand which applications are consuming SD-WAN. 

Some of the customers are also using SD-WAN for load balancing. For SD-WAN, you need at least two internet connections, so some of the customers are using it as a load-balancing technique. Overall, there are a lot of features for which customers are using SD-WAN.

How has it helped my organization?

For our customers, Secure SD-WAN is very useful for giving the right priority to the applications and controlling the proper use of the application.

Secure SD-WAN's interoperability with other systems and applications in the environment is very good. The integrated application protection provided by Secure SD-WAN is also good. There is a very good integration with all the applications and portfolios. We don't integrate the firewall with the application itself, but it does what is needed to control and reroute the traffic.

Secure SD-WAN has a lot of benefits. There is a calculator on Fortinet's website. When you feed the right information to that calculator, it tells you how much money you will save by acquiring SD-WAN. The first benefit is that you're going to save money. Instead of buying multiple ISP connections, MPLS, and other such things, you can use the normal internet and apply SD-WAN on it, so you can save a lot of money. You also don't need to increase the bandwidth. SD-WAN helps with the routing of your traffic and the optimum use of your links. It's efficient and secure, and it saves you a lot of money, and of course, there is the security of the firewall that's applied on SD-WAN. If we're comparing it with other vendors like Cisco, you are not getting the firewall features.

It's very efficient. There is a lot of visibility. It reduces the number of incidents. If there is any problem, you can immediately log in to the firewall, and you will know if there is a notification about bandwidth consumption or any other issue, or if there is any drop in connectivity. It makes the operation very easy. It makes it easy for the teams to respond to incidents and manage issues. SD-WAN helps to remediate threats more quickly and efficiently because, with SD-WAN, there are a lot of applications going through different links, so if you can know which link an application is using and what's on the link, you can make the right decision in a very fast way to fix it. It provides both visibility and efficiency.

It reduces your mean time to detect (MTTD). In the new version, which is version 7.x, of the FortiGate firewall, through the main dashboard, you can know what is going on. If you've done the dashboard and you're putting these statistics in front of you on a screen, once you look at it, you'll know what's going on and what's the problem. It, of course, will give you the tools and the right information to reduce the time to solve.

It's hard to say whether it has reduced help desk tickets because it's more on the operational side, but it helps them a lot. The operations team is not handling the firewall. It's either the network team or the network security team. Generally, once it's up and running, it just works. It's different from having an antivirus or something else that can be changed from day-to-day activities. With this one, once you turn it on, the service will be stable unless you have a problem with your internet. It doesn't cause a lot of problems.

In terms of helping to future-proof business, from a partner perspective, it gives you a lot of flexibility to enhance the customer network. It opens a lot of doors for sales, for a new business, and for new potential. That's from the partner side. From the customer side, you can save money and solve a lot of problems. If you need to connect with a few branches all over the country, it's efficient. You don't need to travel for five to ten hours to reach the second branch. If you have proper SD-WAN technology and it's connected in a good way with good vendors, you can save a lot of time, effort, and money. You can have proper connectivity between branches as if the guy you are talking to is next door. So, SD-WAN gives a lot of benefits at the vendor level, partner level, and customer level.

What is most valuable?

Fortinet FortiGate is user-friendly and affordable.

When it comes to Secure SD-WAN, ease of use is valuable. The visibility and reporting are also valuable. A cool thing is that SD-WAN is free of charge with the Fortinet firewall. You can just use it just by using the Fortinet appliances that you already have in the branches. You cannot have appliances from different vendors. Fortinet customers can use the feature in a very easy way. It takes one click to integrate with the firewalls. It's very very easy to deploy. You don't need to build anything.

What needs improvement?

In the past, NSS Labs was utilized to test files and verify the numbers and datasheets. It would be beneficial to have an organization or testing lab that can verify the numbers in our datasheets since changes are frequently made, which can be inconvenient for review. For instance, when comparing different competitors such as Forcepoint, Palo Alto, and Check Point, the throughput or numbers in the datasheet may be lower than the actual numbers. Conversely, Fortinet typically reports very high numbers, but they cannot be replicated in the real world. Therefore, it would be advantageous for them to partner with a neutral testing organization such as NSS Labs to validate these numbers, thus providing more credibility and comfort to everyone regarding the accuracy of the datasheets.

For the migration, everyone has a firewall in use and I am selling Fortinet. Typically, I am replacing another firewall. Previously, there was a tool available to convert configurations from one firewall, such as Palo Alto, to Fortinet, but this tool is no longer free. If it could be made free again, it would be very beneficial. This tool shows a lot of promise and is very good. Making it free would help many companies deliver their products in a more efficient and integrated way. It would also be more valuable to include the tool with the firewall package or license instead of having to pay extra for it. Paying extra puts more pressure on small companies to deliver the firewall and complete the configuration, especially if they have hundreds or thousands of policies. It's very painful to move through these policies line by line.

The stability has room for improvement.

When it comes to Secure SD-WAN, everything is fine. They are going the right way. SD-WAN is very promising. They can provide the SD-WAN solution separately, but they will not take this approach because even the smallest firewall can support the features, so there is no need to have a separate service or appliance. They are following the right steps, and there is nothing to be improved. Feature-wise, I'm really satisfied with the new release, and the features they have added. For now, it's fine.

Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
February 2026
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2026.
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For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for seven years, and I have been using Secure SD-WAN for two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Secure SD-WAN is stable, but when it comes to the firewall, sometimes there are issues with the throughput and related factors. Improper handling of these can lead to a memory surge, a well-known bug that can cause the entire system to freeze. When this happens, the system appears to be running but no traffic is processed, causing disruptions to applications, users, and overall internet connectivity. This can be confusing because the firewall appears to be functioning correctly. Typically, the solution is to restart the firewall. However, when we contact support, they require logs before restarting, which can be challenging in urgent situations. As a result, we prioritize quick resolution over troubleshooting. This is a common drawback of the operating system.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I'd rate Fortinet FortiGate's scalability an eight out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

While the technical support offered online and on-site is generally effective, there may be occasions when we need to escalate an issue to a higher level due to its complexity. 

I initially sought assistance from level-one support, but they were unable to resolve my issue. Eventually, they informed me that the problem would be addressed in a future patch. However, within a day or two, a level three engineer intervened and provided me with an update to resolve the issue. He explained that it required a command line configuration, as it couldn't be done through the graphical user interface. I was impressed with the level-three engineer's expertise and problem-solving skills. It taught me that if we persist and communicate our needs, we can achieve our desired outcomes.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. We need to determine whether the firewall will be positioned in an active-standby or active-active configuration. Based on this decision, we will choose the appropriate license. If the firewall is intended for use with the Internet, we will need to include features such as a full DNS filter. However, if it's being used in a data center, these features may not be necessary. Additionally, we need to consider the speed of the interface, 1G or 10G, and the expected amount of network traffic to properly size the firewall model and ensure proper throughput. This is the initial phase of the process. Once the firewall has been deployed, it's a matter of connecting it and configuring policies. 

When it comes to the deployment model of SD-WAN, my customers usually buy the appliance. They already have FortiGates, so we're just connecting firewalls to each other. In Kuwait and Egypt, there are mostly on-prem deployments. It's rare to have someone deploying a firewall on the cloud, and if it's deployed on the cloud, it's for a certain reason. It's not for SD-WAN because you're not loading balancing or you don't need SD-WAN for cloud access. In the countries where I was responsible for its implementation, there was only on-prem deployment.

There is one single challenge with the deployment of SD-WAN, but it's not from the FortiGate side. It's from the customer side. You need to understand your traffic so you can get the best out of SD-WAN. For some organizations, it's huge because they don't know which application is doing what and which is more important than the other. Especially during the COVID years, a lot of applications popped up. Companies used to release an application every few weeks. To do a proper implementation, you need to understand your network, understand your application, and set your priorities. Once you do this, the implementation will be a piece of cake. If you have all the information, it will take a day or two days.

What about the implementation team?

We implement the solution for our clients. One person can easily deploy multiple Fortinet products through the firewall including FortiAnalyzer for the logs, FortiManager, and FortiMail.

For SD-WAN also, one senior security engineer can do everything for a customer. The maintenance is easy. We haven't faced any critical problems with it.

What was our ROI?

We have experienced a positive return on investment by utilizing Fortinet's products. For instance, their website features a calculator for SDR, which enables us to measure the actual ROI in dollar amounts. We input our current expenses, the products we intend to purchase, and our connectivity plans, along with a few other details. At the end of the process, we receive data that indicates the amount of money we will save, such as two hundred thousand, for example. This provides us with clear and precise figures on our savings, making it an excellent tool.

Our customers have seen time to value with Secure SD-WAN. Its time to value is seen within weeks of implementation.

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

The price for the Fortinet FortiGate is reasonable. Secure SD-WAN is free of charge. If you have their firewall, it's free of charge. It's very tempting. Other vendors, such as Palo Alto, will charge you to have an SD-WAN license, whereas, with Fortinet, it's free of charge.

What other advice do I have?

When purchasing a firewall, stability is non-negotiable. For small to medium businesses, Fortinet's affordability and ease of deployment make it a suitable option. However, for enterprise-level businesses, Palo Alto or Check Point would be preferred for their robust clients and immediate updates, despite the higher cost.

When comparing the pros and cons of Secure SD-WAN with other solutions, the challenge is not with SD-WAN. It's with the appliance that's offering SD-WAN, which is the firewall. So, the first comparison would be between the FortiGate firewall and other firewalls, and if the other firewalls are already offering the same service, the comparison will be between different levels, not just SD-WAN. There could be other firewalls that are more efficient or lower in cost or even more familiar to customers than Fortinet. So, the challenge is not with SD-WAN. The main reason I use SD-WAN on FortiGate is to get the benefit of the security profiles or security features of the firewall on top of the SD-WAN. Otherwise, I can use my internet router, the basic load balancing protocols, and the basic IP tunneling, and send some traffic here and some traffic there, and I'll save the cost. 

I'd rate Fortinet FortiGate 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. Integrator
PeerSpot user
reviewer1666980 - PeerSpot reviewer
CISO at a government with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 20
Jul 11, 2025
Focus on network segmentation with highly supportive team assistance for effective threat protection
Pros and Cons
  • "We receive substantial help from Fortinet, which is very valuable as they assist us in choosing the right solutions. If we need configuration assistance, they can send specialists who help design the solution."
  • "One area for improvement involves FortiAnalyzer, specifically regarding the SOC part and log interpretation. Sometimes interpretation is very difficult."

What is our primary use case?

We use Fortinet FortiGate for network segmentation. We protect from the outside world and make segregation with the outside world. With Fortinet FortiGate, we primarily focus on network segmentation.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiGate is the price-quality ratio. It's a very good fit as it's not very expensive and offers extensive functionality. It functions effectively as a firewall, performing its intended purpose compared to the competition. When activating the Unified Threat Protection, users gain access to FortiGuard. The SASE possibility is also interesting even though we do not currently use it.

It's not only about the product itself. It is also the team around Fortinet. We receive substantial help from Fortinet, which is very valuable as they assist us in choosing the right solutions. If we need configuration assistance, they can send specialists who help design the solution. The value comes from both the FortiGate firewall itself and how the team supports you.

What needs improvement?

One area for improvement involves FortiAnalyzer, specifically regarding the SOC part and log interpretation. Sometimes interpretation is very difficult. They send an extensive amount of logs, and when putting that in a SOC or SIEM, payment is based on gigabytes sent. We send many unnecessary items, resulting in unnecessary costs.

We decided to reduce the logs and now send only half of what we had before after determining what was unnecessary. They should improve what needs to be sent to the SIEM. The logs should be lighter. In the log structure, there are many unnecessary columns, resulting in a large amount of redundant data. They should improve the way logs are sent to the SIEM.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Fortinet for more than ten years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiGate is stable overall when choosing a release that has been tested. We have observed more vulnerabilities on Fortinet, however, this indicates that as the product becomes more successful, it becomes a larger target for hackers. This issue exists with every major vendor.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of Fortinet FortiGate for our organization is one of the best aspects, as they use the same OS for everything. This means you can find your way back and upgrade without changing everything in terms of configuration. Scaling up infrastructure is not problematic as it doesn't require a major migration.

How are customer service and support?

Based on my experience with their support, I would rate Fortinet FortiGate eight out fo ten. Sometimes it takes more time if the issue is complicated. Overall, the support is good.

How would you rate customer service and support?

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

We've always used Fortinet; we were working with someone else who was also using Fortinet.

How was the initial setup?

I personally participated in the initial setup and deployment of Fortinet FortiGate a very long time ago. Currently, I am more involved in management than operations, so I no longer follow this aspect.

Fortinet FortiGate is deployed on-premises in my organization.

What was our ROI?

The return on investment with Fortinet FortiGate is measured in terms of security. A firewall can be nice, however, if it is poorly configured, it will result in poor value for money. 

Return on investment for a firewall is about performing its intended function. Without one or with poor configuration, you can lose substantial money. The return on investment is reflected in the level of protection provided.

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

I am aware of the pricing of Fortinet FortiGate through our purchasing service. I have access to the list price and know the discounts. The price-quality ratio is very good, and we have an excellent representative who helps us secure good pricing.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I evaluated other options before choosing Fortinet FortiGate through a tender process. They met all the feature requirements and testing criteria. The dedicated ASIC provides very good performance, which was initially the key factor for our needs. We continue monitoring what Palo Alto and Cisco do, but we maintain a partnership agreement with Fortinet.

What other advice do I have?

I have experience comparing Fortinet's SD-WAN with Cisco's solution. We currently don't work with SD-WAN, having returned to an MPLS network since we own the network and cables. 

We don't integrate SD-WAN capabilities with Fortinet FortiGate in our network yet since we own our whole network, including all the cabling and optical fibers in the region. While SD-WAN is a good feature, it's not necessary for our use case. 

Regarding Fortinet Unified SASE, implementation may come in the future. 

We don't use Fortinet FortiGate's data center solution. 

I'd rate the solution 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
Last updated: Jul 11, 2025
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Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
February 2026
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2026.
881,757 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Technical Support Engineer at a tech vendor with 11-50 employees
Reseller
Top 5
May 12, 2025
Deep inspection capabilities require improvement while good GUI and features enhance network performance
Pros and Cons
  • "In a scenario where FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) notably enhanced my customer's network performance, we discussed many points."
  • "In FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW), my concern regarding improvements is the licensing model."

How has it helped my organization?

In a scenario where FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) notably enhanced my customer's network performance, we discussed many points. The graphical user interface is very good, both feature-wise and technology-wise.

What is most valuable?

The effective feature in FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) is DLP.The FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) has the feature image of 7100 D.

What needs improvement?

In FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW), my concern regarding improvements is the licensing model. In the latest versions, everything moves to licensing only, and to work from SSL VPNs and integrate those features, it is similar across all vendors, but my main concern is the DLP part, which has not advanced significantly.Regarding the AI capabilities of FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW), these AI features are not present in the latest versions, which is why we are working on those versions. They aren't suitable in a live environment, and while AI features exist, I don't have details about their availability in versions after 7.0, as I believe only versions 6.0 and below have those features.For future improvements in FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW), features-wise, SD-WAN enhancements are expected, especially in configuration or viewing SD-WAN monitoring, as some minor enhancements would be beneficial.The complexity in configuring the policies needs improvement, and the SD-WAN template should be available in the tunnel. When we create the tunnel, we need to add in SD-WAN, allowing the creation of VPN tunnels from SD-WAN, which requires technical expertise to configure. Automating that would strongly enhance it, as SD-WAN is number one now with FortiGate, and going forward, more customers will move to FortiGate.

What other advice do I have?

FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) is recommended for various industries, and its GUI has many enhancements in the latest version, making everything good.In FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW), we are expecting the effective DLP feature with threat detection capabilities, which works with deep inspection. Some customers are not accepting to install the applications, and sometimes in the guest tunnel, content filtering should be blocked, such as domain blocking for Gmail, as users access only their particular consumer account. If they try to access personal accounts, it should be blocked, requiring configuration settings with deep inspection that needs certificates installed in all systems, which is a time-consuming process that some customers do not accept, questioning the need for installing certificates without deep inspection.The licensing model for FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) depends on various types such as the earlier UTM license, FortiCare, and Enterprise license. The Enterprise license includes all features such as FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer, and converter. The UTM licenses include only UTM features such as AV, web filtering, application control, and IPS, while FortiCare is only for hardware.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Reseller
Last updated: May 12, 2025
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DineshKumar28 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Top 10
Sep 25, 2024
Effective threat prevention with responsive customer support
Pros and Cons
  • "It has a good UI and overall integration, including FortiGate Manager for controlling all firewalls from a single place."
  • "The anti-malware engine could use an upgrade."

What is our primary use case?

We are using Fortinet FortiGate as a firewall.

How has it helped my organization?

Fortinet FortiGate has been invaluable. It has helped save costs due to its various features, reliable performance, very good UI, low latency, and stability.

What is most valuable?

The Threat Intel engine in Fortinet FortiGate is highly rated for its effectiveness in threat prevention. It has a good UI and overall integration, including FortiGate Manager for controlling all firewalls from a single place.

What needs improvement?

The anti-malware engine could use an upgrade. It should automatically classify and sandbox malicious packets with more granular controls, including providing details like TV numbers.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Initially, we faced some issues with updates due to network factors needing to be white-listed in the proxy. These problems have since been resolved, and we are not facing any issues now.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

While I don't have a clear picture of scalability, we scale up in different regions based on the number of users and the amount of load. This is typically handled by architecture teams.

How are customer service and support?

Customer support is very responsive, addressing queries in a timely manner. I would rate the customer support ten out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

We have also used Palo Alto Firewalls and Fortinet FortiGate. Fortinet FortiGate has a better UI and overall integration, including FortiGate Manager for single-place control over all firewalls.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward and easy, thanks to the support provided. I would rate the ease of setup ten out of ten.

What about the implementation team?

We had the help of the end-of-support team for the setup, which made the process quite straightforward and easy.

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

The price is reasonable for our company. The finance team handles the specifics regarding the license costs.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated Palo Alto NG Firewalls before settling on Fortinet FortiGate.

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
Elvis Mahadeo - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Systems Engineer at a manufacturing company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Top 20
Jun 15, 2024
Has good ECC management feature and a single GUI with excellent monitoring capabilities
Pros and Cons
  • "The ECC management and the GUI that offers single interface management are the most valuable features of Fortinet FortiGate."
  • "The documentation available for Fortinet FortiGate should be improved"

What is our primary use case?

Our company uses this solution for endpoint network security. 

What is most valuable?

The ECC management and the GUI that offers single interface management are the most valuable features of Fortinet FortiGate. 

What needs improvement?

The documentation available for Fortinet FortiGate should be improved. Often, I find documentation of older models and not the latest version of Fortinet FortiGate. I have to often utilize the older documentation and reengineer the information for the latest model of Fortinet FortiGate. 

There are competitor products in the market that can monitor all logs, which are referred to as SOC; Fortinet FortiGate should have such in-built features. The solution should be able to implement machine learning and analytics of all the logs for threat detection and protection. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for more than a year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is used daily in our organization. I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten. 

How are customer service and support?

I would rate the tech support an eight out of ten. Our company needs to contact customer support on certain issues. The support team is usually able to resolve the issues by communication over call a few times. Sometimes, there was quite some back-and-forth through support tickets with the vendor team before the issues got resolved. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

Our company previously worked with Juniper, NETGEAR, and Cisco. The devices from the aforementioned vendors reached the End of Life, and their support was expiring in our company, so we switched to Fortinet FortiGate to have visibility and manage all devices through a single vendor. 

How was the initial setup?

I would rate the initial setup a nine out of ten. Due to some network complexities, we had to schedule the downtime of our organization's business, so the initial deployment of Fortinet FortiGate took more time than anticipated. But the setup process was seamless and our company didn't face any abrupt down time. 

At our company, first, we prepared a deployment plan and then divided the services into varying areas based on which the deployment was performed in phases. Only two professionals, a system engineer, and an infrastructure manager, are required to deploy Fortinet FortiGate.

Another two individuals are needed to maintain the solution with the same aforementioned professional job designations. In our company, we didn't face any issues while integrating Fortinet FortiGate with our existing infrastructure and even with other tools.

What about the implementation team?

A third-party team deployed the solution for our organization. 

What was our ROI?

In our company, we haven't realized an ROI yet, as the solution was implemented just a year ago. There are some devices that I need in addition to other area devices of my company, we are in process of renewing all old devices with newer versions.

In the next few months, our company will be able to obtain the actual capex purchase with at least ten switches. Fortinet FortiGate is worth the money, offers multiple solutions under one roof. 

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

I would rate the pricing a five out of ten. Our company onboarded the solution through a traditional capex purchase of the standard license with three years of customer support. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Our company has been using Fortinet FortiGate since 2009 at the firewall level, due to familiarity with the RTO and FortiGate environment, complete adoption of Fortinet FortiGate was an easier choice than other solutions for a single clear management. 

Fortinet FortiGate also had all the features that our company was expecting, and in terms of ease of management, opting for the same vendor from firewall to edge device was a comfortable option. 

What other advice do I have?

Previously, in our organization, we didn't have a network monitoring tool. With the adoption of Fortinet FortiGate, we can now check the port level of the switches that can be witnessed at the EP end, where all devices remain connected to the network. The management and monitoring are the major benefits of Fortinet FortiGate. 

I would advise others to consider adopting the solution without hesitation. I read the latest Gartner Magic Quadrant report, and it mentioned that, based on its track record, Fortinet can compete with the best in terms of network and security solutions.

For the last five years I believe Fortinet has dominated the market. I recently attended a Fortinet event where I met all the local and regional support team; I learned that the vendor is continually expanding, and in our region, we can easily avail support and guidance regarding Fortinet solutions whenever required. 

The monitoring subscription that is provided with the Fortinet FortiGate has built-in AI features for the past three years. I believe Fortinet is in the sixth generation of their AI and ML utilizing the native infrastructure. Thus, the AI features have been available for a long time in Fortinet FortiGate, but they are promoting it now due to the market trends. I would overall rate the solution an eight 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
Network Security Engineer at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
Real User
Top 20
Jul 15, 2025
Integrates cutting-edge features but has some complexity in implementation
Pros and Cons
  • "The best features of Fortinet FortiGate are the integration of SD-WAN capabilities with Fortinet Unified SASE."

    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
    Last updated: Jul 15, 2025
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    PeerSpot user
    Luke_Smith - PeerSpot reviewer
    IT Infrastructure Lead at a photography company with 11-50 employees
    Real User
    Top 20
    Jun 18, 2024
    Easy to use and provides good visibility of network traffic
    Pros and Cons
    • "FortiGate is more feature-rich and has a broader range of hardware. T"
    • "The SD-WAN functionality is a bit overly complicated and not fully documented."

    What is our primary use case?

    It is just for firewalls and network security.

    How has it helped my organization?

    It's mostly compliance, like just meeting our security requirements to keep our data secure. We don't make money out of it. It just keeps our data safe.

    I have FortiGate for SD-WAN and all access points here, which has helped with traffic shaping capabilities.

    I also use AI (Rapid7) to improve my cybersecurity. 

    What is most valuable?

    It's easy to use and provides good visibility of network traffic.

    What needs improvement?

    The SD-WAN functionality is a bit overly complicated and not fully documented.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using it for six years. 

    How are customer service and support?

    The customer service and support are good. I can contact them online or over the phone.

    How would you rate customer service and support?

    Neutral

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

    I have used Sophos XTM and Palo Alto.

    FortiGate is more feature-rich and has a broader range of hardware. They offer switches, access points, firewalls, and the whole network stack, whereas a lot of others only do firewalls.

    It's just a good value and the possibility of using those features. We haven't used FortiSwitches yet; we're investigating them at the moment, but we haven't ordered any yet.

    How was the initial setup?

    The SD-WAN was certainly tricky and took a while to figure out, but the rest of the security features were straightforward.

    The deployment took us six months. 

    What was our ROI?

    It's hard to measure the return on investment, but it certainly helps us manage our security requirements easier than other solutions that I've used.

    It's good value for the money.

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

    It was worth the money overall. It's good value.

    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 does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    Network & System Admin at a retailer with 51-200 employees
    Real User
    Top 5
    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
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: February 2026
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.