Fortinet FortiGate Reviews

We are currently using Fortinet FortiGate firewall instead of Cisco.

The best features of Fortinet FortiGate include good functionality, though the licensing cost is a bit higher. Their response time and throughput are very good advantages.

Some websites or proxies are not embedded in the correct category, and we need to update the Fortinet FortiGate database because numerous websites are appearing every day. Some websites are embedded in the wrong category which we can block, resulting in everything being blocked, so this database needs improvement.

The licensing cost should be more affordable than it is currently. The SD-WAN of Fortinet FortiGate needs improvement; when we create a group address, sometimes the rule doesn't work properly.

Regarding the Fortinet FortiGate database issues, some websites or categories that should be classified as proxy are in different categories. When we open that category due to some other website that needs to be accessed, some proxies are also opened. The FortiGate web filter categories need to improve their database for better control.

I joined the current company two and a half years ago, and we have been using Fortinet FortiGate for about three or four years.

I have only required technical support from Fortinet FortiGate once or twice in two and a half years, and I have had a good experience with them. Their technical team is very knowledgeable. Their response time is very good; whenever we open a case, they respond promptly.

One issue I encountered was with FortiToken, which we configured on the admin profile. While managing four firewalls, I discovered that FortiToken was not enabling due to an issue on one firewall. I opened a case, but it has not been resolved yet. Despite this, my overall experience with them has been very good.

In my previous company, we were using Sophos, which had better licensing costs compared to Fortinet FortiGate.

We are not using enhanced SD-WAN Cisco SD-WAN; we are just using the SD-WAN for load balancing.

We are using Ubiquiti for wireless. One drawback about UniFi is that it lacks BeamFlexing, which is available in Ruckus, and the AP radius or Wi-Fi signals are not as strong as Ruckus. However, UniFi is still a good option, though not as robust as Ruckus.

Fortinet FortiGate is quite expensive, but according to the Gartner report, it ranks second or third. My experience with Fortinet FortiGate firewall has been quite good.

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate 9 out of 10 overall.

The main use cases for Fortinet FortiGate are mostly for an industrial company firewall, focusing on firewall, web server, and new-gen, next-gen firewall.

What I appreciate about Fortinet FortiGate is that the UI is easier than what I've previously known from Sophos. Compared to Sophos, I prefer Fortinet, and the system and configuration settings are easier.

The main benefits I have seen from using Fortinet FortiGate for the organization are due to the other branch in another country, as the connection is smoother than the previous firewall.

For Fortinet FortiGate, I am not sure yet what can be improved or enhanced because currently, I am comfortable with this solution.

I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate for less than six months.

I think Fortinet FortiGate is stable because previously it had a hiccup around a bug within the authentication VPN due to the firmware, but after updating, it's easier to control.

In terms of scalability, I find Fortinet FortiGate scalable. There are no issues yet with scalability in Fortinet FortiGate.

Regarding the technical support of Fortinet FortiGate, I have already tried to contact them previously for a problem. I would evaluate the technical support of Fortinet FortiGate as friendly and easily understandable for our problem, as they have a high understanding of the Fortinet FortiGate system.

Positive

I prefer Fortinet FortiGate over Sophos because of the connection system, the web GUI, and I think Fortinet is much more secure than Sophos.

The initial setup of Fortinet FortiGate was easy. The setup needs around a few days to test before deploying to the customer, and while deploying, it's easy to contact customer service to help us with it.

We are utilizing SD-WAN capabilities in Fortinet FortiGate, but not extensively, just a few times. I have not yet seen any impact on the network performance with the SD-WAN, as we're just monitoring it.

My experience with integrating SD-WAN capabilities within Fortinet FortiGate is that the project for SD-WAN is not very long, approximately one month of testing, so for now, the connection is clear with a bit of misconnection. 

I would personally recommend Fortinet FortiGate.

On a scale of one to ten, I rate this solution an eight.

One valuable feature of FortiGate SWG that has significantly enhanced my network security is IPS.

I would rate the technical support of Fortinet a six or seven out of ten. It is not very helpful. I would like to see improvements in their support.

I have used the solution for six to eight months.

Fortinet SWG is a stable solution, and I would rate it eight, indicating it is good.

I think the scalability of FortiGate SWG is okay. It meets the growing demands of my network and goes hand in hand with security.

I find the technical support of Fortinet to be not very helpful.

Neutral

I am working with Fortinet for SASE and am familiar with FortiGate.

I handled the installation myself, and it can be installed by one person.

It is too early to discuss any financial benefits or cost savings from using FortiGate SWG.

On a scale from one to ten, I would rate the pricing for FortiGate AWG as nine, which is perfect.

I am working with Fortinet and another vendor simultaneously.

I rate this solution a nine out of ten. 

We are using FortiGate IPS as a firewall, as an intrusion prevention system (IPS), and as a content filter. Additionally, we use it for SD-WAN, which is very important for us.

FortiGate IPS has made managing our cybersecurity framework easier. It is user-friendly, easy to implement, and helps in threat detection and prevention. Also, SD-WAN management by FortiGate has ensured seamless internet connectivity by automatically switching between lines during provider interruptions.

The most effective features for threat prevention are the IPS, content filter, and SD-WAN capabilities. The user-friendly nature of FortiGate IPS compared to our previous products, like Cisco and SonicWall, is also valuable.

I would like to see more AI features included in future updates, as that would add significant value. Additionally, the pricing of FortiGate is relatively high compared to other products like Cisco and SonicWall. An area for improvement is in their support services, which could be more responsive and quicker to resolve issues.

We have been using FortiGate IPS for more than nine or ten years.

FortiGate IPS is very stable.

I think it is very scalable. I would rate its scalability as nine out of ten.

In the past, direct support from Fortinet was not very satisfactory, as it took a lot of time to resolve issues. However, we now receive excellent support from our partner. They are amazing and provide very good support.

Neutral

We previously used SonicWall and Cisco. Compared to those products, FortiGate IPS is easier to use and more user-friendly.

The initial setup was straightforward and easy to implement. It took only a few hours to deploy.

The implementation was done by a different team, but we supervised the process. We used third-party services for the implementation.

The pricing is relatively high compared to other products like Cisco and SonicWall. This is a point that could be improved, as FortiGate is expensive.

We evaluated SonicWall and Cisco before choosing FortiGate IPS.

I recommend FortiGate IPS because it is very user-friendly, easy to install, and effective in threat prevention. More AI features in future updates would add more value.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

Conventionally, the solution is used for perimeter security. Whenever we find our organization's customer without an existing firewall, we use FortiGate Next Generation Firewall both for perimeter security as a firewall and as a VPN appliance to allow work-from-home employees at the VPN end. In the aforementioned instance, our company also uses the solution to connect different branches.

If our organization is establishing the network for a company with different branches spread geographically, we will use the VPN in IP set and FortiGate. The solution is highly flexible and is available at a cost-effective price. 

When using FortiGate Next Generation Firewall, availing the FortiGuard subscription is very important due to the vast threat intelligence with an international network.

Using the aforementioned network, FortiGate has been able to procure intelligence about the threats and incorporate the mitigation and protection against those threats in FortiGuard. So when you have FortiGuard integrated with the firewall, you have a robust perimeter solution to protect against malware. 

The pricing of the solution should be more affordable. 

I have been working with FortiGate Next Generation Firewall for seven years. 

FortiGate Next Generation Firewall has excellent stability. Fortinet is a top-tier IT security infrastructure company. 

I would rate the scalability a nine out of ten. The solution exhibits impressive stability. Once the solution is installed, it's used 24/7. 

We never had to rely on or communicate much with the tech support. The free resources, documentation, training, and community feedback have been enough to resolve 99% of our company's issues with the product. In our organization, we directly interacted with the support team once or twice and had a positive experience. I would rate the tech support eight out of ten. 

Positive

We used Cisco previously, but it was too expensive for our company. FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall was available at a better price and performance; it was a better fit for our company as a networking vendor. 

I would rate the initial setup an eight out of ten. Our company deals with only the on-premise version of FortiGate Next Generation Firewall. It took about half a day in our organization to deploy the solution. 

Our company has several firewall projects. When our organization identifies a company that needs a firewall but doesn't have one, we contact them. Our company strongly advises potential customers to adopt a firewall, and we provide reasons why the company shouldn't operate without a firewall today, we try to sell them the FortiGate Next Generation Firewall and FortiGuard solutions.

If the potential customer doesn't have access points or the latest switches, our company tries to sell that as well in the form of an integrated solution. 

Our company prefers to program solutions as much as possible in-house before approaching the customers. 

FortiGate Next Generation Firewall has a very high ROI. A customer can realize nearly 100% ROI when it is used along with FortiGuard to establish a robust perimeter firewall based on an international vendor with a global-level threat intelligence network. 

I would rate the pricing a seven out of ten. There are penalties if you don't renew the FortiGuard subscription, and I think the vendor should've refrained from imposing such penalties. If a customer fails to renew for a year, there shouldn't be any penalties on Fortinet solutions, the vendor should eradicate such policies. 

We evaluated Palo Alto, but we still chose Fortinet because, as per our company's evaluation, Palo Alto doesn't offer switches or access points. Before adopting FortiGate Next Generation Firewall, we also concluded that Fortinet offered everything for networking infrastructure, including switches, access points, antivirus, and firewalls. 

FortiGate has end-to-end solutions, they have switches, access points, and a native antivirus and threat management solution. When you onboard FortiGate Next Generation Firewall, you choose a vendor that covers every aspect of the IT infrastructure.

So, if you avail yourself of other products from the same vendor later on, it makes the management processes easier, as the command interface is similar across all the products from Fortinet, including switches, access points, and firewalls. The aforementioned benefit removes the need for training your team when a new solution is onboarded in the organization. 

I would advise others to do a proper assessment in terms of the sizing before onboarding FortiGate Next Generation Firewall. Before adopting the solution, one should know how many users need access to the Internet so that the firewall can be sized or scaled ideally.

A sizing chart is available online to assist users in procuring the correct firewall size. FortiGate Next Generation Firewall offers comprehensive reports on user activity; potential customers should also analyze the reporting aspect before choosing the solution.  

FortiGate Next Generation Firewall handles new and latest security threats satisfyingly. FortiGuard has some AI influence in its threat intelligence features in its international network. I would overall rate FortiGate Next Generation Firewall an eight out of ten. 

The solution is used as a perimeter firewall, and all traffic is routed through the appliances before accessing the Internet. FortiGate Next Generation Firewall is also used in policy-based routing. The solution has features such as IPS  and web filtering. 

Presently I am carrying out a POC to evaluate where the SD-WAN functionality of the solution can be utilized by our company. 

It's an out-of-the-box solution with impressive ratings. FortiGate Next Generation Firewall has a stateless balance proposition. The updates from the vendor ensure that the product remains up to date in terms of threat intelligence capabilities. 

I personally go through reports on utilizing FortiGate Next Generation Firewall resources, bandwidth and applications that are present in the company's environment. The product has been capable of providing the aforementioned reports for the last 280 days, and such features are highly valuable for reporting purposes. The reports provided by FortiGate Next Generation Firewall also help in analyzing the traffic condition in a network. 

When the SD-WAN is integrated with solutions like Citrix, it can appear complicated, which only tech professionals can implement. The solution should allow more user-friendly integrations or deployment. 

I have been working with FortiGate Next Generation Firewall for five years. 

I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. But recently, we needed to undergo regular patching of the network in our company, but that's probably due to increased hacking activities or attacks. At our company, we are still confident with the solution in spite of the recent breaches. 

The solution is highly scalable. I would rate the scalability a nine out of ten. At our company, we can scale the solution effortlessly for enterprise networks. There are two professional users of FortiGate Next Generation Firewall in our company. The other solutions which are being evaluated in our company are FortiNAC and Fortinet SD-WAN. 

I have received satisfying support for every issue I raised with the team. The support team is responsive and helpful in resolving issues. I would rate the customer support an eight out of ten. 

Positive

Previously, Cyberoam was used in our organization. Our company has also used Check Point to deploy a multi-layered firewall solution. Check Point has numerous partners and offers satisfying support, which makes it a formidable competitor of FortiGate Next Generation Firewall. 

There are various local partners of FortiGate Next Generation Firewall who offer effective support for the solution. 

While integrating FortiGate Next Generation Firewall in our company's infrastructure I faced an error while implementing a secure LDAP server. I had to roll back for the aforementioned issue and review the authentication certificates. 

The learning curve of the solution varies depending on the use cases and the different features the user starts interacting with within a specific environment. The initial setup of the FortiGate Next Generation Firewall can be claimed to be straightforward. I would rate the setup a six out of ten. The deployer's CLI understanding will also be a major factor in the deployment process of the solution. 

The solution's initial setup can be completed in a few days, but much more time is required to learn about the environment, evaluate the policies' interference with the services, and implement optimizations based on the insights. In total, the complete deployment takes a few weeks. 

It's an expensive solution. FortiGate Next Generation Firewall costs our company around $12000 per year. There are no additional costs involved with the product. 

I have confidence in the threat detection capabilities of FortiGate Next Generation Firewall. I haven't witnessed any downtime in the solution, even after using it for multiple years. 

An automation API integration is available with FortiGate Next Generation Firewall. For instance, the solution allows integration with CrowdStrike and Darktrace to enhance the threat intelligence capabilities. I would recommend others to use FortiGate Next Generation Firewall.

It's a reliable solution for real-time threat intelligence. In the security industry, FortiGate Next Generation Firewall is a highly praised product and I am able to embed policies for effective operation. I would rate FortiGate Next Generation Firewall an eight out of ten. 

The solution is used to monitor daily network activities. FortiGate Next Generation Firewall acts as a security layer between public and private networks in our organization.

The solution successfully mitigates all types of advanced attacks by putting our company's production servers behind the firewall using a DDoS attack prevention system and WAF. FortiGate Next Generation Firewall handles our organization's internal network security. The solution is used mainly in IT companies, just like our organization. 

The WAF and DDoS attack prevention system are the solution's most valuable features. FortiGate Next Generation Firewall has IBS/IPS systems, which are vital for handling cyberattacks. 

More SD-WAN features can be integrated into the FortiGate Next Generation Firewall. The vendor can make efforts to make the solution more budget-friendly. 

I have been using FortiGate Next Generation Firewall for seven years. 

I would rate the stability a ten out of ten. 

I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten. For each purpose, there are different products used in our company from the same vendor. For instance, our company has a dedicated subscription plan for log analytics. Fortinet should host bundle pack subscriptions for its products and add-ons. 

There are more than 150 users of the product in our company. Our company is functional on a hybrid model for employees, and thus, there are not more than a hundred users of the solution in the office at any given time.

Due to the aforementioned work setup, our company is exploring more scalable solutions with end-to-end security features, as many employees are working from remote locations. At our company, for end point protection we use Microsoft Defender. 

At our company, we have Fortinet certified experts in-house, so most of the issues are solved without tech support from vendor. But whenever, an issue was escalated to the support team of FortiGate Next Generation Firewall, our company has received a response on time. 

FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall integrates perfectly with our organization's infrastructure. Our organization is using the solution for more than six years without any integration obstacles, even while integrating to Fortinet Access Points. 

The initial setup process is easy for the solution. There are some configurations and policies that will facilitate routing among the varying traffic, dictating what to allow or block. I would rate the initial setup a nine out of ten. The setup duration depends upon the expertise of the deployment engineer, but on average it can be finished within a day. 

Our investment in security through FortiGate Next Generation Firewall is worth it as there are zero complains regarding the effectiveness of it.

It's an expensive solution. At our company, we updated the license every three years. I would rate the pricing a nine out of ten. Presently we are upgrading the hardware in our organization before the next license renewal date. 

In our company, we have used Sophos about six years ago. Compared to other solutions like Sophos, we found FortiGate Next Generation Firewall to be much more expensive for our organization.

But FortiGate Next Generation Firewall has a more robust hardware and stable configuration, so our company prefers the solution over others. But as the license of the the solution is expiring soon in our company, we might explore some other firewall products from Fortinet as well. 

Our company found that in comparison to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, FortiGate Next Generation Firewall has a limited number of features and requires an ideal Fortinet environment or infrastructure to function. FortiGate Next Generation Firewall should enhance its endpoint capabilities and be less dependent on Fortinet infrastructure. The product should have cloud solution integration capabilities. 

Since implementing FortiGate Next Generation Firewall, we have not experienced any attack or cyber threat on our company's network. With the solution, we have been able to proactively monitor the network and take preventive measures on time. Our company finds the product reliable in mitigating all kinds of threats. 

Our company expects some AI capabilities from Fortinet solutions. I would advise FortiGate Next Generation Firewall to others as a reliable solution. I would also advise other professionals to run tests with the product as per their requirements before adopting it. The solution has excellent security policies. I would overall rate the product a nine out of ten. 

We use FortiGate NGFW to secure our network gateways. These devices, functioning as UTM solutions, were impressive in fending off various threats. FortiGate excelled with its anti-spam, antivirus, and firewall features at the network level. Beyond security, it is seamlessly integrated with networking tools like Zendesk.

The most valuable aspects of FortiGate NGFW are its top-notch reputation in peer reviews, user-friendly interface, and excellent support. It stood out during external penetration tests, proving its effectiveness compared to our previous firewall. The seamless integration with other tools and thorough testing set FortiGate apart. Replacing our old firewall with Fortinet was a game-changer, especially as it helped us improve our performance in subsequent penetration tests.

FortiGate has been solid for us, but I see room to explore its integration with Secure Service Automation for a more comprehensive security view. The initial migration had some challenges, but they were manageable. Now, my focus is on automating responses to alerts, especially during nighttime attacks. I want to investigate how FortiGate can connect with other solutions, like SIEM, to enhance our security measures while offline.

I have been using FortiGate NGFW for a year.

It is quite stable.

FortiGate is scalable, and we currently use it for approximately 300 internal users, with additional offshore teams connecting via VPN. The total user count, including the offshore teams from different countries and continents, is around 400 to 500 people.

We contacted Fortinet's technical support during a firmware upgrade issue. They guided the upgrade process, and their support was capable and helpful. I would rate them as a ten out of ten.

Positive

In comparing FortiGate with other solutions like Cyberoam, I have found Fortinet to excel in various aspects. For instance, its intrusion detection capabilities stand out, providing instant alerts compared to some firewalls that take up to 24 hours. While I can't quantify percentages, Fortinet's performance, especially in areas like responsiveness, has been notably better in my experience.

Setting up FortiGate NGFW was straightforward, with some considerations during the migration process. Migrating from an old firewall required meticulous rule review and manual configuration. Ensuring adherence to best practices and testing in a beta environment were crucial steps. We also coordinated with our ISP to clear the ARP cache for a smooth transition. Despite a minor misconfiguration leading to an issue, we swiftly addressed it over a weekend with minimal impact. Regular backups and failover tests added an extra layer of assurance. A team of three people deployed it. The deployment and migration from the old firewall to FortiGate took approximately one month. To ensure a smooth transition for our 24/7 operations, we invested extra time for thorough testing and rule validation.

The pricing and licensing costs for FortiGate are quite reasonable, especially for an SMB like ours. While solutions like Check Point and Palo Alto are excellent, Fortinet's affordability played a significant role in our decision-making process.

FortiGate for SMBs impressively covers most features, and in my experience with Cisco, Symantec, SonicWall, and others, FortiGate stands out. It has exceeded my expectations. While I haven't explored Check Point due to budget constraints, FortiGate's pricing makes it a top choice. Palo Alto and Check Point are excellent but would likely have been my preference if pricing aligned. Overall, FortiGate has been a standout performer in terms of features and value.

For those starting with FortiGate NGFW, my advice is to thoroughly explore its features. I recently recommended it to a healthcare entity due to its effectiveness and user-friendly interface. The fact that they already had Fortinet in another enterprise speaks volumes about its reliability and performance. Overall, I would rate it as an eight out of ten.

Fortinet’s SaaS offering is the best fit for anybody looking for a cloud-delivered secure web gateway to replace their on-premises solution. It combines with given capabilities, making it a good proposition for customers.

Customers are looking for a Secure Web Gateway solution focusing on securing web browsing. There are additional features like a virtual or cloud firewall. The majority of customers are seeking WAF filtering solutions.

Integrating with the SD-WAN functionality on Fortinet devices makes a compelling story for customers to choose a Fortinet-based solution, which the Fortinet Security Fabric further reinforces.

Fortinet FortiGate SWG should be localised to specific regions to comply with local data privacy regulations because of the data privacy rules in the countries. In the Middle East, data organisation and KFA requirements are stringent.

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate SWG as a global reseller.

I rate the solution’s stability a nine out of ten.

Customers keep on improving their licenses. The solution remains scalable and flexible. On-premises deployments may have some limitations. However, cloud deployments offer a high degree of flexibility.

Our customers fall into enterprise and medium business.

The technical support is very supportive.

Positive

The initial setup is not complex, especially for someone familiar with configuring firewalls.

The deployment is very easy. The hard thing is to configure the policy to decide traffic to allow or block. On top of data privacy, you need to stop data from filtering. It’s not difficult from a deployment perspective but it requires some consideration.

Fortinet provides users with configuration options to implement the security policies they require. The effectiveness of these configurations depends on the expertise of the individual configuring the device.

I rate the initial setup a nine-point five out of ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy.

Customers who opted for the Fortinet FortiGate SWG's cloud-based version have seen a return on investment. However, using it for more than a year is typically recommended to realise the solution's benefits fully.

The solution has a combination of different flavours, which make it an attractive option for customers. The solution includes an SD-WAN, DLP, and a secure web gateway, all integrated into a single platform. It provides economies of scale.
FortiGate SWG is a cost-effective solution well-suited for organisations of all sizes.

I would recommend it to all my customers looking for SD-WAN and a secure web gateway for their SD-WAN deployment.

Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

We use it to secure our environment, ensuring no vulnerabilities or potential risks in our network configuration. Our goal is to enhance cybersecurity measures, safeguard our network, and ensure the integrity of our systems against potential threats and intrusions.

I am content with its user interface and functionalities.

There is a potential for enhanced protection. It is essential to leverage its capabilities more professionally to achieve an even higher level of security. I believe that if the cost were lower, it would be highly beneficial. While the gateway serves as a primary solution for the entire network, attention should also be given to endpoint devices.

I have been using it for approximately five years.

It is incredibly reliable. I would rate it eight out of ten.

It provides excellent scalability abilities and I would rate it eight out of ten. There are around fifty individuals actively using it.

They provide exceptional support. I would rate it eight out of ten.

Positive

When comparing Fortinet to Cisco, Fortinet stands out as a more user-friendly and practical solution. It seems especially well-suited for smaller network environments, making it the preferred choice for our small work network. The switch was prompted by the wealth of features Fortinet offers, coupled with its ease of management and deployment. The diverse interfaces and comprehensive reporting, including statistics and other relevant information, further contribute to its appeal.

The initial setup was straightforward.

The deployment duration is variable and relies on the development level and installation complexity. Initially, it may take only a few hours. However, to enhance security and stability, the process might extend to a few days or even a week. For a simple network, a single individual should be sufficient to manage it effectively.

While slightly more affordable than competitors, it remains relatively expensive due to its inclusive subscription. It operates on a subscription basis. You pay solely for this subscription, without any additional custom costs for support or other services. The subscription encompasses support, updates, and all associated features.

Overall, I would rate it nine out of ten.