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Engineer at a educational organization with 201-500 employees
Real User
Jan 24, 2021
A very stable firewall and numerous functions we use on the IPS; good interface
Pros and Cons
  • "We use a lot of function on the IPS and it works well for us."
  • "A lack of integration between our data centers."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case of this solution is for the firewall and IPS; the security on behalf of our network, to support north and south traffic. We are customers of Fortinet and I'm a systems engineer.

What is most valuable?

The firewall is stable and that's important. There are a lot of functions we use on the IPS and it works well for us. It's stable, the interface works for me.

What needs improvement?

We currently have two on-premise data centers with several separate firewall units and unfortunately they don't connect with each other. We'll likely migrate to Azure in the next two years because of that. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this product for about seven years. 

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.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is a stable solution. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

For the traffic we have all five firewalls. The log is minimal with the traffic, which is going over the firewall and we don't require a lot of scalability. 

How are customer service and support?

We have support in the Netherlands, direct contact with our partner but not with Fortinet. For big changes and difficult issues I can get extended support from a partner. I do the simple fixes myself. 

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

I've used a heap of different products. I've worked with Palo Alto and also with Fortinet. From experience, I prefer Palo Alto, but for the business I'm working in now, Fortinet is okay.

What other advice do I have?

I've had great experience with Palo Alto but I think Fortinet FortiGate is also a great solution. Some time ago we upgraded to the Fortinet solution of our previous partner and there was a memory leak which created problems. Our firewalls crashed multiple times a day and we had a lot of issues. I think the issue was a systems error and it shouldn't have been deployed. It's all very stable now. 

I would rate this product a nine out of 10. 

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
System ADM at a recreational facilities/services company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Jan 24, 2021
Stable, with a quota to monitor and control user access
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of this solution is Quota."
  • "In the next release, I would like to see the interface simplified to be more user-friendly."

What is our primary use case?

We use this solution as our Firewall.

FortiGate is a service, and because of that, I don't use it very much. The equipment is for the operator that monitors who is on the internet, nothing more.

How has it helped my organization?

It has improved our productivity because we can control the people who go on the internet, and we control their access to social networks.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of this solution is Quota. It allows the user to go where they want to go and to use the internet.

What needs improvement?

The price could be improved.

In the next release, I would like to see the interface simplified to be more user-friendly.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for approximately six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's a stable solution. It works for us.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This is not an area fully explored. It has been sufficient for what we need.

We have 700 users in our organization who are using this solution. We don't have plans to increase our usage at this time.

How are customer service and technical support?

We have not needed any technical support for the Fortinet FortiGate service.

How was the initial setup?

The initial set up was not something that I was concerned with.

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

The price could be lower.

What other advice do I have?

It's a good tool to control users.

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate 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
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.
Ferrianto Suryanto - PeerSpot reviewer
Director Of Technology at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Jan 14, 2021
I like the SD-WAN feature and their IP4 policy
Pros and Cons
  • "The features that I have found most valuable are the SD-WAN and their IP4 policy."
  • "In terms of what could be improved, the SD-WAN is quite difficult, because if you install the new box, 15 is okay, but if you change from an old configuration, if there is already configuration and a policy when you change to SD-WAN, you must change the whole policy that you see in the interface."

What is most valuable?

The features that I have found most valuable are the SD-WAN and their IP4 policy.

What needs improvement?

In terms of what could be improved, the SD-WAN is quite difficult, because if you install in the new box, 15 is okay, but if you change from an old configuration, if there is already a configuration and a policy when you change to SD-WAN, you must change the whole policy that you see in the interface.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for about two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiGate is stable so far. We had a difficulty, but after we opened the support, we found out that it was only from having the wrong config. But so far, it is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

So far our biggest client is only FortiGate 400, a small-medium business.

How are customer service and technical support?

Their technical support is very helpful, although they only have it for their in-the-box and sometimes we have difficulty with the out of box, with the ISP or other things. So we must find a solution for the customer. But if it is the wrong product or if there is a configuration issue in the product, yes, they're very helpful.

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

I have also worked with the Hillstone network, with Palo Alto and with Barracuda.

In terms of support, so far FortiGate is helpful whereas with Barracuda I didn't get the support like FortiGate.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup and new configuration are very easy. It is very user-friendly. It's only three clicks from the menu, two or three sub-menus and we already have it configured. It's not difficult because we have experience with the SonicWall, Palo Alto, etc.., but Fortinet is user-friendly.

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

In terms of price, FortiGate's price is reasonable. Most of the customers stand by it, and are aware that the price is worth it for the performance.

What other advice do I have?

In terms of advice for anyone looking to use FortiGate, you need to learn about trouble-shooting, because sometimes you find out you have the wrong configuration, not because of a FortiGate problem or FortiGate config, so you are responsible to handle the trouble-shooting.

On a scale of one to ten, I would give Fortinet FortiGate a nine.

One thing they could offer is a version that already has the configuration. This would make it easier. This is something that I would request. I worked with Barracuda, I worked with Palo Alto. If you want it easy. It's very easy. But FortiGate needs to have something more like that, to do it faster.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. partner
PeerSpot user
reviewer1282434 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Operations Director at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Reseller
Jan 10, 2021
Stable with an easy initial setup and good documentation
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution can scale well."
  • "The support costs and licensing are sometimes so expensive."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for edge protection as well as the VPN and SD-WAN.

What is most valuable?

The solution has many valuable features. We tend to use all of them.

The initials setup is pretty easy.

The solution offers very good documentation.

The solution can scale well.

We've been happy with the technical support we receive.

The product is reliable and stable.

What needs improvement?

The support costs and licensing are sometimes so expensive. They should work on their pricing model.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution since 2018. It's been a few years at this point.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is very good. We don't deal with bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is very good. If you need to scale it as an organization, you can do so.

We have 100 users. They are largely network engineers, however, we have technicians and active users.

We do plan to increase usage in the near future. We have more projects coming up.

How are customer service and technical support?

We've used technical support in the past and we've had pretty good experiences. We're satisfied with the level of support we've received.

Their documentation is always good too. We've accessed cloud documentation via the portal and have found it to be helpful. The articles are very complete.

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

We previously used Juniper. We switched due to the host and the usability of Fortinet.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup isn't complex at all. We found it to be quite easy. It's straightforward.

The deployment took us about three to four weeks or so.

We use two people for deployment and maintenance.

What about the implementation team?

I handled the implementation myself. I didn't need the help of a reseller, integrator, or consultant.

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

The solution is pretty expensive. That said, we see the value of the solution as it provides great value to our organization.

We pay to license the product on a yearly basis.

I'm not sure of the exact amount we pay, however, as it is not an aspect of the solution I handle directly.

What other advice do I have?

We are customers and resellers of Fortinet products.

We work with both on-premises and cloud deployment models.

I definitely recommend this solution to other organizations. We've had a positive experience.

In general, I would rate the solution at a nine out of ten. If the pricing were better, I would rate it higher.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Reseller
PeerSpot user
IT Specialist at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Jan 8, 2021
Intuitive and simple administrative panel and useful for filtering everything on our network and protecting our devices
Pros and Cons
  • "Its administrative panel is very intuitive and simple. It is simpler than the other solutions that we had. As an administrator, we are always looking for the easiest solution to manage network policies. We are able to filter everything on our network and also use the VPN feature, which is important these days when people are working remotely during COVID."
  • "They can do more tests before they release new versions because I would like to be more assured. We had some experiences where they release something new and great, but some of the old features are disabled or they don't work well, which impacts the product satisfaction. The manufacturer should be able to prove that everything works or not only that it might work. This is applicable to most of the other services, software, and hardware companies. They all should work on this. We cannot trust every new release, such as a beta release, on the first day. We wait for some comments on the forums and from other companies that we know. We always wait a few weeks before we use the updated version. They should also extend the VPN client application, especially for Linux versions. Currently, it has an application for Linux devices, but it doesn't work the way we want to connect to the VPN. They use only the old connection, not the new one. They have VPN client applications for Windows and Mac, but they can add more useful features to better manage the devices and monitor the current health of each device. Such features would be helpful for our company."

What is our primary use case?

IPS is the main use case because we want to protect our devices, users, and data from external dangers. 

We most probably are using the model of the last year. If the services connected to the hardware are possible on the cloud, we always prefer the cloud. The hardware must be placed on-premises. 

What is most valuable?

Its administrative panel is very intuitive and simple. It is simpler than the other solutions that we had. As an administrator, we are always looking for the easiest solution to manage network policies.

We are able to filter everything on our network and also use the VPN feature, which is important these days when people are working remotely during COVID. 

What needs improvement?

They can do more tests before they release new versions because I would like to be more assured. We had some experiences where they release something new and great, but some of the old features are disabled or they don't work well, which impacts the product satisfaction. The manufacturer should be able to prove that everything works or not only that it might work. This is applicable to most of the other services, software, and hardware companies. They all should work on this. We cannot trust every new release, such as a beta release, on the first day. We wait for some comments on the forums and from other companies that we know. We always wait a few weeks before we use the updated version. 

They should also extend the VPN client application, especially for Linux versions. Currently, it has an application for Linux devices, but it doesn't work the way we want to connect to the VPN. They use only the old connection, not the new one. They have VPN client applications for Windows and Mac, but they can add more useful features to better manage the devices and monitor the current health of each device. Such features would be helpful for our company. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for the last two years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is stable, and I don't see any cons of this. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Currently, everyone who is connected with the company is using this solution. We have up to 240 people.

How are customer service and technical support?

I have interacted with them but only through emails. There were separate tickets and stories, and I don't remember right now how it was.

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

It was just a product for home-usage. It was a Cisco device from the small business series. It was less advanced than the similar devices available in the market currently. It was a huge step forward for us to switch to FortiGate.

How was the initial setup?

It was a huge jump for us on the administrative side to implement this kind of hardware because we previously used just a simple product for home-usage. 

What about the implementation team?

We hired a consultant to do this for us and to explain how the system works. After a few weeks, we did new certifications and training for this, and now, it works well for us.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution. We plan to keep using this solution.

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Consultant with 11-50 employees
Consultant
Dec 31, 2020
Good next-generation firewall features with good pricing and stability
Pros and Cons
  • "We've found the solution to be pretty stable."
  • "The product does need better support in the cloud environment. It's not exactly cloud-native right now."

What is our primary use case?

We mostly use the solution for our internet-facing firewall.

What is most valuable?

The next-generation firewall features are the solution's most valuable aspect.

The implementation and deployment are pretty simple.

The pricing is very good.

We've found the solution to be pretty stable.

What needs improvement?

The solution isn't really lacking features per se.

The product does need better support in the cloud environment. It's not exactly cloud-native right now.

The solution needs to do more on the deployment in the multi-cloud. For example, clients have GCP and AWS. How do we deploy FortiGate in a cloud environment? Right now, there's no solution for that.

We're worried that the scalability isn't as good as it could be.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using the solution for about two years or so. It hasn't been an extremely long time, however, it's been a while.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability, in our experience, is quite good. It doesn't run a lot of unexpected downtimes or anything of that nature. We haven't encountered any serious problems. There have been a few minor items here and there, however, by and large, it's quite good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution isn't exactly scalable, especially when it comes to the public cloud environment. We'll need to scale up, so we will have to figure out how to do it effectively.

We primarily work with medium and large enterprises.

How was the initial setup?

We find the solution to be pretty straightforward to set up and deploy. We didn't have any difficulties with implementation. 

The deployment takes less than a week. It's a pretty quick process.

We provide maintenance services for our clients.

What about the implementation team?

We actually provide deployment services to our customers that need it. We can handle this aspect for customers.

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

The solution is on the cheaper side. There are other products that are competitors that are much more expensive.

That said, the pricing isn't just based on licensing costs. There are add-on costs as well a company will need to consider.

What other advice do I have?

We are more of a solution integrator. We are not a straight reseller. We are partners, however. We recommend people to use products. That said, we don't actually resell the actual boxes.

We use different versions and deployments of the solution. It really is dependant on the client and their needs.

We mostly work with Fortinet. It's the main solution we recommend and use.

I'd recommend the solution to other organizations. We've had a pretty good experience.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Integrator
PeerSpot user
Deputy Manager Of Information Technology at a construction company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Dec 30, 2020
High-performing SSL VPN functionality keeps our users secure while they work from home
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is the SSL VPN, as it allows us to connect and it separates this product from other firewalls."
  • "Some of the web policy reports could be improved."

How has it helped my organization?

We use the FortiGate firewall for our centralized management services. We have SAP and there are multiple work-from-home users that connect using the VPN to access it. Also, we have some applications that are hosted on the server and we have assigned a public IP through the firewall for them.

For our server, we have specific some UTM policies, and we have designed access so that it is sectioned by zone.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the SSL VPN, as it allows us to connect and it separates this product from other firewalls.

The VPN performance with multiple users is very good.

We are able to generate a report where we can see details on exactly what the users are accessing. We can set limits as well as easily analyze what they are uploading and downloading.

What needs improvement?

The only challenge that we are facing is that a good internet connection is required for VPN stability.

Some of the web policy reports could be improved. There are reports generated that show exactly which user is using how much bandwidth, and which sites they have been browsing. We should have a way to show that on a single screen. As it is now, when I click on a user, the information shows on another tab.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using FortiGate for more than seven years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

There is no downtime with this solution. The last time the users could not connect to the VPN was an issue with the internet.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have not tried to scale FortiGate.

How are customer service and technical support?

We have been in contact with Fortinet several times and the technical support that we have received is absolutely fine.

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

In addition to FortiGate, we are using a Sophos firewall.

How was the initial setup?

The deployment took approximately four months.

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

The licensing costs are very low.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Previously, we were using Turbo VPN to connect using mobile devices. The problem was that the users would be disconnected when the mobile was in a roaming area, and the connectivity is not as stable.

We moved to a cloud service and assigned a public IP address for that application, and we have cut out the VPN for it. That was a rare issue that we were facing with FortiGate.

What other advice do I have?

This is a good firewall and I have recommended it to some of my colleagues in other organizations, and they have implemented it.

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Mohamed Abdel Hassanein - PeerSpot reviewer
Managing Director at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Reseller
Dec 27, 2020
Very user friendly solution with cumbersome licensing structure
Pros and Cons
  • "The features that I have found most valuable are that it is good to use, and most importantly, the pricing. The customer especially likes the discount when they trade up or something like that."
  • "There are some license issues. Not every feature must have a separate license. There must be some of kind synergy between the license so we don't have to pay for every individual license that we would like to have."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case for Fortinet FortiGate is for the center firewalls. We use the VMware server. That seems good and acceptable to the customers.

What is most valuable?

The features that I have found most valuable are that it is good to use, and most importantly, the pricing. The customer especially likes the discount when they trade up or something like that.

What needs improvement?

In terms of the product, we don't have anything to improve. But I have a concern about the FortiGate team here in Egypt, because there is an opportunity that we are working on and when we opened it and did the deal installation, it was rejected. When I talked to the FortiGate team here in Egypt, they told me they know about the deal, but they rejected it.

Additionally, they could make some modifications in the license. There are some license issues. Not every feature must have a separate license. There must be some kind of synergy between the license so we don't have to pay for every individual license that we would like to have.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for around one year now.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

In m company there are around seven technical engineers required for deployment and maintenance.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

In terms of scalability, our biggest customer using it has 500 people.

How are customer service and technical support?

I haven't worked with the technical support. I did face some admin problem with the team here in Egypt.

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

We are a partner with Sophos, with Palo Alto, and with WatchGuard. So we have a lot of competitors for FortiGate.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Fortinet FortiGate was easy. The most important thing is the management software with the license for accounts that need an additional license. But it is also acceptable.

The initial setup takes a while. It seems to take some time longer than usual due to the customer's onsite preparation of the required information. Overall it takes around five to seven working days.

What about the implementation team?

We are a partner, and a technical team qualified for implementing.

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

There is also an issue here. Maybe we get a massive discount on the product, but the renew cost is higher. In addition there are some admin issues. When I receive a request for a renew for a customer, the local team here only deals with the company that makes the primary deal, and refuses to give us a quotation. So we may lose the opportunity, or we may go with the vendor with their native product.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend the product. I think it's good and they're doing well on the roadmap. But again, for the team they have to take better care of the local partner.

On a scale of one to ten, I would give Fortinet FortiGate a seven.

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.