We primarily use the solution for management tasks. We have Fortigate firewalls across the globe and need this product to manage everything.
Sr. Network Architect at Endurance International Group
Reasonably priced, easy to implement, and easily manages multiple devices
Pros and Cons
- "It is easy to set up the solution."
- "Pricing-wise, it could always be less, even though it is less expensive than Palo Alto."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
It's able to manage multiple devices, which is quite useful.
The analytics are quite useful.
It is easy to set up the solution.
The solution is stable.
Technical support is good.
It can scale.
The pricing is reasonable.
What needs improvement?
Pricing-wise, it could always be less, even though it is less expensive than Palo Alto.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for three and a half years.
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiManager
March 2026
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiManager. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2026.
884,976 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is quite stable. I'd rate it nine out of ten. It is reliable. The performance is good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is very scalable. I'd rate it nine out of ten in terms of scalability. They are very flexible.
We have less than 20 people on the solution.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is helpful. They are responsive.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We are also familiar with Cisco, Palo Alto, and Juniper as well.
We moved from Palo Alto to Fortinet based on the cost savings we would achieve.
How was the initial setup?
The solution has an easy setup.
I'd rate it nine out of ten. It's not complex.
We have a large setup. Getting everything working took us a couple of months.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is pretty reasonable in terms of price. I'd rate the affordability around seven or eight out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
We are customers and end users.
I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.
We are using the latest version of the solution.
We have a large setup for managing multiple Fortigates, et cetera. You get what you pay for, and it gives us all of the features and functionality we need. If a company has basic requirements, it might be better off with a PfSense.
I'd recommend the solution to others. For the number of features you get, the pricing is pretty great.
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.
Senior System Engineering at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Centralized management has improved policy deployment but setup requires more simplification
Pros and Cons
- "Fortinet FortiManager can centrally manage all FortiGates and is effective for the deployment of updates and patches."
- "When I installed it, I found it somewhat difficult to set up."
What is our primary use case?
My experience with Fortinet products is primarily with Fortinet FortiManager. I have attended training on FortiSandbox and FortiWeb as well.
Fortinet solutions are used by my clients across every sector.
They are also used in the healthcare sector for financial purposes.
What is most valuable?
Fortinet FortiManager can centrally manage all FortiGates and is effective for the deployment of updates and patches.
We use centralized policy management for policy management.
It helps streamline policy creation and policy enforcement. However, I would prefer to have an online meeting so I can see who I am talking to, as you are obtaining information about my security. I am aware that there are currently many spam and social engineering attacks occurring.
What needs improvement?
I do not use Fortinet FortiManager daily, but I can speak with my security team and ask them what areas need future improvement for Fortinet FortiManager.
When I installed it, I found it somewhat difficult to set up.
How are customer service and support?
I would rate their support at between eight and nine, which I consider great support.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
What other advice do I have?
I still have experience with ESET and Fortinet products. My other colleague has more in-depth experience with Fortinet FortiManager and uses it more daily in that particular area, as I do not use it as regularly and my other colleagues are more involved in that area.
I am not certain if my clients purchase Fortinet FortiManager through the AWS Marketplace.
I want to remain anonymous for now.
My overall rating for Fortinet FortiManager is seven.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
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. Partner
Last updated: Nov 6, 2025
Flag as inappropriateBuyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiManager
March 2026
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiManager. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2026.
884,976 professionals have used our research since 2012.
CISO at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Helps you consolidate the single point of management
Pros and Cons
- "The solution's most valuable feature is the consolidation and the single point of administration solution."
- "The graphics interface between Fortinet FortiManager and any Forti products should be standardized."
What is our primary use case?
Fortinet FortiManager is a great solution that helps you consolidate the single point of management for all Fortinet solutions. It also helps you support the change management process that is aligned with ITIL. The solution also helps you to have version control and tracking control.
What is most valuable?
The solution's most valuable feature is the consolidation and the single point of administration solution.
What needs improvement?
The graphics interface between Fortinet FortiManager and any Forti products should be standardized. Doing a configuration change directly in the UTM is not the same as doing it via FortiManager for some features.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiManager for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Fortinet FortiManager is a very stable solution.
I rate the solution's stability ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution's scalability is very good.
I rate the solution's scalability an eight out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
I would prefer the person who helps us on the first call or interaction to have a higher engineering capacity.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The solution's initial setup wasn't done by me but by an expert. I believe the setup is not too simple because it took some implementation by an expert.
What was our ROI?
As a simplified, unified point of management, Fortinet FortiManager helps to reduce administration costs.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a six out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I haven't implemented the solution's automation capabilities. The most automation I have done in Fortinet FortiManager is a configuration to be deployed massively to a group of UTMs, access points, or switches. I would recommend the solution to other users. It would be great to have FortiManager by your side if everything you have is from Fortinet.
As the platform tracks every change we make, it helps me with compliance and also helps me maintain all the devices at the same firmware level. It helps with compliance and auditing.
Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior Network Engineer at SP SYSNET PTE. LTD.
Centralized management boosts security while improvements needed in interface and integration
Pros and Cons
- "The centralized management of policies and certificates, coupled with the capability to handle multi-site deployments effectively, provides streamlined operations."
- "The centralized management of policies and certificates, coupled with the capability to handle multi-site deployments effectively, provides streamlined operations."
- "The graphical user interface could use improvement as it appears complex and not user-friendly."
- "The graphical user interface could use improvement as it appears complex and not user-friendly."
What is our primary use case?
Our solution centralizes all the firewalls in different regions or data centers into one location. We manage policy distribution between various regions by creating policies and deploying them according to the device location where the policy is needed.
We also distribute certificates remotely for managers. Our solution primarily works with FortiGate firewalls without integrating with third-party products.
What is most valuable?
The centralized management of policies and certificates, coupled with the capability to handle multi-site deployments effectively, provides streamlined operations.
Centralized visibility enhances security management, offering unified management across regions such as India, Singapore, and Australia. FortiManager captures all devices and provides reports for security analysis.
We consider the pricing reasonable as it reduces operational costs and boosts security efficiency.
What needs improvement?
The graphical user interface could use improvement as it appears complex and not user-friendly. Better integration of Fortinet ADC into FortiManager would be beneficial.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been working with FortiManager for more than five to ten years.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Palo Alto Panorama is difficult to configure compared to FortiManager, which is more feasible and easier to manage.
How was the initial setup?
Initially, the deployment takes some time, but it is easy to accomplish. Some challenges we encountered include the NTP server, certificate management, and port openings across regions.
What about the implementation team?
We initially deploy our own NTP server. If that does not work, we resort to manual timing settings.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Pricing is reasonable and does not pose challenges.
What other advice do I have?
FortiManager is more user-friendly compared to Palo Alto Panorama. It is suitable for small-scale and easy management.
I would rate the overall solution between seven out of ten. Better integration of other Fortinet products like ADC into FortiManager would be beneficial.
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. Reseller
Network & Security Team Head at Amiral
Good support, stable, and easy to install and manage
Pros and Cons
- "It's very easy to install, and it's easy to discover and communicate with your device."
- "It requires a lot of resources. This is the main challenge."
What is our primary use case?
I use this solution to manage my VDOMs and FortiGate policies.
What is most valuable?
It's very easy to install, and it's easy to discover and communicate with your device.
We can manage VDOM, backup and restore configurations, and FortiGate. We have ten FortiGate firewalls.
What needs improvement?
It requires a lot of resources. This is the main challenge.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for more than ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's stable. I didn't have any issues with its stability or availability. It's good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's scalable. I'd rate it a nine out of ten in terms of scalability.
How are customer service and support?
Fortinet's support is very good. Sometimes, Fortinet's support is better than Cisco's support. They are more talented. I'd rate their support a nine out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We had Panorama from Palo Alto. We switched because most of our devices are from Fortinet. FortiManager is also easy to install and set up.
How was the initial setup?
It's very easy to install. This is the main reason why we are using it. It's easy to set up and manage. The only thing I am not happy with is the sizing of the RAM and hardware. The implementation took about two months because we have a big network.
What about the implementation team?
It was implemented in-house. We have a team of three engineers dedicated to installation and maintenance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
If you compare Fortinet and Palo Alto, Fortinet is cheaper, but if you compare Cisco and Fortinet, sometimes Cisco is cheaper because Cisco gives us more discounts because of the size. Cisco isn't cheap, but sometimes, we get a big discount from them.
Its licensing is monthly. I'd rate it a seven out of ten in terms of pricing.
What other advice do I have?
I'd recommend having a demo of FortiManager before deciding on it. I had a demo to understand how this device will match my profile and my requirements. The demo answered all my questions.
Overall, I'd rate Fortinet FortiManager 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.
Network Specialist at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
We can set unified policies from a central dashboard, reducing human error
Pros and Cons
- "FortiManager enables us to set unified firewall policies from one centralized dashboard, reducing human error. If you do not have a central dashboard, there's a chance you might set a policy on one firewall and forget to do it for another."
- "The SD-WAN solution is difficult to manage on FortiManager because you need to share some configurations on the firewall side. Sometimes you lose all connectivity with the firewall, so it is challenging to apply the default configuration to the SD-WAN solution."
What is our primary use case?
We use FortiManager to manage the roles and policies for all of our edge firewalls.
How has it helped my organization?
FortiManager enables us to set unified firewall policies from one centralized dashboard, reducing human error. If you do not have a central dashboard, there's a chance you might set a policy on one firewall and forget to do it for another.
What needs improvement?
The SD-WAN solution is difficult to manage on FortiManager because you need to share some configurations on the firewall side. Sometimes you lose all connectivity with the firewall, so it is challenging to apply the default configuration to the SD-WAN solution.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used FortiManager for around two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate FortiManager nine out of 10 for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate FortiManager eight out of 10 for scalability. It's easy to scale, but you may run into some issues. We have around 4,000 users at my company.
How are customer service and support?
I rate Fortinet support six out of 10. The response time could be better.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
Deploying FortiManager is easy, but you may need to reconfigure and restart the appliance during the setup if it loses the connection. This happened once, but it has been working fine since then.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I rate FortiManager eight out of 10 for affordability. All of the features are included with the basic license. It isn't like other solutions where you need to pay for SD-WAN or additional bandwidth.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Fortinet FortiManager eight 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.
ICT Project Management Office Manager at PINS
Streamlines network security management with its centralized approach while offering features such as robust security policies and automated workflows
Pros and Cons
- "The user interface, along with user-friendly planning features, makes it straightforward to configure desired settings."
- "Issues arise when customers experience unstable electricity or poor grounding conditions."
What is our primary use case?
Amid a surge in malware threats, including ransomware, heightened awareness about security vulnerabilities has prompted organizations to prioritize robust cybersecurity measures. Fortinet's SD-WAN solutions provide a comprehensive approach to secure and efficient wide-area networking for our customers.
What is most valuable?
The user interface, along with user-friendly planning features, makes it straightforward to configure desired settings.
What needs improvement?
Issues arise when customers experience unstable electricity or poor grounding conditions. In such cases, their CPE or other devices on-site may become unreliable, leading to occasional configuration discrepancies. To address this, site visits are necessary, and sometimes manual configuration adjustments are required. In extreme cases, device replacement may be necessary, particularly when inadequate electricity grounding poses a persistent challenge, creating specific conditions for intervention.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Presently, our customers have a limited number of remote sites, numbering in the hundreds, with none exceeding a thousand or more. Fortunately, there haven't been any issues reported with this scale of deployment.
How are customer service and support?
Fortinet's support has proven to be reliable, particularly as we've been engaged with them since the project's initiation. This long-standing collaboration has facilitated effective communication, allowing us to seek advice or receive the correct configurations when encountering issues. Their assistance has been instrumental in problem-solving and troubleshooting. I would rate it eight out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, we employed Cisco Catalyst switches, specifically the Catalyst 1100 series. However, during that time, the stability of these switches was not satisfactory, and there were noticeable issues. We transitioned to FortiManager because our customers expressed a preference for enhanced security features in the form of superior Customer Premises Equipment. The local certification standards in Indonesia have played a crucial role in raising awareness among our customers regarding the need for robust security measures.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
The installation is very simple, thanks to its use of zero-touch provisioning. With another engineer on hand and static alerts in place, the installation process is hassle-free. Completing the setup typically takes around fifteen minutes.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
While I find the pricing somewhat higher compared to other options, it remains acceptable for now. I anticipate a growing demand for SD-WAN security in the future, particularly with Fortinet gaining popularity. I hope that the prices will become more competitive in subsequent releases, as the current pricing is perceived as somewhat elevated.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate it nine 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?
Other
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Pre-Sales Engineer at Cable & Wireless Communications
Great pricing, good support, and very customizable
Pros and Cons
- "Setup, setting policies, and reporting were all very easy. We had no issues whatsoever getting the solution up and running."
- "Their EDR products could be better. They need to dedicate more R&D to that area."
What is our primary use case?
We had a customer that had about five locations and at each location, they needed a management device. We installed FortiManager at the head office and all locations report back to it.
What is most valuable?
Setup, setting policies, and reporting were all very easy. We had no issues whatsoever getting the solution up and running.
The ability to manage multiple devices is great. We have one set up and one pane of glass for management. The reporting features are customizable for the customer. We would normally just show them some default reports and they would customize them. So far, there are no problems customizing your reports.
What needs improvement?
I haven't had any issues with the product.
Their EDR products could be better. They need to dedicate more R&D to that area.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for a while. The company I work with now exclusively uses Fortinet products.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is very good.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
For network monitoring, I've previously used SolarWinds. The major differences are the ease of use of Fortinet and its single pane of glass. It's also easier to get reports. SolarWinds can require a little more technical knowledge.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very simple. I'd rate the process eight out of ten in terms of ease of setup. The deployment takes, on a complex install, about two days. On a simpler install, it would take less than a day.
Usually, we have one solution implementation engineer managing the deployment.
Once we have implemented it, it goes over to our support center and they handle it under a managed service.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Fortinet has the best pricing currently on the market. They are very competitive, especially if you are a preferred partner (which we are).
What other advice do I have?
I'd advise others to use it. It's a powerful tool. It makes managing multiple Fortinet products very easy. You can tie in FortiSwitches, Fortigates, et cetera, and gain one central point of management with great reporting functionality.
I'd rate the solution an eight out of ten. It's best of breed and always on the cutting edge of security technologies. they keep abreast of upcoming trends and emerging technologies.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiManager Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Updated: March 2026
Product Categories
Network Management ApplicationsPopular Comparisons
Cisco DNA Center
Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN
DX Spectrum
ExtremeCloud IQ
Huawei eSight
Broadcom Network Flow Analysis
Cisco Catalyst Center
OpenText Network Node Manager
HPE Intelligent Management Center
Aruba Airwave
IBM Tivoli NetCool
Junos Space Network Director
SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper
NetFortris Quality of Service
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiManager Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Quick Links
Learn More: Questions:
- What is your opinion on Fortinet FortiManager vs AlgoSec? Are they complementary?
- Which Network Management System is better, IBM Netcool or HP Node Manager?
- When evaluating Network Management Applications, what aspect do you think is the most important to look for?
- Which Network Analyzer and Network Configuration Manager do you recommend?
- Which device do you recommend to use for traffic shaping & bandwidth optimization between P2P links?
- Installing the new IBM Tivoli "NOI" Application
- How has the Facebook outage (October 2021) happened? Could it have been prevented?
- Why is Network Management Applications important for companies?
















