Fortinet FortiADC Reviews

Name: Fortinet FortiADC
Brand: Fortinet
Rating: 3.9 (22 reviews)

3.9 out of 5

22 reviews
85% willing to recommend

148 followers

What is Fortinet FortiADC?

Fortinet FortiADC is a robust application delivery controller (ADC) that delivers application optimization, application security, and application availability. FortiADC is a valued offering from Fortinet, which is widely recognized as a trusted supplier of dynamic security solutions worldwide. FortiADC offers dynamic security functions (AV, DDoS, and WAF) in addition to advanced application connectors for a simplified deployment and complete transparency to an organization's networks and applications. FortiADC offers three primary deployment options: physical machine, virtual machine, (VM) and cloud solution options.

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Fortinet FortiADC is the #7 ranked solution in top Application Delivery Controllers. PeerSpot users give Fortinet FortiADC an average rating of 7.8 out of 10. Based on the analysis of the 22 most recent Fortinet FortiADC reviews, the overall sentiment is positive, with a sentiment score of 6.8. (Among the lowest in the category). Fortinet FortiADC is most commonly compared to Microsoft Azure Application Gateway: Fortinet FortiADC vs Microsoft Azure Application Gateway. Fortinet FortiADC is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 54% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 19% of all views.

Helped 824,053 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

Saeid Khanipour Ghobani

IT Manager at Technology Evaluation Center

The initial setup and configuration are very easy because the solution includes a simple OS. Initial configuration takes about ten minutes for simple environments. It is important to assess the environment and decide what services, servers, and web applications are needed. The solution can be configured in router mode or one-arm mode which uses source NAT as destination NAT to send traffic to the firewall. One-arm mode is more complex and requires discussions with our engineers. For example, you have a website with Node.js for your programming language, Amazon S3 for your CDN, NGINX for your web server, and you use both React and reCAPTCHA. Our team meets with your developer to learn your website and OS through a multi-step process and then we configure the solution to protect everything.

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Sameer Ghewade

Manager, Information Technology at Parag Milk Foods Ltd

Fortinet's fixed application version has very good policies. Some features have been reduced in the new version of Fortinet FortiADC. Whenever Fortinet updates its application version, it should provide the same features. For example, I was using MAC-based control for end users. Six months back, I updated the version of Fortinet OS. The MAC-based control on the new version was CLI-based, which is difficult to manage. I wanted the MAC-based control to be GUI-based. Fortinet FortiADC should include an advanced-level SD-WAN.

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Andrew Reynolds

Senior Technical Consultant at CBR Cyber Pty Ltd

I like the load-balancing components because they are very straightforward. The interface is easy to get around and follows a very logical pattern and the API's are very easy to follow. The basic OWASP protections it offers in the web application firewall are also useful. The tool does what it says on the box. Setting up priority groups and using health monitors is easy. We can do patches offline to application servers without causing outages that would affect the customer. The web application firewall features, especially those related to the OWASP Top Ten, provide easily integrated and automated protections. This helps with legislative compliance for our Apps and for compliance with the PCI security standards. This allows more flexibility in patching the back end applications and it offers visibility into the requests being made to the applications - you can't protect what you can't see.

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Fortinet FortiADC mindshare

As of December 2024, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiADC in the Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) category stands at 9.4%, up from 7.3% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

PeerAnalyst reports

Type	Title	Date
Category	Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)	Dec 22, 2024	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Dec 22, 2024	Download
Comparison	Fortinet FortiADC vs NetScaler	Dec 22, 2024	Download
Comparison	Fortinet FortiADC vs F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)	Dec 22, 2024	Download
Comparison	Fortinet FortiADC vs HAProxy	Dec 22, 2024	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Microsoft Azure Application Gateway	3.6	8.6%	78%	46 interviews Add to research
F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)	4.1	15.1%	83%	120 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Fortinet FortiADC offers valuable features like SSL offloading, load balancing, and Global Server Load Balancing. It enhances security and control and supports web application firewall capabilities. Users appreciate the straightforward interface and ease of use, allowing quick integration with existing systems. FortiADC manages DNS intelligently, improving reliability and reducing latency. Additional features include content caching, content compression, and bridging for load balancing across different protocols. It is known for affordability and scalability.

"It helps with defining server load balancing tasks and managing SSL certificates, ensuring the communication flow through the Fortinet gateway."
"The solution enhances performance by efficiently balancing the load across multiple backend servers."
"We can do patches offline without causing customers outages. The web application firewall features, especially those related to the OWASP Top Ten, provide automated protections. This allows more flexibility in patching the backend applications. Additionally, it offers visibility into the requests being made to the applications, and you can't protect what you can't see."

Room for Improvement

Fortinet FortiADC requires enhancements in areas like load-balancing algorithms, user interface complexity, and technical documentation clarity. The web application firewall should be improved alongside better support response times. Issues with scaling, feature consistency, and unnecessary licensing costs are noted. Pricing is a concern, while the system struggles with handling features versus device capacity. Increased integration with sFlow for deeper performance insights and reduced false positives in threat detection are desired improvements.

"Though FortiADC is useful, I'd appreciate more user-friendly features and in-depth insights into network activity, like detailed logs and AI-driven feedback for optimization."
"One of the product's areas of improvement includes reducing the number of components requiring additional licenses, such as antivirus and IDS, which are already covered by our firewall."
"The solution needs to integrate sFlow. sFlow provides better visualization of the bandwidth and types of traffic passing through the device. When used in the traffic path, this information can be really useful."

ROI

Pricing

Fortinet FortiADC users found its pricing more competitive than F5 and Imperva, often citing it as affordable and fair. Licenses are flexible, ranging from yearly to perpetual, with optional support and hardware costs. Pricing is influenced by organization size, sometimes offering discounts through local or presale teams. Though some found costs needing improvement, overall, users rated it as budget-friendly, with straightforward licensing and optional additional features like antivirus and IDS excluded in basic packages.

"Our basic license excludes features such as antivirus and IDS. Due to license limitations, some functionalities are not configured."
"I rate Fortinet FortiADC's pricing one out of ten. It is fixed."
"The product has average pricing. I rate its pricing a five out of ten."

Popular Use Cases

Users employ Fortinet FortiADC for load balancing, disaster recovery, and global server management. It directs application traffic, manages DNS, and optimizes connections across multiple servers and data centers. Fortinet FortiADC supports SSL offloading, caching, and enhances web application security. Academic institutions utilize it for student registration, while telecoms and IT integrators implement it for application delivery. It facilitates bandwidth management and traffic control by integrating with Microsoft and Google platforms.

Service and Support

Fortinet FortiADC technical support varies in effectiveness. Many users report good experiences, praising responsiveness and issue resolution, though some mention delays and challenges with priority handling. Users appreciate the ability to communicate directly through devices, yet there are mixed experiences regarding timely responses. Licensing issues are noted, affecting support accessibility. Some rely on external resources and colleagues for faster troubleshooting. Generally, support is considered adequate, with room for improvement in speed and initial processing.

Deployment

Many consider Fortinet FortiADC's initial setup straightforward, though some find it involves many steps. Some users appreciate its support and report a two-week setup, while others mention complexity due to documentation issues. Deployment time varies, from hours for experienced users to a year for elaborate configurations. Some suggest it takes days depending on the number of applications, yet they find it manageable with proper planning and engineering teams.

Scalability

Fortinet FortiADC is praised for its scalability, being easy to scale with virtual options, cloud support, and various appliance models. Many users find it adaptable for different user capacities, from hundreds to thousands. Virtual machines can expand easily without restrictions, offering built-in security features and high availability. However, some users suggest careful sizing at the start to avoid scaling issues later. Fortinet FortiADC receives ratings around seven to ten for scalability.

Stability

Fortinet FortiADC is praised for its stable performance, with minor issues resolved through firmware updates. While some bugs exist, Fortinet provides timely patches. Users find it reliable, though some rate it lower compared to competitors like F5. It offers stable hardware and software, and enhances operational efficiency. Though newer versions may present more bugs than older ones, for many, the stability and reliability aspects rate high, providing consistent performance over extended periods.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Fortinet FortiADC Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

19%

Government

Financial Services Firm

Retailer

Comms Service Provider

University

Educational Organization

Manufacturing Company

Non Profit

Energy/Utilities Company

Insurance Company

Healthcare Company

Construction Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Media Company

Legal Firm

Hospitality Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Outsourcing Company

Transportation Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Logistics Company

Performing Arts

Pharma/Biotech Company

Consumer Goods Company

Aerospace/Defense Firm

Compare Fortinet FortiADC with alternative products

Learn more about Fortinet FortiADC

Fortinet FortiADC Benefits

FortiADC security protocol: FortiADC integrates with FortiSandbox to improve the overall antivirus security protections where every file is scanned for known and unknown malicious risks. If a file is identified as malicious or problematic, it will be blocked in the future.
SSL protocol: FortiADC securely uses the most up-to-date cryptography to provide exceptional encryption and decryption using a hardware-based SSL ASIC. FortiADC offers complete transparency to inspect all traffic for threats, improves server response time, and reduces backend server load, SSL inspection and SSL offloading. FortiADC integrates seamlessly with Gemalto’s SafeNet Hardware Security Module (HSM).
FortiADC connectors: FortiADC Fabric Connectors offer open API-based integration and coordination with numerous software-defined networks (SDNs), third-party partners, and cloud management providers. Fortinet Fabric Connectors provide deep open and turnkey integration with recognized third-party vendors such as AWS, K8s, OCI, and SAP, in multi-vendor solutions, improving scalability, simplified management, and automation.
Business stability: FortiADC load balancing for on-premise global server load balancing (GSBL) and in the cloud (FortiGSBL Cloud) will ensure users can maintain a reliable and available network by improving the ability of scaling applications throughout numerous data centers to reduce application response times and enhance disaster recovery. Users are able to define protocols based on network latency concerns, overall data performance, and site availability.

Fortinet FortiADC Features

Application availability
- 4-7 application load balancing: DNS, HTTPS, RTMP, RADIUS, MySQL and more
- External fabric connectors: Splunk Integration, AWS/OCI Connector, Kubernetes Service.
- Security fabric connectors: FortiSIEM, Fortigate BanIP Integration, FortiAnalyzer, and more.
- Deployment modes: High availability (AA/AP Failover), Router mode, transparent mode (switch), one-arm mode (proxy with X-forwarded for support.
Web application firewall (WAF)
- Security services: Captcha support, cookie support, HTTP header security, XML/SOAP/JSON validation, CSRF protection, API gateway, and more.
- Application security: Web attack signature, bot detection, web vulnerability scanner, OWASP Top-10 Wizard, API protection and more.

Application enhancement
- HTTP and TCP improvement: TCP buffering, HTTP compressions/decompression, HTTP caching (dynamic and static objects), Bandwidth monitoring using quality of service (QoS), TCP buffering, and more.
- Authentication offloading: Two-factor authentication (Fortitoken/Fortitoken Cloud and Google Authentication), NTLM, AUTH2.0, SAML 2.0 (SP and Idp) RADIUS, LDAP, Kerbos, and local.
- Networking: Integration with Ansible, Cisco ACI, OpenStack and Nutanix, NVGRE and VXLAN support, VLAN and port trunking support, IPv6 Support (SLB, firewall, routing and interfaces), Dynamic NAT, Hide NAT, Static NAT for added scalability and flexibility.
- Management: Syslog support, SNMP using private MIBs with threshold-based traps. REST APIs, VDOMS, data analytics, real-time monitoring graphs, role-based monitoring, intuitive reporting, FortiView integration, and more.

Fortinet FortiADC was previously known as FortiADC Application Delivery Controller, FortiADC.