Fortinet FortiManager Reviews

FortiManager is used to facilitate the administration of FortiGate equipment. There are many features to automate processes and make it easier to manage the devices. For example, we can push the same configuration to hundreds or thousands of devices, which helps us maintain a global version of the configuration and status of the devices. We also use scripts and templates to make it even easier.

The ZTP (Zero Touch Provisionning) helps us to reduce the implementation time and TCO of the remote sites.

We use it on a virtual machine in our data center. We are not using a box.  

We have many types of clients so there are many types of use cases for our clients who we are deploying FortiGate for on-site to create the local network. Many sites are using FortiGate firewalls like 60E, 100E, 200E and 500E and some 3100D.  

We are using what we call zero-touch deployment. It is a very important technology or process that helps us to make the deployments efficiently. It is called zero-touch deployment or ZTD. It helps us to implement our configuration on these client sites by using FortiManager. Zero-touch deployment is the central piece here and it is made possible by the use of FortiManager. What happens is we prepare our configuration in the FortiManager. After that, the technicians who are doing the installation just need to connect the instance of FortiGate to the internet. They only have to do that and FortiGate automatically downloads the configuration from FortiManager. So this is the way we can optimize the implementation and reduce the duration of the setup time involved.  

It would normally take us a handful of days to install one FortiGate instance on one site. But with this technology, zero-touch deployment, we need just one hour or maybe as little as 30 minutes to install one site. It is much more efficient. We reduce the time further by installing the configuration in all the FortiGate instances that we are managing at the same time. For example, say we need to install a new policy to deny or to allow something to connect to the internet. We can create this configuration in the FortiManager and we can push it out to 100 or 200 FortiGate instances at the same time. So it helps us to reduce the time it takes to install and to perform maintenance as well as to minimize the errors. We are human so errors are more frequent than a deployment managed by a machine. With this process, if anything is wrong it is also easier to correct.  

The most valuable feature in FortiManager is the ability to automate the deployment processes and maintenance.  

We have over 300 Fortigate sites and we use this solution to manage everything under one interface. 

The scripts are very useful. We can push the TCL and CLI scripts to Fortigate.

The automation is great between Ansible and Fortimanager.

We can integrate the solution with other solutions.

There is one central template that we can use across sites. 

The setup is very simple. 

We can use the solution as a VM. 

We primarily use the solution for management tasks. We have Fortigate firewalls across the globe and need this product to manage everything. 

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. 

In our use case, we manage the configuration of all the firewalls so we can create different versions. We are able to do a centralized deployment and if any changes are there, we can map them with the authorization policies. If somebody makes a mistake with the configuration we can revert back to the old configuration. With Fortinet FortiManager, we can manage multiple firewalls and devices from a central point.

When we have a specific configuration pushed it does take some time to be deployed on the actual firewall. There might be some bugs or issues in that particular case. Sometimes we need to, if it is in a cluster mode, reboot the firewall. If the configuration does not go properly we have to reboot. These are small changes that will make things seamless. 

When upgrades are deployed, Fortinet FortiManager should identify if a specific device is not matching with other devices. I think it is there, but then in the perspective of alerts and logs, the uneven configuration is there. It should be today's alert. For example, disaster recovery site, there is a firewall. If someone changes it in the primary production area and then they forget to change it in their area, there should be an alert.

We had clients that wanted to manage multiple devices such as Fortigate firewalls. The customer had an environment with multiple devices or multiple branches. Now, they can centrally manage everything with this one product.

The features are good.

The reporting functionality is centralized. You can see policies and monitor the entire infrastructure. It makes administration very easy.

We primarily use the solution for management and analysis. We use it for the management of two or three firewalls and the deployment of policies. 

This is quite a convenient solution. We can manage a number of items. The wireless management is easy. 

The VPN is easy. I have the ability to do the proper configuration of each of the firewalls. 

It is easy to deploy to licenses. 

The initial setup is very simple. 

The product is stable.

It is scalable. 

The functionality is very high.

We have found the pricing reasonable.

I utilize Fortinet FortiManager to push commands with scripts. I made different scripts for different use cases.

I appreciate the ability to connect via SSH through Fortinet FortiManager to the FortiGates I manage. This feature allows me to gather information about the interfaces without having to physically connect to the device. This is a convenient aspect that I find valuable.

I have started utilizing the group features, which enable me to manage and update the devices in a structured and organized manner. For example, when installing new firmware or updates of FortiOS, I can divide the devices into different groups and update each group individually. This is a feature I began using around a year ago and has proven to be very useful.

Moreover, I have begun utilizing customized fields, which has added an extra level of convenience to my work. These fields have proven to be quite useful, and I would recommend them to others.