FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) Reviews

There are numerous features and benefits depending on the specific use case. Fortinet offers comprehensive security solutions for various purposes. I can deploy different solutions and more. 

There is room for improvement in pricing. 

I have almost five years of experience with FortiGate NGFW. I work with the firewall for small businesses and enterprises. Currently, I'm using the enterprise version.

As for the models, I mainly use FortiGate 6800, T, 100C, 200S, and 200P.

I haven't experienced any stability issues with this product so far. It handles everything it needs to, including server requirements, client services, and computing, without any problems. I have deployed numerous firewalls, and until now, they have been incredibly stable. There haven't been any issues related to version compatibility either. So, I would say it's stable for me.

I would rate the scalability a ten out of ten. 

Customer service and support are good. Every time I have reached out to them, they have been responsive and helpful. In fact, I have even shared news and deployment information on my LinkedIn to showcase their excellent support.

The initial setup was easy. There were no issues during the setup.

The time taken for deployment depends on various factors. For example, if I deploy it today, I might install it the following day. However, if there are any issues with the network architecture provided by the IT vendor, it may take more time to resolve those issues before completing the deployment. But in terms of deployment alone, without considering logistics, it can be done in a day or a few hours.

In our market, the pricing is a little expensive. While we can acquire a smaller package of Fortinet, it still comes at a high cost. So, I would say the pricing is on the higher side. However, when comparing it with other vendors, it's still more reasonable.

Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. A rating of ten would require even more efficient reporting and swift resolution of any breakout or resilience attack. If they can provide faster fixes and proactive responses, it would be perfect.

Our clients use the solution to ensure their environment is secured on all the layers. The application layer all the way to the networking. That's one of the main reasons they use the product in their environment.

It's a seamless product, and it's not buggy. The updates we receive from FortiGate are one of the most important features. The product is user-friendly and not complex.

The solution must improve the support provided for customers around the globe, considering the time differences in different places. The product could add some functionalities and features provided by its competitors to stay ahead in the market.

I have been using the solution for two years.

The product is stable. We haven't had issues so far. I rate the stability a nine out of ten.

The solution is scalable in most cases. It all depends on the customer's requirements. We haven't yet come across a situation whereby scaling is not possible. Our clients are small, medium, and enterprise businesses. Currently, one of our customers is not able to reach the specific level of scalability that they require so far. I rate the scalability an eight out of ten.

The support is great. However, support needs to improve constantly. Even though they are good, they should try to stay ahead of the competitors.

Positive

The solution is easy to install. The ease of setup depends upon the customer’s requirements. I rate the ease of setup a ten out of ten.

The time to deploy the product depends on the clients’ requirements because we have to work hand in hand with the service provider. If we have to terminate a link on the firewall and everything from the networking perspective is all in place, it might just take a couple of minutes to deploy.

We need just need one to three engineers to deploy the solution. It depends on the magnitude of the client. The solution requires maintenance. More than three people are needed to maintain the product.

The product is a little bit expensive. The certifications cost $400. Other vendors provide it for an average of $200 to $300. The product has an annual licensing fee. Additional costs depend on the user's requirements.

People looking to use the product must ensure they have enough engineers who know how to work with it. Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

The usability of the solution is its best feature. The product has a great UI. The UI is seamless and easier to navigate compared to other firewalls. The reporting and logging are good too. Additionally, Fortinet Security Fabric is another great feature.

Being a great product, some changes in the pricing would make it a great choice for even more organizations.

I have been using the solution for two to three years.

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

Currently, we have around ten customers. Our customers are mostly medium-sized businesses. We also have small and enterprise-level customers.

I rate the tool’s scalability a nine out of ten. FortiGate's VDOM is a great feature for scalability.

Support is good. A local organization provides us with first-level support. I have raised a few cases with them.

Positive

I rate the ease of setup a nine out of ten. Most organizations like to have everything deployed within the premises. The initial setup can be done within a few hours if the planning is done beforehand. The policies and other requirements are added gradually.

In our country, pricing is very important. The product is not cheap. Although companies do invest in one-time setup, retaining license renewal is not the same for every organization. I rate the pricing a five out of ten. Support should be purchased as per various levels and other licenses for security features, like Application Control and Web Filtering, should also be purchased.

Overall, it is a great technology to use. It is imperative to train employees to get the best out of the product and robust implementation. FortiGate has a great learning platform and commendable documentation for that which should be utilized. Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

Our primary use case is for protection. We have general use cases.

It is a very user-friendly solution. Moreover, Foritgate offers good performance, where it outperforms Cisco Firepower in various ways.

The solution doesn't cover all aspects of protection. There should be better customization in the IPS. The Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) and FortiGuard could benefit from enhancement. 

So, in future releases, I want to see improvements in IPS, particularly in terms of customization.

I have been using this solution for ten years. 

The firewall is very stable and reliable.

I would rate the stability a nine out of ten. There's always room for improvement.

We have around three to four customers using this solution.

I can't use the technical support because of some sanctions in Iran. 

The setup process is easy and very fast. The setup process is very fast, typically taking only one to two days.

The purchasing process is straightforward, and then the normal deployment process. 

Moreover, a single person can handle the deployment and maintenance tasks.

There is a licensing fee; it is on a yearly basis. The pricing iss actually quite normally priced. 

I have used Cisco. I find impressive about Cisco is its powerful enterprise-grade solution, comparable to Fortinet firewall. FortiGate is not superior to Cisco, but it stands out for its user-friendly interface.

Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. It is a suitable solution for medium-range companies due to its well-designed user interface.

We use the FortiGate Next Generation Firewall for our customers. We mainly utilize firewall and VPN features.

The solution has helped us protect our customers' networks effectively due to its firewall and VPN capabilities.

The firewall and VPN features are the most valuable in protecting our customers' networks. The stability of the product is also appreciated.

I would like to see improvements in the IPS/IDS feature to enhance protection against attacks from attackers, including ransomware protection.

I have been using FortiGate Next Generation Firewall for about five years.

The product is stable.

We don't need scalability because our customers are small companies.

We do not use FortiGate support directly; we must use distributor support.

Positive

The pricing of FortiGate Next Generation Firewall is competitive. The licensing cost is approximately thirteen thousand.

We evaluate Palo Alto against FortiGate, and would be considering it if the price is lower.

I would rate FortiGate Next Generation Firewall an eight out of ten. I would like to see AI capabilities in the future.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

We use FortiGate Next Generation Firewall mainly for network security.

The solution's application control is very powerful. Another valuable feature is the integration between the firewall and the switches we have. The FortiSwitch extended security fabric is one of the things that we like about the solution.

The solution's stability should be improved because it is extremely unstable.

I have been working with FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) for eight years.

FortiGate Next Generation Firewall is a very scalable solution. Approximately 32 customers are working with the solution.

The solution's technical support team needs more improvement. The technical support team has a slow response and needs more experienced support agents to interact with the customers.

The solution's initial setup is easy and straightforward.

Since it's a security solution, it needs considerable time to deploy. We need to analyze the network, the customer requirements, and the policies we need to add, which can take a couple of days.

For any security solution, there is no straightforward deployment process. It depends on the survey on the customer side and what we are doing for the customer. One security engineer is required for the deployment and maintenance of the solution.

Since FortiGate Next Generation Firewall is a slightly expensive solution, the use case determines the ROI. However, since it's quite expensive for general usage, it has a lower ROI.

FortiGate Next Generation Firewall is an expensive solution with a yearly subscription. There are no extra costs in addition to the standard licensing fees.

The solution has a lot of features that we like. We don't need additional features because they compromise the solution's stability when they add more features. As a security gateway, we need to be much more stable than adding more features.

FortiGate Next Generation Firewall comes in two versions, namely, the hardware version and the cloud version. For the on-premises version, hardware is to be implemented on-site; for the cloud, it's a cloud security solution. So it depends on which version your customer is using. The licensing is very different for the on-prem and the cloud solution.

When it comes to complex solutions, I highly recommend FortiGate Next Generation Firewall.

Customers looking for SD-WAN and good application control should go for FortiGate Next Generation Firewall. Customers looking for high stability should avoid the solution.

Overall, I rate FortiGate Next Generation Firewall an eight out of ten.

The solution is being used as a firewall. 

The GUI configuration is its most valuable feature. 

The licensing model and pricing need improvement.

I have been using FortiGate Next Generation Firewall for the last four years. 

FortiGate Next Generation Firewall is a stable solution. I rate the stability a nine out of ten.

It is a scalable solution. Fifty users are using the solution. I rate the scalability a ten out of ten.

The technical support team is good, but we haven't reached out to them on our own. 

FortiGate's initial setup is easy. The solution's deployment depends on the projects and the way clients use it. It takes approximately five days to deploy the solution. I rate the setup an eight out of ten.

It is an expensive solution.

I rate the overall solution a nine out of ten.

Customers require Next Generation Firewall features, UTM, URL filtering, and application filtering.

FortiGate Next Generation Firewall has a simple configuration.

FortiGate Next Generation Firewall's performance and threat intelligence could be improved.

I have been working with FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) for the last six years.

I rate FortiGate Next Generation Firewall a seven out of ten for stability.

The solution’s scalability needs to be improved. I rate FortiGate Next Generation Firewall an eight out of ten for scalability.

FortiGate Next Generation Firewall has a good technical support team that responds fast.

The solution has a straightforward initial setup.

It takes three to four days to deploy FortiGate Next Generation Firewall. Only one engineer is required for the solution’s deployment and maintenance.

Users need to pay for one-year, three-year, and five years licenses. FortiGate Next Generation Firewall is a very cheap solution.

We recommend FortiGate Next Generation Firewall to people from the SMB segment looking for a cost-effective and single-box solution.

Overall, I rate FortiGate Next Generation Firewall an eight out of ten.