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ElisoBrito - PeerSpot reviewer
Analista de Suporte at NCT Informática
Real User
Good self-registration capabilities with responsive support but needs better integration
Pros and Cons
  • "The initial setup is very easy."
  • "The integration with other products, for example, some SAML authentications, would make it more flexible."

What is most valuable?

I like the self-registration capabilities.

The certificate authority aspect is excellent. 

I love that there is a single sign-on for Fortinet products. 

The initial setup is very easy.

It is a stable product.

The solution can scale as necessary.

Technical support is good. 

Fortinet has another product called FortiNAC. These two solutions work together well.

What needs improvement?

The integration with other products, for example, some SAML authentications, would make it more flexible.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for two years. It hasn't been too long. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. It's reliable. There aren't any bugs or glitches and we find that it does not crash or freeze.

Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiAuthenticator
December 2024
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823,875 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It can scale if you need it to. The solution can expand. 

How are customer service and support?

In general, Fortinet technical support is good. We have only had the solution for a small amount of time. We haven't used their support that much. Their response time has been very good. 

How was the initial setup?

I found the initial implementation process to be simple and straightforward. I didn't find it to be overly complex. There aren't too many features, unlike an FortiNAC solution, that need to be set up.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I've evaluated the difference between Fortinet and Cisco in the past.

What other advice do I have?

I'd advise new users to configure the backup, routine backup, to get the most out of the product. You can have problems if you don't.

In general, it's a simple product and we've enjoyed it. 

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten.

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
Özden-Aydın - PeerSpot reviewer
Technology Consultant at Netwiser
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Has push notifications and supports easy user management
Pros and Cons
  • "The tool's most valuable features are push notifications and integration with the FortiGate firewall. Push notifications provide an instant acceptance mechanism. When customers try to access SSL VPN, the solution sends a push notification to their mobile phone, and they can easily approve the access. The integration with FortiGate firewall is very easy if our customers use FortiGate for their firewall."
  • "I think the tool could provide this solution on the cloud. It's currently an on-premises solution. A cloud-based version could make setup, installation, and management easier. With on-premises, you must pay capital expenses (CapEx) upfront. However, if the solution was cloud-based, it would be operational expenses (OpEx), which is often easier to manage. You can pay monthly instead of paying the total cost at once. In my opinion, OpEx is more easily manageable than CapEx."

What is our primary use case?

Our customers use Fortinet FortiAuthenticator for SSL VPN security. Our customers are from various industries including retail, finance, and manufacturing.

What is most valuable?

The tool's most valuable features are push notifications and integration with the FortiGate firewall. Push notifications provide an instant acceptance mechanism. When customers try to access SSL VPN, the solution sends a push notification to their mobile phone, and they can easily approve the access. The integration with FortiGate firewall is very easy if our customers use FortiGate for their firewall.

It also supports easy user management. You can easily manage user accounts and groups.In terms of benefits, the tool provides both cost savings and efficiency, but efficiency is more important for our customers. The main point of this solution is security, which is the most important thing. After that, maybe you can say time management - you can easily manage your access and permissions. Cost savings come third.

What needs improvement?

I think the tool could provide this solution on the cloud. It's currently an on-premises solution. A cloud-based version could make setup, installation, and management easier. With on-premises, you must pay capital expenses (CapEx) upfront. However, if the solution was cloud-based, it would be operational expenses (OpEx), which is often easier to manage. You can pay monthly instead of paying the total cost at once. In my opinion, OpEx is more easily manageable than CapEx.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the product for five years. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
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PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiAuthenticator
December 2024
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiAuthenticator. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
823,875 professionals have used our research since 2012.
PeerSpot user
Senior IT Support Engineer at a marketing services firm with 501-1,000 employees
Vendor
Provides two-factor authentication and integration with our other FortiGates.

What is most valuable?

The valuable features are:

  • Two-factor authentication
  • User ID with our LDAP service
  • Integration with our other FortiGates

How has it helped my organization?

By using one of our units as a load-balancing slave, we were able to roll out location-based VPNs that created quicker connections to local servers for our end users. Furthermore, incorporating a LBS unit has provided preventative measures and ensured that our remote users can still connect if a failure occurs on our master authentication unit.

What needs improvement?

It was initially difficult to sync our high availability, load-balancing slave (LBS) to our master unit. There were some initial issues connecting it and syncing with our master FortiAuthenticator unit. After reaching out to Fortinet support, it turned out that the unit needed a software update.

I would like to see the following:

  • Creating an easier implementation of software patches.
  • Designing the admin profiles to sync across, instead of having to recreate them. (I see how this could be problematic with security measures.)

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using our master unit for about a year and our LBS for about six months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We had some stability issues. Our first LBS unit wouldn't work properly the first time and that wasted a lot of time. Eventually, it died and we had to RMA the unit.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We didn't have any issues with scalability.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support we received from Fortinet was responsive. When we experienced problems, they were able to fix our issues.

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

Before implementing our FortiAuthenticators, we used our main FortiGate as a way to push out two-factor codes to our users. After a while, this option was not working. As we continued to grow, we needed something more substantial and manageable.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was somewhat difficult in syncing our LDAP service to our main FortiGate.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Before using the FortiAuthenticator, we pushed out tokens via our main FortiGate.

What other advice do I have?

If you want a more efficient way to manage two-factor authentication for your users, or implement the unit as a cluster member role, the FortiAuthenticator can be incorporated very well into your environment.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Jozef Beliansky - PeerSpot reviewer
Network engineers at a government with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Excellent scalability, straightforward installation for a government organization, with proven results
Pros and Cons
  • "I prefer the passing tool that sent an active directory console to a Fortinet FortiAuthenticator, then Fortinet FortiAuthenticator does not pass the locks."
  • "I would like to see more security features in reference to identity login or identity identification."

What is our primary use case?

We use it for single sign-on. After connecting to VPN it creates an active directory or up session and we know who it is and then we use Fortinet FortiAuthenicator. 

What is most valuable?

I prefer the passing tool that sent an active directory console to a Fortinet FortiAuthenticator, then Fortinet FortiAuthenticator not passing the locks. If I ask the Fortinet FortiAuthenticator, give me the name of the group. FortiAuthenticator passes the lock, the group name, or the directory.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see more security features in reference to identity login or identity identification. I would like to see a troubleshooting option. For troubleshooting or viewing the lock of the device set or separate the locks from the connected device. Maybe with any device connected to the Fortinet FortiAuthenticator. And then I need the parsing device and type of locks of this device.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiAuthenticator for the past two months. Before that, we were only testing Fortinet FortiAuthenticator.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I believe Fortinet FortiAuthenticator is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We are finding it to be fully scalable at this point one hundred percent.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is excellent with Fortinet FortiAuthenticator.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward. The only problem we faced was the POC. We configure only through self-configuration. If we had an integrator or consultant to configure Fortinet FortiAuthenticator it would be easier than doing a self-configuration.

What about the implementation team?

It was easy for me, but I had to read the documents about LDAP authentication. I did an in-house self-configuration. It was time-consuming.

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

When we buy the Fortinet FortiAuthenticator device there is a comparison between price and security. We have a government organization and we want to buy cheap products.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Fortinet FortiAuthenticator an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
PedroMaia - PeerSpot reviewer
Managing Director at Intdev Internet Technologies
Real User
Provides a high level of security with two-step authentication
Pros and Cons
  • "The two-step authentication provides a higher level of security."
  • "We've had some issues with integration."

What is our primary use case?

We are resellers of this solution and partners of Fortinet. I'm the managing director and we are based in South Africa. 

What is most valuable?

I really like the two-step authentication, it provides a higher level of security that we didn't have previously. Just having a password is not good enough anymore. 

What needs improvement?

There are some issues with integration. We also have a problem that the cost of the solution is linked to the dollar and that can result in significant unexpected price rises. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for a year. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable, we have over 1,500 users. 

How are customer service and support?

We had great technical support from an external company. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was relatively easy. There were some issues we had with the LDAP integration, but it was solved quite quickly. We had some outside assistance for the deployment. 

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

The actual cost is fair but when our exchange rate in South Africa goes through the roof, then the price changes quickly. It would assist us if the cost could be standardized or fixed. The exchange rate has a significant impact on us. 

What other advice do I have?

I recommend this solution, it does what it's meant to. I rate FortiAuthenticator nine out of 10. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Security Engineer at Futuretec
Real User
Good support that responds quickly, but it's complex to set up and some protocols are not supported
Pros and Cons
  • "I work a lot with Fortinet products and I call the support often. They are very quick to respond and the support is very good."
  • "There are some protocols, such as SHA and SHA-2, that are not supported."

What is our primary use case?

We are a solution provider and we work with Fornet products, including FortiAuthenticator. I have installed it for a bank and their users authenticate their access through it.

Our implementation involved the creation of local users for the VPN, and they are authenticated using this product. This is the main purpose of it, and what had been requested by the client.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the authentication tokens.

What needs improvement?

There are some protocols, such as SHA and SHA-2, that are not supported. This is something that Fortinet is working on.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Fortinet FortiAuthenticator for one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

One of our clients has faced a lot of issues with FortiAuthenticator. For example, one of the devices restarted by itself, and the database was corrupted. To remedy this, we reinstalled the image and did the installation from scratch.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This is a scalable product.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support by Fortinet is okay.

I work a lot with Fortinet products and I call the support often. They are very quick to respond and the support is very good.

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

I have worked on most of the Fortinet products, as well as with products from Palo Alto. At this time, the only single sign-on product that we use is FortiAuthenticator.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was very complex. The was one cluster and one load balancer that had to be configured.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We expect to do another installation, although this time it will be using the RADIUS server.

What our engineers say about FortiAuthenticator is that when compared with other vendors, it has not yet reached the same level.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate this solution a six out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Guram Mazmishvili - PeerSpot reviewer
Wireless Network Engineer at Orient Logic
Real User
Top 10
Easy-to-setup platform with good technical support services
Pros and Cons
  • "The product’s most valuable feature is integration with FortiGate, FortiToken, FortiTalk, and multi-factor authentication."
  • "Fortinet FortiAuthenticator provides only authentication. It should also enable authorization services"

What is our primary use case?

We use Fortinet FortiAuthenticator to maintain security, and access, and monitor authentication and authorization processes. It enables the proper functioning of the CA server. We can use various authentication methods, including EFTOS parameters like PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) for the CA server.

What is most valuable?

The product’s most valuable feature is integration with FortiGate, FortiToken, FortiTalk, and multi-factor authentication. It is inexpensive compared to Cisco and Clear Pass.

What needs improvement?

Fortinet FortiAuthenticator provides only authentication. It should also enable authorization services. There could be a central management point for both the services similar to Cisco and Clear Pass.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Fortinet FortiAuthenticator for around a year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a stable product. I rate the stability a ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is a scalable product. It is suitable for medium and enterprise businesses. Its scalability is a seven or eight out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

Fortinet provides good support services.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

Compared to Fortinet FortiAuthenticator, Cisco is a complicated tool to use. It is difficult to configure as it has many features. It is scalable but needs to be a more stable product.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very easy. It takes an hour to complete.

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

The product is inexpensive compared to Cisco. I rate its pricing a three to five out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

I recommend Fortinet FortiAuthenticator and rate it an eight out of ten.

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: Implementor
PeerSpot user
Sheryar Saqib - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr Network Security Engineer at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Top 10
Offers good stability, easy to use and simple implementation
Pros and Cons
  • "It is very stable. We have never had any issues with this solution."
  • "There is a room for improvement. The log is a bit difficult to access, and searching the log codes is also a bit difficult. So it would be much better if, when we open a log, it could provide detailed information about errors, reasons for failure, and such."

What is our primary use case?

We are using FortiAuthenticator for authentication to connect to our network, either through some software or VPN or SSL or CyberArk, anything.

What is most valuable?

Samuel is good. We are using Samuel. Also, the good thing is that it's easy to use, and the logs are very precise.

What needs improvement?

There is a room for improvement. The log is a bit difficult to access, and searching the log codes is also a bit difficult. So it would be much better if, when we open a log, it could provide detailed information about errors, reasons for failure, and such.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using this solution for approximately one and a half years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is very stable. We have never had any issues with this solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten. Some improvements, but it's on our end as well because we are still using the older variant. 

We have around five to seven end users using this solution.

How are customer service and support?

The customer service and support are awesome for FortiAuthenticator.

I've been using Fortinet for the last eight or nine years. So, for other professional solutions from Fortinet, the support is not so good. You have to open a case as usual, and some technical contact will get in touch with you if they're available. If not, we have to call a toll-free number manually, and they will connect us to an available agent who will check our case and then escalate it. For normal issues with no business impact, it's okay to wait for two or three hours, no problem. But in critical situations, it's challenging to reach them.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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


How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is simple. It's not that difficult. You have to know the functionality of FortiProtect, the requirements, and it depends on your network. It's not that difficult to implement.

We have VMs and devices. But mostly, we are moving to VMs.

What about the implementation team?

We design and then, Fortinet team will implement.

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

I would rate the pricing a four out of ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive. It is not that costly. It is cheap, easy to manage, easy to install, and easy to configure. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated Palo Alto. It's easy to use, offers a lot of features in one box, and it's cost-effective. And the support is very good.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. 

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 FortiAuthenticator Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: December 2024
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiAuthenticator Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.