The primary use case is internal authentication.
Channel Account Manager at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Difficult to configure and deploy, poor support, and has issues with stability
Pros and Cons
- "This is a scalable product."
- "There are multiple areas that are in need of improvement. It is not a mature product."
What is our primary use case?
What needs improvement?
There are multiple areas that are in need of improvement. It is not a mature product.
It is difficult to successfully configure.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiAuthenticator for one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The is not a very stable product.
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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This is a scalable product. However, due to multiple challenges in the implementation, I will not be expanding its usage. Rather, I will be changing products.
How are customer service and support?
The support team is pathetic and does not properly understand the solution.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
This was the first of this type of solution that we implemented.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not straightforward. Our deployment took almost two months to complete.
What about the implementation team?
We had a system integrator to assist us with the implementation and deployment. The implementation partner does not have sufficient expertise.
One or two engineers can implement it.
What was our ROI?
We have not seen ROI for this solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We pay for licensing on a yearly basis. There are no costs in addition to the standard licensing fees.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Due to problems that I've been having with the implementation, after perhaps two years I will be changing to another product.
What other advice do I have?
This is not a product that I would recommend to others. There are different industry standards that require different expertise, and this product does not much help.
I would rate this solution a three out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Information Technology Manager at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Good security and easy to use with good technical support
Pros and Cons
- "The ease of use is really nice. Using Authenticator, I've been able to actually work better on my authentication due to the fact that I have a single fabric to authenticate control from my firewall and on my access points. Authentication takes place from this area."
- "The solution could be more automated. It should be able to let me automate a lot of things so that what normally is done as a matter of manual processes can be handled quicker. Slow integrations can be taken up/out if there was more automation."
What is most valuable?
The most valuable aspect of the solution is the security. It's great.
The ease of use is really nice. Using Authenticator, I've been able to actually work better on my authentication due to the fact that I have a single fabric to authenticate control from my firewall and on my access points. Authentication takes place from this area.
It's easy to use for us due to the fact that, for each and every user, even a Mac user, we're able to easily retrieve them and add them. The authenticator syncs to my system and brings all the users to me under my firewall.
What needs improvement?
For us, the solution works quite well. I can't think of an area where improvements are needed. I haven't worked with it too extensively yet, so it's hard to gauge what's lacking.
The solution could be more automated. It should be able to let me automate a lot of things so that what normally is done as a matter of manual processes can be handled quicker. Slow integrations can be taken up/out if there was more automation.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've only worked with the solution for five or six months at this point. I haven't worked with it extensively, although I do have an understanding of how it works and what to do, as well as how to configure it.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's a stable product that integrates well with other products (such as FortiNAC). It's reliable. It doesn't give us any problems. We don't have to worry about bugs or glitches of the system crashing.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable. While we have plans to grow it out and integrate it a bit more with other solutions, we're not at that stage yet.
We are a company of about 200 people. The whole organization uses it at this point. All authentication happens through FortiAuthenticator.
How are customer service and technical support?
I'm really happy with the technical support. They are responsive and knowledgable.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before using FortiAuthenticator we were not using anything else. We just were controlling everything from our Fortinet firewall. That was the only equipment which we had at that point in time. Now, we have got FortiAuthenticator.
Going forward we might go for FortiNAC. That might be in the cards for us. However, we're not immediately going to make the switch as it offers access control.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup wasn't a problem at all. It was handled by certified Fortinet engineers. For that reason, it wasn't complex or difficult.
What about the implementation team?
We had certified Fortinet engineers assist us with the initial implementation. They handled the setup and configurations as well.
What other advice do I have?
We're just end users. We don't have a special relationship with the company.
We're using the latest version of the solution. It might be something around version six.
I would recommend FortiAuthenticator to other organizations.
It is really a good product. Somebody looking for a good security product should go with FortiGate products. New users should explore all the features and see how they can maximize usage.
Overall, I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiAuthenticator
November 2024
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Network Security Engineer at Technicom Mali
Helps with SSL two-factor authentication but the graphical interface is outdated
Pros and Cons
- "We use this product for SSL two-factor authentication and FortiToken management."
- "It does the job I paid for, but the graphical interface could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We use this product for SSL two-factor authentication and FortiToken management.
What needs improvement?
It does the job I paid for, but the graphical interface could be improved. If we take FortiGate or Fortinet, the graphical user interface is better designed. I think they can work on this.
It would be good to remove the FortiAuthenticator or to combine FortiAuthenticator and Fortinet. That would provide a single platform that can manage network access and user management. It doesn't make sense for me to sell FortiAuthenticator to a customer and then sell them Fortinet as well. I think they should just combine them into one solution.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using this solution for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable. I installed it two years ago, but we rarely check the internet for changes. It's really stable. We don't have problems.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I think it's scalable. There are two kinds of appliances: virtual and physical. If you do a good sizing, the physical one can remain with the customer for a long time. The virtual one can be increased as you need. You can pay as you go with them. You purchase a base license and add to it as needed.
I have done an installation at an operator with over 200 users. That is the biggest one I've done.
How are customer service and technical support?
I don't usually have problems with this solution so I rarely test the support features. I cannot evaluate the support team.
How was the initial setup?
It was straightforward to implement and took one day to deploy.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution as seven out of ten. I know there are other solutions that have a more modern graphical interface and provide better user management functionality. We need to tell the customer to get two solutions instead of doing the job with just one. I think I could give eight or nine to another solution, but FortiAuthenticator should be a seven.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Assistant Infrastructure Manager at a maritime company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Straightforward installation and useful for network security, resource security, and server security
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features are the performance and ease of use."
- "The only way the solution could be improved is if it were cheaper."
What is our primary use case?
FortiAuthenticator can be useful for network security, resource security, and server security. It is a cloud-based solution.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are the performance and ease of use.
What needs improvement?
The only way the solution could be improved is if it were cheaper.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet Fortiauthenticator for five years. We have 200 users in our organization who use FortiAuthenticator.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Fortinet FortiAuthenticator is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
Technical and customer support is okay.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We haven't used a different solution.
How was the initial setup?
Installation was very straightforward and took three days.
What about the implementation team?
We used a team of three people for deployment and maintenance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost of the license could be less expensive. The license is paid on a yearly basis.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution an 8 out of 10. I would recommend Fortinet FortiAuthenticator for those who want to start using it.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Datacenter Engineer at a university with 501-1,000 employees
One-time passwords help to authenticate users so we know the timing of their usage
Pros and Cons
- "The feature I value the most is the one-time passwords because it helps to authenticate users so you know the timing of their usage."
- "I don't have any issues with this solution, but it may need a better, more user-friendly interface or better design of the platform."
What is most valuable?
The feature I value the most is the one-time passwords because it helps to authenticate users so you know the timing of their usage.
What needs improvement?
I don't have any issues with this solution, but it may need a better, more user-friendly interface or better design of the platform.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using FortiAuthenticator ( /products/fortiauthenticator-reviews ) for three years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have found that the solution is very stable. I am officially conducting at FortiGate and I found that it was so easy to conduct my environment and control my environment with this solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have seven users licensed on this solution. With FortiAuthenticator it is so easy to manage our users and it is scalable to all the users at our university or in our environment.
How are customer service and technical support?
I am really impressed by the technical support because they were very helpful. Once we logged our complaint, we received an answer from them in no time, and they quickly fixed our issue.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very easy.
What other advice do I have?
I will recommend this solution to others who are considering to use it. I give it a ten out of ten rating.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Pre-Sales Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Some of the valuable features are user management and captive portal server.
What is most valuable?
- User management with many credential sources: LDAPs, RADIUS, Social login, SAML, tokens, and local
- Captive portal server: Used to configure several portals for each service
- User friendly GUI with many features
- Very powerful
How has it helped my organization?
We are now enjoying social login in public Wi-Fi environments with very easy deployment and a maximum level of security.
What needs improvement?
I would like to see support for more credential authentication protocols.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used the product for six months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I did not encounter any stability issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I did not encounter any scalability issues.
How are customer service and technical support?
I would give technical support a rating of 10/10.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used FreeRADIUS. It had limited authentication protocols (only RADIUS), no GUI, and very complicated management.
How was the initial setup?
We enjoyed an easy deployment. There are many documents with guides and best practices.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
This solution comes with a low price for the features, power, and ease of licensing.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We looked at FreeRADIUS and Ciso ISE.
What other advice do I have?
This is a perfect solution for authentication services.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Distributor of the product.
IT Infrastructure Engineer at a tech company with 11-50 employees
It centralizes the management and storage of user identity information, thereby increasing the efficiency of administration and increasing the control over who accesses the network.
What is most valuable?
Standards-based secure authentication
FortiAuthenticator centralizes the management and storage of user identity information, thereby increasing the efficiency of administration and increasing the control over who accesses the network.
• Two-factor authentication using tokens
1- OATH-compatible time-based tokens (Hardware tokens FortiToken200/FortiToken220)
2- USB certificate-based tokens FortiToken-300)
3- FortiToken Mobile for Android, iOS, and Windows Mobile
4- SMS and email tokens
• Wired/Wireless authentication using the 802. 1X standard
• Certificate management
• Captive portal guest management
• Fortinet Single Sign-On
How has it helped my organization?
Central management of user Identities and access
FortiAuthenticator extends two-factor authentication to multiple FortiGate appliances and to third-party solutions that support RADIUS or LDAP authentication
FortiAuthenticator can create, sign, and revoke X.509 certificates.
FortiAuthenticator can sign user certificate signing requests (CSRs) and distribute certificate revocation lists (CRLs) and CA certificates.
FortiAuthenticator verifies the identity of the external LDAP server by using a trusted CA certificate
FortiAuthenticator has expanded the capabilities of captive portal from credential authentication to include social WiFi authentication and MAC address authentication.
Social WiFi authentication allows FortiAuthenticator to utilize third-party user identity methods to authenticate users into a wireless guest network. Supported authentication methods include:Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter which include SMS- and email-based authentication
Fortinet Single Sign-on (FSSO) enables FortiAuthenticator to leverage the existing network authentication systems for firewall authentication. (Windows Active Directory (AD) or Novell eDirectory)
What needs improvement?
1- Integration with different vendor firewalls (I tested only with Cisco using Cisco ASDM 6.3 (5) but i am not sure if it works with other vendor solutions)
2- A lot of configurations are available only from CLI
3- Documentation/videos for different implementation scenarios
For how long have I used the solution?
1 year
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
VM platfroms are scalable based on the business needs.
How are customer service and technical support?
Customer Service:
10/10
Technical Support:9/10
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used FortiGate to manage tokens and user identities but FortiAuthenticater includes more features.
How was the initial setup?
All Fortinet solutions are easy to implement.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
CEO at Blockness
A quite stable solution with decent pricing and easy installation
Pros and Cons
- "The solution's most valuable aspect is that it easy to install. The user experience is very good."
- "The hardware aspect of the solution could be improved. We are not really able to understand the hardware capabilities of the device."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution to get users.
What is most valuable?
The solution's most valuable aspect is that it easy to install. The user experience is very good.
What needs improvement?
I've only been using the solution for one month, so I haven't come across any glaring issues so far.
The hardware aspect of the solution could be improved. We are not really able to understand the hardware capabilities of the device.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for one month.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is quite stable. They also send out upgrades quite often.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is okay. There are some people that are quite experienced while others are less so. However, they always give me an answer. If you don't have local support at the regional level you may have to rely on Google a bit. In my experience, however, it's been fine. They are very quick.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I've previously used WatchGuard. Fortinet is better for what is there, even though their prices are quite similar.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is okay. It could always be less expensive, however.
What other advice do I have?
We use the on-premises deployment model.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. We have to compromise between price and functionality. If we had the money, we'd probably go with Palo Alto. However, it's much more expensive.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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