What is our primary use case?
We have FortiGate with all the licenses - antivirus, IPS, and advanced threat protection. It's a combination of protection in the perimeter. We have configured some rules for IPS protection in the FortiGate perimeter.
We use it as part of a combination of protections because we have the DMT virus, the IPS, and WOFF option. We protect our services like Apache, our website and the internet.
We configure the rules for the Windows server, the Linux server, and Apache and AIS.
What is most valuable?
The feature that I find most valuable is its protection of the websites.
What needs improvement?
I would like to be able to generate reports about the protections that we have. I would like a report feature.
For example, I would like to see that in VPN and FortiGate, that the equipment that connects to the network is evaluated. Right now, FortiGate validates the users in the active directory and the users have the right permissions to connect. I would also add the user and the computers that are allowed in the active directory. It evaluates the actual active directory, and some computers are allowed but not all. Only the computers that are in the active directory. Right now, when you connect to the VPN, FortiGate checks the active directory. They have the check feature but it should be improved.
This solution has records but I would like to see that in IPS you could define your rules - we have almost 10 or 15 rules, and see if these rules provided protections over the month. For example, to track a specific rule across the IPS solution.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiGate IPS for five years and Cisco for about eight years.
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Fortinet FortiGate IPS
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Yes, it is stable. The solution protects us from attack. We have heard that other companies are being attacked, but we are not since we installed FortiGate.
The way the configuration was supplied was correct and we don't have any events. But we heard about other, similar companies, that do have events, but we don't.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Fortinet FortiGate IPS is scalable.
In our case, we are a company of 100 employees and we selected a solution for 250, so we didn't have the need to scale because we designed it from the beginning for more people. We are still using it after five years. We have to change the equipment because they don't allow us to migrate to a new version. In the renewable licenses, they offered me a trade-in and I returned the last FortiGate and they gave me the new FortiGate. I have the FortiGate 600D model. After five years we had to change the equipment. With Cisco, for example, you can keep going. I have the same model with Cisco for eight years and I didn't have to change it. But in FortiGate, after five years, I had to trade it in.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is excellent. I prefer to open a case directly to FortiGate because I can have a session with a technical contact, and we can review the case directly with the support. We also have some protocols, like BGP in the perimeter, and in two cases, I needed the support person to connect me to another person for technical support to help me with our special protocol.
The support is 24 hours.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup us is easy and friendly.
It took almost a month. In a month, we deployed all the FortiGate with the features and the rules.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to anyone considering Fortinet FortiGate IPS is that it is important to set the right rules and set all the configurations to make them preferred for a partner. The partner makes all the rules that the company needs because if you stay the course, although it's easy and friendly in the beginning, some configurations need a common line and require you to design how it works right around the network. So it is important that you take a partner who has experience with designs and can implement the correct solution for your company.
On a scale of one to ten, I would give Fortinet FortiGate IPS a nine
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.