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reviewer940329 - PeerSpot reviewer
ICT Systems Administrator at a philanthropy with 11-50 employees
Real User
Stable security solution with easy integration, ease of use, and good product support
Pros and Cons
  • "Security management tool that's easy to integrate and easy to work with. No issues found with its stability and scalability."
  • "Bandwidth usage in reporting could be improved for Fortinet FortiGate."

What is our primary use case?

Our use case for Fortinet FortiGate is that it's a firewall for managing our security.

What is most valuable?

What I found most valuable in Fortinet FortiGate is its easy integration.

It's also able to individually manage users.

I also like the VPN aspect of this solution.

It's a product that's easy to work with, especially when you work from home, e.g. you're able to integrate it easily with the users.

What needs improvement?

Bandwidth usage in reporting could be improved. There's an aspect in reporting that I'm trying, but what I noticed is if you logged into the VPN, there's an effect on the reporting in terms of bandwidth, that needs improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've dealt with Fortinet FortiGate for the last four years.

Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
March 2025
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
844,944 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We didn't have any issues with the stability of Fortinet FortiGate.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We find Fortinet FortiGate scalable, because currently, we have 150 users of it, and it could handle up to 1,000 users. It's good for growth.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support for this solution is really good.

The first time we were using it, we called support and reported an issue, and saw that support was really good. There's nothing I can complain about regarding technical support for Fortinet FortiGate.

How was the initial setup?

The setup for Fortinet FortiGate was easy, because we had it done by another company. It was a construction company that we had this set up for, but I can't remember their name.

What about the implementation team?

Another company implemented this solution for us, and they also took us through the training and it was okay.

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

If you compare Fortinet FortiGate with Sophos and other firewall products available in the market, this solution is affordable. If you really want to use Fortinet FortiGate, you'll find that it's affordable.

What other advice do I have?

Fortinet FortiGate works well for me. I have not encountered any issues that required me to recommend an action or request if this solution could be improved. It suited the needs of the organization I'm using it in, so I didn't really find an area that needs to be improved, because this solution works very well for us.

My advice to others looking into implementing Fortinet FortiGate is that they need to do their research. They need to find out exactly why they need to use this product and for what purposes, because there are so many options for users. They really need to know what they want for their organization before they implement Fortinet FortiGate. They also need to think about the type of files they require, how many users will use this product, and what they intend to do with it.

If I could give Fortinet FortiGate a score of 11 out of 10, I would. It's very good. It's a ten out of ten for me. It's a really good solution.

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
reviewer1485723 - PeerSpot reviewer
Compliance Officer at a venture capital & private equity firm with 11-50 employees
Real User
Good UI, easy to use, and offers reasonable pricing
Pros and Cons
  • "Overall, the pricing of the solution is very good. The product offers good value."
  • "There aren't really any negative aspects to discuss."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use this solution for our network, as virtual security of the network. It helps protect us and keeps us safe.

What is most valuable?

The overall experience has been very good. It fully meets our requirements. We find the solution to be pretty user-friendly.

The solution has a lot of features. I'm not sure if there is one that stands out as the most valuable for us.

The stability of the solution is very good.

The vendor has been very good at providing us with everything we need.

Overall, the pricing of the solution is very good. The product offers good value.

The product is quite flexible.

We've found the scalability to be very good.

The dashboards and UI are very nice.

What needs improvement?

We aren't really missing any features. 

The solution isn't lacking anything. We've been overall very please with the experience we've had. There aren't really any negative aspects to discuss.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used the solution for a while. It's been more than five years at this point.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

So far, we have found the stability of the product to be quite good. It doesn't crash or freeze on us. We haven't experienced bugs or glitches. The performance is reliable. It's good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

You can scale the solution if you need to. It's not a difficult thing to do.

We do plan to continue using this solution.

How are customer service and technical support?

We don't have any experience with technical support. No problems have really presented themselves, and therefore there hasn't been a need to reach out at all. Therefore, we can't really speak to the helpfulness of technical support.

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

We didn't previously use a different solution.

How was the initial setup?

This is a cloud-based solution. Therefore, there really isn't an installation process per se. It's very easy to get started. 

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

The solution offers good value for your money. It isn't too expensive.

What other advice do I have?

It is my understanding that we are using the latest version of the solution. However, I am not 100% positive. I don't know which version number we are currently on.

I'm not sure if I would recommend the product. It would depend on each individual company's needs.

I would rate this solution at an eight out of ten. It's been a pretty positive experience overall.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
March 2025
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
844,944 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Engineer at The Learning Network
Real User
A very stable firewall and numerous functions we use on the IPS; good interface
Pros and Cons
  • "We use a lot of function on the IPS and it works well for us."
  • "A lack of integration between our data centers."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case of this solution is for the firewall and IPS; the security on behalf of our network, to support north and south traffic. We are customers of Fortinet and I'm a systems engineer.

What is most valuable?

The firewall is stable and that's important. There are a lot of functions we use on the IPS and it works well for us. It's stable, the interface works for me.

What needs improvement?

We currently have two on-premise data centers with several separate firewall units and unfortunately they don't connect with each other. We'll likely migrate to Azure in the next two years because of that. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this product for about seven years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is a stable solution. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

For the traffic we have all five firewalls. The log is minimal with the traffic, which is going over the firewall and we don't require a lot of scalability. 

How are customer service and technical support?

We have support in the Netherlands, direct contact with our partner but not with Fortinet. For big changes and difficult issues I can get extended support from a partner. I do the simple fixes myself. 

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

I've used a heap of different products. I've worked with Palo Alto and also with Fortinet. From experience, I prefer Palo Alto, but for the business I'm working in now, Fortinet is okay.

What other advice do I have?

I've had great experience with Palo Alto but I think Fortinet FortiGate is also a great solution. Some time ago we upgraded to the Fortinet solution of our previous partner and there was a memory leak which created problems. Our firewalls crashed multiple times a day and we had a lot of issues. I think the issue was a systems error and it shouldn't have been deployed. It's all very stable now. 

I would rate this product a nine out of 10. 

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.
PeerSpot user
it_user1311831 - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Services Manager at ProComm technologies
Real User
Helpful SD-WAN feature for uptime and privatizing applications, but needs better stability and integration
Pros and Cons
  • "The SD-WAN feature is the most valuable. This feature evolved from link load balancing. It has helped us in terms of our uptime and privatizing applications whenever we experience an outage. The SD-WAN feature has been a plus for us. Two-factor authentication has allowed us to add more users in terms of remote working. We have two-factor authentication for remote workers to authenticate them before they get on the network."
  • "It should be more stable. There should be full integration within Fortinet products themselves as well as with other third-party products. Especially when you're not dealing with SIEM and the correlation of the security box, we want Fortinet to be able to share that information with as many other products as it can."

What is our primary use case?

We're using it as an edge or a perimeter firewall. We have also used it to segment our LAN in terms of the endpoints and the servers, and we're also using it for remote access using SSL VPN. We have two other sites that we connect through FortiGate by using an IPSec, and we have integrated it with FortiAuthenticator for two-factor authentication and FortiAnalyzer to analyze logs and things like that. We are currently using the FortiGate 1200D series and running the latest software.

What is most valuable?

The SD-WAN feature is the most valuable. This feature evolved from link load balancing. It has helped us in terms of our uptime and privatizing applications whenever we experience an outage. The SD-WAN feature has been a plus for us. 

Two-factor authentication has allowed us to add more users in terms of remote working. We have two-factor authentication for remote workers to authenticate them before they get on the network.

What needs improvement?

It should be more stable. There should be full integration within Fortinet products themselves as well as with other third-party products. Especially when you're not dealing with SIEM and the correlation of the security box, we want Fortinet to be able to share that information with as many other products as it can.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

In terms of stability, I would rate it a seven out of ten. It should be more stable. Sometimes when you do firmware upgrades, a feature that was previously working is broken. There are things like that, but I guess that can be taken care of by reading the release notes and seeing what changed in the firmware upgrades.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is highly scalable. A customer had about 500 users.

How was the initial setup?

The installation was straightforward.

What about the implementation team?

We deployed it ourselves. You just need one engineer for its deployment and maintenance.

What other advice do I have?

We are skilled in Fortinet and Check Point. For customers who specifically want Fortinet, we will continue to provide this solution. Our first preference is Check Point, but if a customer insists on Fortinet, then we can do a lot of integration there and incorporate other products like FortiNAC, FortiWifi, and so on.

I would recommend this solution to others. I would rate Fortinet FortiGate a 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: Integrator
PeerSpot user
InfoSec301 - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Security Analyst at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
Real User
Protected us from several Zero-day attacks and includes data leak prevention
Pros and Cons
  • "Valuable features include the Web Application Firewall, and it even has DLP (data leak prevention)."
  • "The firewall engine is not so strong as of now, in my opinion... My second concern is that, while they have Zero-day vulnerability and anti-malware features, the threat engine needs to be strengthened, its efficiency can be increased."
  • "I need user-behavior analytics, to find threat scenarios from inside the organization, insider attacks. That would be very helpful for us. In addition, I would like next-generation features for small and medium businesses. These businesses require UTM, all in one product. Fortinet must include it."

What is our primary use case?

It is performing fine, there is no problem from FortiGate. The firewall engine is very good, Very suitable for picking up Zero-day threats. It has protected us from two or three instances, thanks to this engine.

How has it helped my organization?

From 2014 when they started using it, I was not associated with the company. I have only been associated with the company for the last year.

What is most valuable?

Valuable features include the Web Application Firewall, and it even has DLP (data leak prevention).

What needs improvement?

After four years it has started to fail. The firewall engine is not so strong as of now, in my opinion. For that reason, we want to migrate to Check Point. This is one of the concerns that I have right now. 

My second concern is that, while they have Zero-day vulnerability and anti-malware features, the threat engine needs to be strengthened, its efficiency can be increased.

I also need user-behavior analytics, to find threat scenarios from inside the organization, insider attacks. That would be very helpful for us. In addition, I would like next-generation features for small and medium businesses. These businesses require UTM, all in one product. Fortinet must include it.

For how long have I used the solution?

One to three years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is fine as of now. Compared to other firewall products, it's a little cheaper in terms of pricing. So scalability is good. 

But right now, due to a greater focus on security, I think FortiGate needs to improve on the security features, and they need to do so for their small and medium business products, in order to compete.

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support is pretty good. We had to call FortiGate support once, and they really helped us. In one of the configuration files from FortiGate, during an upgrade of the hardware, something was changed. They were very helpful in resolving it for us. There is no problem with support.

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

Previously, in 2013, I believe we were using WatchGuard.

In the process of selecting a vendor, the most important criteria will be to go through threat assessment reports - the NSS testing reports that are published every year. Our decision will depend on that.

What other advice do I have?

If price is a constraint for you, you should go with Fortinet. But security is a very big factor right now. If you want to be compliant with GDPR and all the other things that are coming up, you should go with another good vendor. Even though Fortinet is a big competitor, in one to three years, when they include many new features in their products, they will be a good solution.

I would rate FortiGate at eight out of 10 because the support was very good. Considering the current scenario, I would not give it nine or 10 because they need to include many features in the smaller products, not only in enterprise-level products.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Özden-Aydın - PeerSpot reviewer
Technology Consultant at Netwiser
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
The secure web gateway module and the application control module are valuable
Pros and Cons
  • "The secure web gateway module and the application control module are valuable. HA operations are very easy."
  • "Web security solutions can be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We use it for the network security operations of our customers. We've many different use cases, such as client security, server security, or DMZ sites. 

What is most valuable?

The secure web gateway module and the application control module are valuable. HA operations are very easy.

It's a very easy and simple solution for implementation and integration. I don't have any problems with this solution.

What needs improvement?

Web security solutions can be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for 10 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Its scalability is good. It's generally used in only one place as a standalone, but sometimes, it's used at multiple locations. 

How are customer service and support?

Their support is good. I'd rate it an eight out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

I've used Palo Alto, which is a good solution for a firewall, and their application signatures are very good. 

How was the initial setup?

I was sometimes involved in its deployment. Its deployment was simple for me. It was very simple and easy. It took five to six hours.

It does require maintenance. There are probably one to two people required for its maintenance. 

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

Its price is normal. If I compare it with other vendors, such as Palo Alto, it's normal. Palo Alto is expensive. 

What other advice do I have?

I'd recommend it to other people. It's good, and in our country, this product is very popular in our sector. It's easy and cheapest.

Overall, I'd rate Fortinet FortiGate 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: Reseller
PeerSpot user
reviewer1784364 - PeerSpot reviewer
Founder / Principal at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Real User
The hardware is reliable, and it provides best performance per dollar spent and ease of licensing and management
Pros and Cons
  • "It increases security posture and is helpful for firewall reporting, intrusion protection, web filtering, and SD-WAN implementation."
  • "The cloud management and automation capability could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We're a Fortinet partner and reseller. We work with FortiGate models 40 through 600, and our customers have hybrid and on-prem deployments. The cloud providers are Microsoft Azure and Wasabi.

Its use cases are related to increasing the security posture, SD-WAN implementation, simplified management and licensing, and cost savings.

What is most valuable?

It increases security posture and is helpful for firewall reporting, intrusion protection, web filtering, and SD-WAN implementation.

The hardware is reliable. There are no surprises in terms of performance or add-on pricing.

What needs improvement?

The cloud management and automation capability could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with this solution for six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Its stability is excellent.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Its scalability is very good. There are 100 to 3,000 users, and they are knowledge workers with different roles, such as engineers, lawyers, accountants, etc.

How are customer service and support?

Their technical support is very good. I would rate them a four out of five.

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

Most of the customers replaced Cisco.

How was the initial setup?

It is straightforward for someone with Fortinet experience. If you don't know anything about Fortinet, you can take it out of the box and plug it in.

Its deployment is usually on a location-by-location basis. Each location often takes one day for the implementation of a new data service. One person is usually enough for its deployment and maintenance.

What was our ROI?

I don't know the numbers, but it typically results in a 20% to 30% reduction in data communications costs.

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

Fortinet costs are 25% lower than the high-cost provider. There is an equipment cost and a recurring monthly cost for licenses and technical support.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Most of the customers look at Cisco, Cisco Meraki, Palo Alto, and Fortinet. They go with Fortinet because of the best performance per dollar spent and ease of licensing and management.

What other advice do I have?

I would advise sizing the equipment appropriately to support future growth. You should look for a four to six-year life of a server. You should compare vendors for price versus performance, ease of management, ease of use, and completeness of features.

I would rate it a nine out of 10. We've had a good experience with it. There were no surprises.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner.
PeerSpot user
Information Security Principal at a venture capital & private equity firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Top 10
Easy to manage, improves visibility, and lowered our TCO
Pros and Cons
  • "FortiGate Secure SD-WAN includes best-of-breed next-generation firewall (NGFW) security, SD-WAN, advanced routing, and WAN optimization capabilities, delivering a security-driven networking WAN edge transformation in a unified offering."
  • "There is a lot of improvement needed with SSL-VPN."

What is our primary use case?

We are using the FortiGate firewall for multiple purposes including network antivirus, Application Control, Web Filtering, IPSec Tunnels, and SSL-VPN using soft FortiTokens.

For the past year, we have also been using this technology for Secure SD-WAN. This added a lot of value in terms of technology, such as datacenter connectivity using IPSec tunnel-added security filters, with less cost by canceling MPLS.

How has it helped my organization?

We have implemented secure SD-WAN using FortiGate firewalls in 15 locations and it is working extremely well. 

Since implementing, the total cost of ownership (TCO) has been lowered and the day-to-day security operations have been simplified through our FortiOps services. These provide cloud-based management, visibility, and automation across your Fortinet Security Fabric. It also helps to realize the operational benefits of a Fortinet-enabled Secure SD-WAN.

At the same time, cybersecurity threats have become more sophisticated and fast-moving. Fortinet offers a full range of services and subscriptions to help us simplify and make the most of your SD-WAN deployment with the lowest TCO possible.

What is most valuable?

FortiGate Secure SD-WAN includes best-of-breed next-generation firewall (NGFW) security, SD-WAN, advanced routing, and WAN optimization capabilities, delivering a security-driven networking WAN edge transformation in a unified offering. 

Fortinet Secure SD-WAN delivered the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO) per Mbps among all other vendors.

Antivirus, Application Control, Web Filtering, IPSec, and SSL-VPN are great features with the next-generation Fortinet firewall. They are all very easy to manage.

What needs improvement?

We are managing FortiGate using a FortiManager and it needs improvement with respect to the ease of administration tasks.

There is a lot of improvement needed with SSL-VPN.

Technical support could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using FortiGate technology for more than five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

FortiGate is a very stable firewall.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

With respect to scalability, it's an excellent product.

How are customer service and technical support?

The customer service is good, although there is room for improvement with technical support.

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

We did not use another solution prior to this one.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented this solution with this assistance of a partner.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did evaluate other products, including solutions by Cisco.

What other advice do I have?

There is always a need for improvement with any vendor.

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.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: March 2025
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.