We have used the solution as a perimeter firewall. We are using it as an anti-ATP solution also.
Director at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Good pricing with very good threat and content filtering switches
Pros and Cons
- "The solution has very good threat and content filtering switches."
- "It's my understanding that more of the current generation features could be brought in. There could be more integration with EDRs, for example."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The firewall features are pretty good.
The solution has very good threat and content filtering switches.
The initial installation is fairly easy.
What needs improvement?
I'm from the sales side and therefore I wouldn't really know if there are features that are lacking.
It's my understanding that more of the current generation features could be brought in. There could be more integration with EDRs, for example.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for two or three years. It hasn't been too long.
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
November 2024
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816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable. It doesn't have any issues with bugs and glitches. It doesn't crash and freeze. It's very reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Since we are integrators, this product gets sold to people who have a minimum 25 and up to 600 users.
At the moment, we don't plan to increase usage.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is very good. We're satisfied with their level of support. They are quite responsive and knowledgeable.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were previously using Sophos and Watchguard.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not complex. It's pretty much a straightforward implementation. There aren't really any surprises.
The length of deployment differs based on the kind of policies a client would like to implement. If they are very simple policies, then there isn't a lot of work to worry about. However, if there are complex policies or multiple policies, it does take some time to get things up and running.
I didn't handle the installation personally, as I am in sales.
We have three or four people in our organization who handle maintenance.
What about the implementation team?
We have a systems integrator in-house that handles the deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution isn't too expensive.
What other advice do I have?
We're integrators. We help our clients with this solution.
We're using the latest version of the solution.
I'd recommend this solution to other users.
Overall, I would rate the solution nine 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.
Network & Hardware Administrator at Nile Projects & Trading Co.
SD-WAN allows me to better manage and load balance our traffic
Pros and Cons
- "It blocks the vulnerabilities that can negatively impact us."
- "I would like to have logs, monitoring, and reporting for a month without extra fees."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for securing and controlling our company, as well as to improve VPN services.
How has it helped my organization?
This solution has helped us by controlling our incoming and outgoing traffic. It blocks the vulnerabilities that can negatively impact us.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the SD-WAN because I can manage many lines and load balance them all.
What needs improvement?
I would like to have logs, monitoring, and reporting for a month without extra fees.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for more than eight years.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Fortigate
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
IT Specialist 3 at a financial services firm with 51-200 employees
Enables us to to set up remote systems and has good stability
Pros and Cons
- "The ability to set up remote systems is the most valuable feature."
- "They should improve the interface to make it more user-friendly."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution as our firewall.
How has it helped my organization?
We have branches that we use for the net clients to VPN back into our network.
What is most valuable?
The ability to set up remote systems is the most valuable feature.
What needs improvement?
They should improve the interface to make it more user-friendly.
I would like to see some sort of reporting if there was an issue with the connecting network sources or connections.
For how long have I used the solution?
One to three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's definitely stable. We haven't had any issues with it.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten. We have just over 100 users using this solution.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was complex. The user interface was a little bit difficult so it made actually setting it up a little bit complicated. The deployment took a week to roll out four branches.
What about the implementation team?
We used an integrator for the deployment and had a good experience with them. They made it easier to get everything set up.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There are no additional costs aside for the standard licensing fees.
What other advice do I have?
FortiGate is very good if you're thinking of expanding where you have remote offices, then it's a good solution.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
CTO at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
Valuable option for security although unstable at times
Pros and Cons
- "It has improved our security capabilities."
- "There were quite a few problems with the stability of the system."
How has it helped my organization?
It has improved our security capabilities.
What is most valuable?
We find the most valuable aspect of this solution is the price. It is affordable and cheaper than other firewalls.
For how long have I used the solution?
Three to five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
There were quite a few problems with the stability of the system but now it's working fine. I think it had to do with the complex environment, not because of the product itself.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is an inexpensive solution.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Information Security Analyst at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
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.
System & Network Administrator at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Scalable and stable tool for securing networks, with good SD-WAN, VPN, and URL filtering functions
Pros and Cons
- "The stability and scalability of this solution are satisfactory. Its SD-WAN, VPN, and URL filtering features are very useful."
- "Pricing for it is a bit high. It could be cheaper."
What is our primary use case?
I use Fortinet FortiGate to secure the network.
What is most valuable?
The features I found most valuable in Fortinet FortiGate include their SD-WAN features and their VPN. They are good and very useful. My remote user and I are using them all the time. The URL filter is also good.
For how long have I used the solution?
I started using Fortinet FortiGate five years ago.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I'm satisfied about the stability of this solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of Fortinet FortiGate is good.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of this solution wasn't complex at all.
What about the implementation team?
This solution was implemented in-house. I was the one who implemented it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Licensing for Fortinet FortiGate is on a yearly basis. Pricing for it is a bit high. It could be cheaper.
What other advice do I have?
Deployment of Fortinet FortiGate took one to two days, because I needed time to put my existing environment and what we have, and what we intended to do with our network, to convert it into the Fortinet FortiGate system.
We were on another platform which was a concurrent platform and it wasn't a good one, and it was our first time to go on Fortinet FortiGate, so we had an issue and it took me a few days to deploy.
Maintenance of this solution requires two people. The number of users of Fortinet FortiGate in our organization depends on whether it's direct or indirect. If indirect, it will be all the users we have in the organization, but if it's direct, it could be just the administrator. If indirectly, it'll be a hundred users on our actual site, and 2000 to 3000 users on the other site, all done remotely.
I didn't have to contact Fortinet's technical support, so I can't evaluate their level of responsiveness. I was able to make all the configurations I wanted, without needing to contact support. This solution is good for me.
I'm rating Fortinet FortiGate an eight out of ten.
I'm recommending this solution to be deployed for a new user. I'm really happy with it.
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.
Data Center Operations and Customer Support Manager at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Reliably protects our users, but could be more user-friendly
Pros and Cons
- "We have found it to be very reliable and that's why our teams and various users in our company use it as our main firewall every day."
- "The feedback that I have received is that the performance could be better, and the user experience is not as good compared to a previous solution we used. It could be more user-friendly. Of course, it still works fine for our operations."
What is our primary use case?
We use FortiGate as our primary firewall that acts as the perimeter between the internet and our on-premises network. It is used as a security measure for about 2000 users that go out to the internet from here.
Along with FortiGate we also use other products like F5 for our network and app security. And for network equipment, we use Cisco products.
What is most valuable?
We have found it to be very reliable and that's why our teams and various users in our company use it as our main firewall every day.
What needs improvement?
The feedback that I have received is that the performance could be better, and the user experience is not as good compared to a previous solution we used. It could be more user-friendly. Of course, it still works fine for our operations.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Fortinet FortiGate for one year now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Since we have been using FortiGate there haven't been any major problems so far. Especially nothing too serious like a major bug or anything like that.
The only issues that we have come across have had to do with simple configuration errors like missing configuration values from a previous implementation.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have not tried to expand the product much, but it is currently used as the main security perimeter for about 2000 people which is already quite a large number. We don't predict that we will be increasing usage much more than that.
We plan to keep using FortiGate as much as we can for our security solution as we casually move more of our systems to the cloud.
How are customer service and technical support?
Usually, we have our maintenance plan once a year, like a power-down test and things like that. But I'm not sure whether we have a contract with a partner company to do that or not. I believe our network engineer department may have used Fortinet technical support, though I have not received feedback on it.
How was the initial setup?
It's straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
Fortinet offers help with implementation and we have in the past used their assistance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
As far as I'm aware, in our case, it's just a yearly pricing arrangement with no additional licensing costs.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We made a comparison to two or three other products in this space, but I cannot recall the others.
What other advice do I have?
I wish that I could give more details on our technical use of FortiGate, but that isn't my main responsibility. I don't know much about this area and whether they are good or bad compared to other products. However, the feedback from our technical team has been generally good. That's why our teams use it every day.
I would rate Fortinet FortiGate a seven 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.
Senior Information Technology Auditor at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
User-friendly, easy to operate, reliable, and easy to set up
Pros and Cons
- "It's user-friendly and easy to operate."
- "The command line is complicated, and the interface could be better."
What is our primary use case?
We use it as an end-server and to block traffic.
What is most valuable?
It's user-friendly and easy to operate.
What needs improvement?
The command line is complicated, and the interface could be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with this solution for three years.
We are using the latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's a stable project. We plan to keep using it.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This solution is scalable.
We have 300 users in our organization.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is a local vendor. We are satisfied with the support that we have received.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, we used a MikroTik firewall.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not complex, it's easy. It took 30 minutes to deploy.
It only requires one person to deploy and maintain.
What about the implementation team?
We have a vendor to support us.
What other advice do I have?
There is really nothing to complain about with this product. It's a very good product to use, and it has just started to get the top ratings for firewalls.
This is a good product and I would recommend it.
I would rate this solution a nine 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.
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Updated: November 2024
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