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Crewmem67 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Consultant at College Notre Dame de Nazareth
Real User
Reliable, great pricing, and capable of expanding
Pros and Cons
  • "The pricing on offer is excellent."
  • "It could always be more secure."

What is our primary use case?

This is a Secure Web Gateway that protects you against various web attacks. It's used mainly for security purposes. 

What is most valuable?

The solution is stable. It's reliable. 

It can scale. 

The pricing on offer is excellent.

What needs improvement?

It takes a long time to install the solution.

It could always be more secure. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for three or four years. I've used it for a while at this point. 

Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate SWG
January 2025
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate SWG. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2025.
831,997 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. There are no bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze. Its performance has been good. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is okay. It can expand well. 

We have 200 people using the solution. We do have plans to continue to increase usage. 

How are customer service and support?

I've never reached out to techncial support. I can't speak to their abilities. 

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

I also have experience with Cisco and Palo Alto. About five years ago, we were using Cisco. We changed due to the better pricing. 

How was the initial setup?

I don't directly deal with the deployment. Someone else handles that process. 

My understanding is the implementation takes a long time. 

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

The price is pretty reasonable. It's not like Cisco or Palo Alto, which are more expensive. 

I'd rate the cost, in terms of affordability, a five out of five. 

What other advice do I have?

I'm using the latest version of the solution.

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten. I'd likely recommend the solution to others. 

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
Suresh Vijayen - PeerSpot reviewer
Product Manager at IX Telecom
Reseller
Provides helpful technical support, but its dashboard needs to be more user-friendly
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is superior to Cisco in terms of security."
  • "What could be improved in Fortinet FortiGate SWG is its pricing because it's a bit higher. If it's cheaper, my company could pitch it to customers and engage with customers better about it. What I'd like to see in the next release of Fortinet FortiGate SWG is an improvement in its dashboard or GUI. I'd like it to be more user-friendly."

What is our primary use case?

Clients use Fortinet FortiGate SWG for anything that goes into the internet.

What is most valuable?

Lately, my company has been using the Fortinet S series more compared to Fortinet FortiGate SWG. My company has tried all the features of Fortinet FortiGate SWG, but I'm unable to say which feature I found most valuable in it, though the solution is superior to Cisco in terms of security.

What needs improvement?

What could be improved in Fortinet FortiGate SWG is its pricing because it's a bit higher. If it's cheaper, my company could pitch it to customers and engage with customers better about it.

What I'd like to see in the next release of Fortinet FortiGate SWG is an improvement in its dashboard or GUI. I'd like it to be more user-friendly.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiGate SWG is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiGate SWG is a scalable solution.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support for Fortinet FortiGate SWG was very helpful. I'm rating their support a four out of five.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup for Fortinet FortiGate SWG was straightforward. I'm rating the setup four out of five.

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

I don't have the exact details on how much Fortinet FortiGate SWG costs yearly, but if I were to rate its price on a scale of one to five, with one being the worst and five being the best, I'm rating it a two out of five.

Pricing for Fortinet FortiGate SWG is more suitable for enterprise or large-sized organizations because they are the ones who can afford it versus small and medium-sized organizations.

What other advice do I have?

I'm a reseller and implementer of Fortinet FortiGate SWG. I'm dealing with various solutions and various vendors such as Cisco, Aruba, and Fortinet, based on customer requirements.

I've provided Fortinet FortiGate SWG to a client for the past year.

I currently don't have the details on the number of Fortinet FortiGate SWG users in the client's organization, but it's being used daily.

In terms of security, Fortinet FortiGate SWG is superior compared to Cisco. In terms of pricing, I would prefer Cisco.

I'm rating Fortinet FortiGate SWG six out of ten. If they would change the GUI and improve it, that would make my rating higher, because it's on the GUI where people do all their activities. Making the solution more user-friendly will also increase my rating for it.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate SWG
January 2025
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate SWG. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2025.
831,997 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Mustapha Bako - PeerSpot reviewer
Chief Executive Officer at Spokes network
Real User
A cost-effective solution for security with application control, web filtering and SD-WAN
Pros and Cons
  • "The most useful features are application control, web filtering, and SD-WAN."
  • "Support could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution at the Internet edge to provide a security boundary between the public network and the private network.

What is most valuable?

The most useful features are application control, web filtering, and SD-WAN.

What needs improvement?

Support could be improved like Sophos. Some clients don't have the expertise to manage their environment. If they have a problem with Fortinet, they should have easy access to support. Secondly, the process of evaluation as a partner with Cisco should give you the ability to deploy access as a partner. You can do team labs and a lot of things.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate SWG for five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We never had any problem with stability. I rate the solution’s stability a ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability depends on the client's size. We have clients with as few as 500 users, as many as 800 users, and clients with just 100 users. We cater to small and medium businesses. I rate the solution’s scalability a seven out of ten.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. Deployment time depends on the client's requirements. Some clients may agree to a monthly deployment, while others may require a different team. If you sell a new environment, the deployment time may increase. The basic setup takes one to two hours. Deployment is a continuous process, as you will need to refine the policies and settings to meet the client's specific business needs. I rate the initial setup a nine out of ten.

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

The solution is cheap. Fortinet FortiGate SWG licenses are based on features, so you can choose the license that best meets your needs. This is especially beneficial for enterprise environments with different use cases. However, it can be costly for other segments, such as small businesses. I rate the solution’s pricing a seven out of ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive.

What other advice do I have?

Fortinet FortiGate SWG is a good solution that meets your security requirements and is an excellent alternative to more expensive security products like Cisco and Palo Alto. If budget is a concern, Fortinet FortiGate SWG is a good choice for a security product. Overall, I rate the solution 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
Arquiteto Pré Vendas - Soluções Digitais - Cyber Security at Embratel
Real User
Top 10
Comes with a valuable content filtering feature and helped reduce tickets at our operations center
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is easy to implement and easy to configure. The most valuable feature is FortiGate’s content filtering."
  • "The price could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

I’m using Fortinet FortiGate SWG to study it as a proposal for our clients in Brazil.

How has it helped my organization?

The solution reduced a few tickets from our operations center, and we're able to work better with flash incidents.

What is most valuable?

The solution is easy to implement and easy to configure. The most valuable feature is FortiGate’s content filtering.

What needs improvement?

The price could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I’ve used the solution for four years and I’m currently using the latest version.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate FortiGate SWG’s stability a ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate FortiGate SWG’s scalability an eight out of ten.

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

The solution is easy to use, and it’s a great solution. I rate Fortinet FortiGate SWG a ten out of ten.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward.

What was our ROI?

I have seen an ROI using FortiGate SWG.

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:
PeerSpot user
reviewer2540127 - PeerSpot reviewer
Graduate Teaching Assistant at a university with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Top 10
Easy to use and checks the access control as a firewall
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is easy to use and checks the access control as a firewall."
  • "Fortinet FortiGate SWG can't be used on its own, and you have to get FortiAnalyzer."

What is our primary use case?

We used the solution for the client environment.

What is most valuable?

The solution is easy to use and checks the access control as a firewall. We did not face any challenges while integrating the solution into our infrastructure. Fortinet FortiGate SWG is easy to use.

What needs improvement?

Fortinet FortiGate SWG can't be used on its own, and you have to get FortiAnalyzer.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate SWG for three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiGate SWG is a very stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiGate SWG is a scalable solution.

How was the initial setup?

The solution's initial setup is simple once you get a hang of it. All the documentation is available to help with the setup.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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PeerSpot user
Mark Moloney - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Network Manager at a non-profit with 51-200 employees
Real User
Easier to configure than other solutions, really reliable, and scalable
Pros and Cons
  • "It is simpler to configure. It is not like Cisco Firepower, where you go crazy trying to follow the Cisco documentation to figure out how to configure one little thing. Unlike Cisco Firepower, where you can't do everything through the web interface and you have got to do some command line stuff, Fortinet FortiGate SWG is simpler. There are four different things in Cisco to get in, which is not the case with Fortinet FortiGate SWG. It is one of my favorite solutions to work with. I would much rather work with it than Cisco Firepower, for example. Even though I've got 20 years of Cisco experience with different firewalls, I would much prefer this solution."
  • "Their technical support could be improved a little bit in terms of responsiveness."

What is our primary use case?

Our clients use it to protect their network. They're into public safety. They're police, fire, and EMS, and they're very concerned about security and what gets in and what doesn't get into their networks. We have got another client for whom we're deploying 30 firewalls in HA pairs over a huge network. That, of course, is a Cisco setup, not FortiGate.

Everybody is cranking up on security to find new ways to block and protect not just the inbound but also the outbound traffic. They want to protect what goes out. They also want to protect DMZs and all that kind of stuff.

What is most valuable?

It is simpler to configure. It is not like Cisco Firepower, where you go crazy trying to follow the Cisco documentation to figure out how to configure one little thing. Unlike Cisco Firepower, where you can't do everything through the web interface and you have got to do some command line stuff, Fortinet FortiGate SWG is simpler. There are four different things in Cisco to get in, which is not the case with Fortinet FortiGate SWG.

It is one of my favorite solutions to work with. I would much rather work with it than Cisco Firepower, for example. Even though I've got 20 years of Cisco experience with different firewalls, I would much prefer this solution.

What needs improvement?

Their technical support could be improved a little bit in terms of responsiveness.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for almost three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

For me, so far, it is fire and forget. You just set it up, and you really don't have to mess with it. It has been really reliable. It hasn't gone down, and I haven't had any outages.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support is okay. It, of course, depends on the kind of contract that you have. I've had better support from Cisco than from Fortinet when I'm having a problem that I can't figure out. Fortinet support is not bad, and they do get to the solution. However, they can be a little bit more responsive. That's the nice thing with Cisco. When you've got a network down issue, and they can get people on the phone immediately, and they stay with you until it is done. I find Fortinet's documentation better than Cisco's documentation.

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

We didn't have anything before, so this was brand new.

How was the initial setup?

It is fairly straightforward. The only complexity to it is that it has a little bit longer setup than the old generation firewall thing, where you slap an IP address on the outside and the inside interface and turn it on, and you're going to have a basic firewall. You have got to go through several configuration steps to get it to a good base setup.

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

It is less expensive than a Cisco solution.

What other advice do I have?

If you are brand new to this solution, you're going to want to read the documentation and follow it while setting it up because otherwise, you will miss something. To use this solution, you've got to know what you're doing. You can't just take someone who is a decent network guy and expect him to figure out what he has to do. It isn't that simple.

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate SWG an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Jaffar Ali - PeerSpot reviewer
Director Technical Services at TechnoBIZ
Reseller
Top 5
A comprehensive solution for web filtering, malware protection, and application control that offers robust security features and user-friendly interface
Pros and Cons
  • "Web filters, particularly web application controls, grant us the ability to regulate user access effectively."
  • "There's room for improvement in the interface, especially following their upgrade to version nineteen."

What is our primary use case?

Our standard practice involves tailoring deployments to meet specific customer needs. Typically implemented at the network edge, FortiGate SWG addresses diverse security requirements. Use cases include securing online services, protecting internal servers in a DMZ for LAN user access, and employing a segmented approach where different firewalls safeguard distinct zones, collaborating to manage and pass traffic for unique security needs. One of the firewalls also serves as the primary filter for internet traffic.

What is most valuable?

Web filters, particularly web application controls, grant us the ability to regulate user access effectively. Among the various features, I find web application control and IPS to be the most valuable.

What needs improvement?

There's room for improvement in the interface, especially following their upgrade to version nineteen. The issue arises from the increased complexity, where tasks like defining the NAS require navigating a separate window, and regular policy configurations are done in a different window.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using it for seven years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I would rate its stability capabilities nine out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Regarding scalability, I would rate Fortinet highly, giving them eight out of ten due to the effectiveness of their new hardware, which greatly enhances scalability. We've carried out installations for a variety of setups, spanning from small to medium-sized deployments.

How are customer service and support?

I would rate its technical support services seven out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

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

WatchGuard deserves credit for offering multiple options, including a client base and a comprehensive reporting feature, all within a unified license and toolset.

How was the initial setup?

I would rate the initial setup six out of ten in terms of complexity.

What about the implementation team?

The deployment can take up to a week but typically can be done in a couple of days.

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

We essentially customize implementations based on the customer's chosen appliance. The cost varies depending on the specific appliance they purchase. We provide coverage for whatever they acquire, and throughout the year, we pay different amounts to various vendors. The cost has increased since the update so I would rate it eight out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

In terms of reliability and security, FortiGate stands out. WatchGuard excels in additional features, offering the best reporting and various configuration options. While Sophos is also strong in security, I would rate it slightly lower than FortiGate. Overall, I would rate it 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: Reseller
PeerSpot user
Consultant at Zepto
Real User
A comprehensive and easy to use solution that needs to improve offerings for SMBs
Pros and Cons
  • "FortiGate also makes GRE tunneling possible."
  • "FortiGate needs to be elastic to the market's trends. It should be easy for SMBs to get the solution."

What is most valuable?

FortiGate has a lot of things that you can do. You have VPN, VRRP, and VDOM tools. FortiGate also makes GRE tunneling possible. Those are a few things that I like the most about FortiGate.

What needs improvement?

We are in an era of cloud-based things, so most need a simpler pay-as-you-go model. That might be effective for SMBs, where small organizations can afford features. FortiGate needs to be elastic to the market's trends. It should be easy for SMBs to get the solution. A cloud or SaaS model would be effective. FortiGate should bring a solution that allows smaller companies to use firewalls. Very small or medium companies do not focus on security, but it is the major concern of every organization. To tap that market, FortiGate must bring an innovative product everyone can adopt.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for six to seven years and currently use the latest version.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the stability an eight out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is not an issue, but it's difficult for small organizations. The devices that have FortiGate are the issue. I rate FortiGate a seven out of ten.

FortiGate is deployed in a centralized way. The way it is deployed in our organization, all the employees benefit from the security features.

How are customer service and support?

FortiGate's technical support depends on the region. FortiGate's support in my region is very helpful.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

I rate the initial setup a seven out of ten. Deployment takes a few months, but no more.

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

I rate FortiGate's pricing a five out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

FortiGate, as per my usage, is good. It's a very nice, sophisticated, and realistic firewall. I don't have any issues with FortiGate. It's a good UTM and has very simple dashboards. I rate FortiGate a seven out of ten.

We use FortiGate on-prem, but now we are trying to adopt it on the cloud. I'm not sure how it is because I have not seen a cloud-based FortiGate.

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 SWG Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: January 2025
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Secure Web Gateways (SWG)
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiGate SWG Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.