Fortinet FortiGate-VM Reviews

We use the product primarily in environments requiring robust network security and compliance, especially in the banking and enterprise sectors.

The platform has enhanced our organization's security posture by providing effective threat protection, bandwidth management, and SDN capabilities.

They could enhance the product's functionality for more comprehensive threat detection and mitigation, especially for large-scale deployments.

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate-VM for several years. 

The product is stable. 

The product is scalable. 

The initial setup of FortiGate was straightforward. It involved detailed planning for appliance selection based on user numbers, throughput requirements, firewall, IPS capacity, and VPN needs. 

We managed the implementation in-house, leveraging our expertise in network configuration.

FortiGate offers a favorable ROI due to its competitive pricing structure and effective network security capabilities, making it a cost-effective choice for our organization.

We evaluated alternatives like Checkpoint and Palo Alto. We chose FortiGate for its cost-effectiveness, robust performance in our specific use cases, and the comprehensive support provided by Fortinet.

The product's threat protection features have been instrumental in managing subscription-based licensing and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, especially in banking environments.

I rate Fortinet FortiGate-VM an eight out of ten. 

We employ Fortinet FortiGate-VM solely for testing purposes, similar to how we employ virtual machines in a virtual lab environment to evaluate solutions. When customers inquire about potential solutions, we typically construct and thoroughly test these solutions in our lab environment before providing confirmation. Once we've successfully conducted a proof of concept, we then extend an offer to the customer.

Both the hardware and virtual versions offer comprehensive capabilities required for perimeter network protection. Positioned at the network perimeter, they provide profiles that can be easily configured, including antivirus, DNS protection, web filtering, IPS, and application awareness for over five thousand applications. This allows for tailored configurations based on specific application usage within our network.

The scalability and flexibility of FortiGate VM have greatly benefited our organization. Its exceptional scalability allows us to adapt and expand according to our evolving needs.

Integrating FortiGate VM with our existing systems was straightforward, as I recall no difficulties during the process. I would rate it a solid ten out of ten for ease of integration.

The performance and availability of FortiGate-VM in our setup vary depending on the specific models chosen. We refer to data sheets and comparison tables to identify devices that meet our specific requirements. This involves considering factors such as performance metrics, encryption and decryption capabilities, and the number of secure connections supported. By comparing different models, we can select the one that best suits our needs.

The GUI of FortiGate is exceptional.

The features of FortiGate VM that we find most effective for network security include its universal operating system, which is the same across both hardware and virtual machine deployments. This consistency ensures that both real boxes and virtual machines run on identical images, accessible via both command line and graphical interfaces for convenience.

SD-WAN could be enhanced to provide a clear division between control and data planes, utilizing controllers to manage tasks within the network.

We have been using it for more than three years.

I am satisfied with its stability. I would rate it ten out of ten.

It provides outstanding scalability capabilities. I would rate it ten out of ten. 
We serve a diverse range of customers, including large government organizations in Ukraine and small businesses. FortiGate is suitable for a variety of customer types, accommodating the needs of both large enterprises and smaller organizations.

We haven't encountered any open trouble tickets in the past three years, so we don't have firsthand experience with how Fortinet handles cases.

The initial setup is straightforward, earning a rating of ten out of ten for ease of use. Compared to other options, it stands out as exceptionally simple, largely due to the extensive documentation provided by Fortinet. Additionally, numerous YouTube tutorials are available online, making it easy to find solutions without necessarily having to consult the documentation.

For deployment, FortiGate can be utilized in both on-premises and cloud environments, offering flexibility in its application. It can serve as a client-side perimeter device within a customer's network or function as a cloud-based service. Our organization predominantly offers cloud-based solutions, leveraging FortiGate installations at our Sentinel node facility. Here, we manage customer traffic by configuring it to pass through FortiGate, allowing us to provide next-generation firewall services to customers who lack their infrastructure. We tailor configurations to suit each customer's specific needs.

Alternatively, if a customer requires an on-premises solution, we may deploy a physical appliance at their site. In such cases, where the customer lacks the expertise to manage the firewall effectively, we offer a managed service option.

Deployment typically takes no more than a few hours, thanks to the straightforward installation process and the clarity of the documentation provided. Especially in simple configurations with uncomplicated topologies, deployment can be completed within minutes.

The price falls somewhere in the middle; it's neither cheap nor expensive. I would rate it five out of ten.

When purchasing an appliance, it's essential to acquire the accompanying subscription. This is crucial because frequent updates to antivirus profiles and other features are necessary, often occurring daily. Operating the device effectively requires a subscription from Fortinet, which we consistently purchase.

Fortinet FortiGate-VM is purpose-built as a next-generation firewall, excelling in its performance of this specific function. Its designated place in the network aligns perfectly with its capabilities, making it an ideal device for its intended purpose. Overall, I would rate it ten out of ten.

I use the solution in my company mostly as a firewall product.

The strong point of the solution is that Fortinet FortiGate-VM is a good tool to spend money on, as its price is not as high as the ones offered by Palo Alto. Compared to Palo Alto's performance, most people like Fortinet FortiGate-VM. In general, Fortinet FortiGate-VM is a tool that is available for a good price, and its performance is comparable to that of Palo Alto and Check Point.

I believe that Fortinet FortiGate-VM makes improvements on a quarterly or yearly basis.

In Fortinet FortiGate-VM, the area around the configuration, performance monitoring, and GUI are not as easy as in Palo Alto. Fortinet FortiGate-VM's configuration part, performance monitoring, and GUI are areas where improvements are required.

The scalability feature of the solution has certain shortcomings, making it an area where improvements are required.

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate-VM for more than ten years. I work as the solution's system integrator. I use the solution's latest version.

It is a very stable solution. Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a six or seven out of ten.

My company deals with customers with various ranges regarding the number of users who use the solution. Some of the customers I deal with and who use the solution have around 500 users.

My company plans to increase the number of users of the solution in our company.

I am not about the online support services offered by Fortinet FortiGate-VM, but our company deals with local support for the solution, which is very good.

I rate the technical support a ten out of ten.

Positive

As a system integrator, my company not only provides services for Fortinet FortiGate-VM but also for products like Palo Alto and Check Point.

The product's initial setup phase was easy.

The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.

The product's installation phase takes three hours if our company's customers provide us with all the prerequisites required for the deployment.

Cost-wise, I would describe Fortinet FortiGate-VM as a tool that is available for a good price.

Two years ago, the price for the license of the product was affordable, but I think that in the present time, there has been an increase in the price of the product by around 30 percent, making it an expensive tool in the process. I rate the product price a three on a scale of one to ten, where one is a high price, and ten is a low price.

My team consists of around 15 engineers who help me take care of the technical aspects of the product.

I recommend the product to those who plan to use it. I rate the overall tool an eight and a half to nine out of ten.

Fortinet FortiGate-VM was used for our company's customers, but presently, most of our clients use Sophos UTM.

My company's clients use Fortinet FortiGate-VM to protect their entire internal network.

Fortinet FortiGate-VM has very good features. The most important factor about the product is that it is very intuitive. Fortinet FortiGate-VM is very handy compared to Check Point and Palo Alto.

With Fortinet FortiGate-VM, you get all the tools in the basic package, so there is no need to get a special platform for each component, which makes it much easier to implement.

The stability of the product is an area of concern where improvements are required.

The response time of the technical support team is an area of concern where improvements are needed.

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate-VM for a few years. My company has a partnership with Fortinet.

Stability-wise, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.

There are certain issues that users may face when they update Fortinet FortiGate-VM due to some bugs.

Considering that the machines work with the same operating system and in the same method in an environment, the use of the scalability feature is very easy.

Scalability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

I work with our company's small, medium, and enterprise-sized clients who use the solution.

At times, you can get a quick answer from the support team, but for some cases or issues, it takes a long time for the technical team to respond.

I rate the technical support a seven out of ten.

Neutral

I have experience with Check Point and Palo Alto. The first firewall that my company worked with was Check Point, and we have used it for many years.

The product is easy to implement.

The solution is deployed on the cloud and on an on-premises model.

The complexity of the organization determines the time required to deploy the solution. Basically, it takes three hours to deploy the product, and for a big company, it takes two days.

One good engineer is enough to take care of the deployment phase of the product.

The pricing of the product depends on a company's negotiation skills, and if a company can't get it at a good price, there are other tools that can be purchased from the market.

I rate the product price a seven on a scale of one to ten, where one is a low price, and ten is a high price.

Our company needs to make either a yearly or a three-year payment towards the licensing charges attached to the product. There are no additional costs attached to the solution apart from the tool's licensing charges.

Fortinet FortiGate-VM is a very good product.

The maintenance of the product is very easy. One person is required to take care of the maintenance of the product.

I recommend the product to those who plan to use it. Before buying the product, people should consider the ease of implementation Fortinet FortiGate-VM offers.

Check Point is the best when it comes to monitoring and investigating logs. In general, the most important thing users should consider is that the implementation part should be good, for which Fortinet FortiGate-VM is the best.

I rate the overall tool an eight out of ten.

We deploy the tool for customers who want a firewall in front of their cloud environment. We can use it for anything they want to protect in their data center or private cloud.

The solution has given us a good revenue stream and a better solution for our customers for network security. The product can take our customer’s basic firewall and take it to the next level and give them much more visibility and control over the traffic.

All the security features that are built into the product are valuable. It includes web filtering, DNS filtering, and intrusion prevention. FortiGate is the best firewall in the market. It pretty much does most things.

Support could be improved a little.

I have been using the solution for four and a half years.

I rate the solution’s stability a ten out of ten.

I rate the tool’s scalability a ten out of ten.

Sometimes, we get really good, knowledgeable engineers. At other times, it feels like we got somebody who started that day. We have to go through the wringer with them.

Neutral

The initial setup was very easy.

I have seen an ROI on the product.

The price is pretty decent compared to other products. The product’s licensing must be a little cheaper.

If you're looking for an enterprise-level next-generation firewall, go with FortiGate. It’s hands down the best value for what you pay. Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

Our primary requirement is security. We are using it as part of our enterprise deployment with Fortinet. Currently, we are doing the firewalls using these appliances.

We are a services company that provides IT solutions for many other customers. As an IT service provider, we have different requirements from different customers and support them.

There is room for improvement in the pricing model. The pricing is expensive, but pricing should be competitive, and it should be unit-based pricing.

We have a decade of experience with Fortinet FortiGate-VM. We have different versions.

The stability is good. I would rate it a nine out of ten.

I rate scalability a ten out of ten because its mesh architecture allows consistent policies. Additionally, we can keep adding points and integrate them into the same dish, making it easy to scale up as needed.

The customer service and support team is of high quality. The reason is that we are a preferred partner and vendor for Fortinet. So, they are available whenever we call them, and we have no problems. We have a specialized team that is deployed only for our organization.

Positive

I would rate the initial setup a nine out of ten, where one is difficult, and ten is easy. You need to deploy it on a virtual appliance. Deploying the appliance itself is usually straightforward, but designing the architecture and arranging the solution can be challenging for many customers.

We deploy it on both on-prem and cloud, depending on the customer's preference. Our architecture is a mesh architecture. It depends on the customer's requirements. We choose the type of appliances and the capacity required to run. For instance, for a customer with a thousand workloads utilizing a Fortinet gateway, we would select the physical appliances that best suit their needs for on-prem deployment.

Conversely, we would use a mesh configuration with consistent policies across cloud engines for a data interface in the cloud. So, we've used both ways. We use a virtual version on-premises, physical appliances on-premises, and virtual appliances inside the cloud.

The whole deployment takes around four weeks to three months, depending on the architecture. It is quite a broad process, but if I summarize, we typically start with a high-level solution design and then move into the low-level details, such as port configuration and traffic flow. Finally, we move on to the actual deployment phase.

I would rate it a five, where one is low, and ten is high. We usually do monthly licensing costs as we don't invest capital and do more OpEx-based pricing.

My advice is if you have to go with the complete stack, go with the complete stack, not the replacement-only product. Don't look at it as a replacement. Choose a platform.

Overall, I would rate it a nine out of ten. The reason is that I have a next-generation firewall. Fortinet FortiGate-VM provides various deployment options, such as physical or virtual devices, and it can be easily integrated with public clouds. Additionally, I can integrate it with other Fortinet products like network access control or zero trust network access in a single step, which is very convenient. Their security stack portfolio works well with my hybrid mesh firewall, and I am satisfied with its integration capabilities.

We have had a very good experience with Fortinet FortiGate-VM. They are usually the first choice for us when it comes to designing. We have certain products for certain purposes, and this one is our preferred choice for firewall purposes.

Moreover, They have hardware appliances that can be deployed on-premise, virtual appliances deployed on the cloud, and a mesh that can form a cluster. It's very good.

I primarily use the solution as a firewall. It's used for security. I use it for the DMZ. It's related to architecture and is strategically positioned in the network. 

Based on its position, it offers good control over the communication between users and the data center. It's a good unified solution, and you can manage everything from the Fortigate portal.

It's a familiar solution to our clients. We don't spend time selling it. The brand is very popular and recognizable. 

The solution integrates well with other Fortinet products.

The pricing is fine. 

It's a good solution for small to medium-sized companies. 

The integration can be a bit easier. You need to maintain the integrations. You shouldn't have to. For example, in Cisco, you don't have to maintain integration that same way.

The support could be a bit better.

There are no missing features or items we would like to see in the future.

This is not a good solution for enterprises. It's better for smaller companies. 

I've used the solution for the last six years. 

The solution is mostly stable. I'd rate it six out of ten. The updates and availability, however, are not so smooth. 

The solution is not so scalable. It's not necessarily difficult to scale. However, it is not easy either. 

I'd rate the scalability seven out of ten overall. 

Typically, my clients are small to medium-sized entities. 

I'd like to see better support. They are okay. They could be better.

Positive

I also have experience with Cisco solutions.

At the perimeter, we also use Palo Alto. 

The initial setup is very easy. It's not complex. I'd rate the ease o setup eight out of ten. 

The deployment might take two to three days. It's pretty fast to get everything up and running. 

I did not handle the deployment in a hands-on way, so I don't have information on the technicalities in terms of what steps were taken.

The pricing is okay. I'd rate it eight out of ten in terms of affordability.

I'm a Fortinet reseller. I'm not sure which version of the solution we're using. We're likely using version seven or six. 

We use cloud and on-premises deployments. 

I'd recommend the solution to other small or medium-sized companies. I would not recommend it to enterprises. 

I would rate the solution eight out of ten. It is unified, and it is easy to integrate into other Fortinet products. 

We use the solution for the private cloud.

Fortinet FortiGate-VM has a standard hardware firewall and easy deployment. You download a pre-configured virtual machine and run it on your hypervisor, Hyper-V, or ESXi by VMware. It is an excellent solution for private cloud setups, allowing seamless management using Fortinet without additional hardware purchases. Moreover, it offers flexibility—you can integrate it with physical hardware for redundancy or establish branch office VPNs effortlessly. Fortinet's automation capabilities facilitate smooth connectivity between public and private clouds.

The solution is highly scalable, depending on the type of hardware it runs on. You need knowledge of hypervisors to learn about the virtualized environment.

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate-VM as an integrator for one year.

The product is stable.

We cater the solution to SMBs.

I have used SonicWall. Fortinet has fewer hardware requirements than SonicWall. The basic requirement is the same.

The initial setup is easy and doesn't take more than one hour.

ROI is pretty good because it's simply software as a service. You subscribe to a service, and VM is available from FortiGate to download, install, and run. You get all the features. The scalability depends upon the hardware or VM. It could be serving 1000s or 100s users, depending on the configuration.

The solution is expensive.

It could have some versions limited by several users to reduce the price. Else, they could limit the product features, and create some version for a smaller organization with basic requirements.

Support is additional and comes apart from the subscription.

There's not much maintenance required. One to two people is required. Patches and upgrades are required and happen automatically if you've configured it that way. It is easy to deploy over the cloud. There are ready appliances to run in a public cloud like Amazon, Microsoft, or Google Cloud.

I recommend the solution. It is fantastic, easy to deploy, and very scalable. It saves a lot of time. Some particular hardware is not available in stock. FortiGate-VM is a good alternative. You could download, configure, and apply it. You could buy it online or from a Fortinet partner. It's quick and easy to set up.

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