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Esteban Lora - PeerSpot reviewer
Presales Engineer at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
Reseller
Top 10
Good antiphishing and antispam but needs an easier setup
Pros and Cons
  • "The antiphishing capabilities are very good."
  • "The solution doesn't scale easily."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution to protect the mail of our customers. We have a big device installed in our data center and we offer managed services. Most of our clients have Office 365 and they need that protected. 

What is most valuable?

The antiphishing capabilities are very good. 

It has good antispam features. 

The solution is stable. 

What needs improvement?

It would be better if it were easier to install.

The solution doesn't scale easily.

For how long have I used the solution?

I started using this solution for a couple of years.

Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiMail
December 2024
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiMail. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
824,052 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We haven't had any issues with the solution. It is stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches, and it doesn't crash or freeze. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is a bit scalable. However, that's based on the size of the hardware that's available at the outset. If you are planning to install dedicated hardware, you need to size the device to meet the needs. 

How are customer service and support?

I've never dealt with technical support. That would be handled by another department. 

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

I also have some experience with Check Point. I've recently looked into comparisons between Check Point and Fortinet to show to a client. I find Check Point Harmony easier to set up.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup could be easier as it is a bit difficult. I'd rate the ease of implementation six out of ten.

We have hardware in our data center. For us, this is deployed on-premises; however, for our clients, it's available on the cloud. 

What other advice do I have?

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten. 

We're partners and resellers. 

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
Ahmed-Dawood - PeerSpot reviewer
Director of IT at Oriental Weavers
Real User
Top 5
A very powerful solution that can be used to protect emails from spam attacks
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiMail is its fully detailed dashboard."
  • "Fortinet FortiMail's pricing could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

Fortinet FortiMail is a very powerful product we use to protect our emails from spam attacks and malicious emails.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiMail is its fully detailed dashboard. Fortinet FortiMail is fully integrated with other Fortinet products, including the firewall, the analyzer, and the manager.

What needs improvement?

Fortinet FortiMail's pricing could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiMail for three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiMail is a very stable solution.

I rate Fortinet FortiMail ten out of ten for stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Around 130 to 180 users are using Fortinet FortiMail in our organization.

I rate Fortinet FortiMail ten out of ten for scalability.

How are customer service and support?

Fortinet FortiMail's technical support team is very supportive.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The solution’s initial setup is easy.

What about the implementation team?

We did Fortinet FortiMail's implementation and installation within one hour.

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

Fortinet FortiMail is a little bit expensive. I rate Fortinet FortiMail a four out of ten for pricing.

What other advice do I have?

I am using the latest version of Fortinet FortiMail.

Fortinet FortiMail needs no maintenance other than upgrades.

I would recommend Fortinet FortiMail to other users.

Overall, I rate Fortinet FortiMail ten 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.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiMail
December 2024
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiMail. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
824,052 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Letarik Terefe - PeerSpot reviewer
ICT Project manager and Development Team Leader at Ethiopian Roads Administration
Real User
Top 10
Prevents, detects, and responds to email-based threats
Pros and Cons
  • "It is one of the most efficient solutions in our environment. We have more than nine hundred users. All of these users are protected by Fortinet FortiMail."
  • "Such kinds of things, raised from the point from the objective actually, we are using Fortinet FortiMail. We don't find any kinds of challenge or difficulties, but Fortinet FortiMail is more efficient and more effective for us. I don't know for other client, but for us, Fortinet FortiMail is very effective Like, for instance, if it is possible, let's say some kind of high threat is actually encountered if it could be possible to SMBs in our smartphone, or mobile apps, kinds of thing, if Fortinet FortiMail is available to monitor the thing using from our mobile phone from our smartphone. If such kinds of things are truly included, it will be more or good for us."

What is our primary use case?

We use Fortinet FortiMail to protect our corporate maintenance. It is a very good solution.

What is most valuable?

It is one of the most efficient solutions in our environment. We have more than nine hundred users. All of these users are protected by Fortinet FortiMail.          

What needs improvement?

It would be helpful if Fortinet FortiMail could monitor from a smartphone. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiMail since 2019.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

There is no downtime and I believe it is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable. We are planning to upgrade it in the coming stages. 

How are customer service and support?

Every six months, without any charge, they conduct a thorough examination for us. This includes checking if the configuration aligns with our requirements. They provide recommendations for corrections, particularly in cases where potential vulnerabilities or backdoors are identified. Their proactive approach contributes to the security of our environment. The assistance they provide every six months is prompt, cooperative, and delivered in a friendly manner.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

We previously used Microsoft ISA for our security needs, but we encountered challenges with the packages provided by Microsoft, prompting us to explore alternative solutions. After conducting assessments and evaluations, Fortinet FortiGate emerged as the most efficient and effective option from a security perspective. Its ease of deployment, straightforward monitoring tools, and user-friendly interface distinguish it, providing a seamless experience in contrast to other solutions like Check Point, which were deemed complex and challenging by clients in their reviews. Fortinet's simplicity, ease of understanding, and the ability to generate reports effortlessly, including automatic report configurations without reliance on emails, led us to select Fortinet as the preferred solution for our security requirements.

How was the initial setup?

It is pretty simple and straightforward. It doesn't take a long time. 

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

The pricing is reasonable.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate it 10 out of 10. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Security Engineers at SARS
Real User
With a great interface and exceptional integration capabilities, the product also offers good stability
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of the solution is its interface, allowing users to get around the solution easily. The integration capabilities in the solution are also very easy."
  • "Fortinet FortiMail's technical support team has shortcomings and needs improvement."

What is our primary use case?

In my company, we use Fortinet FortiMail for its email security capabilities.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of the solution is its interface, allowing users to get around the solution easily. The integration capabilities in the solution are also very easy.

What needs improvement?

There is not much about the solution that I would like to improve. I am satisfied with what the solution has to offer.

Fortinet FortiMail's technical support team has shortcomings and needs improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiMail for two years. I use the solution's latest version. I am an end user of the product.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

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

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

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

Though unsure, more than 500 people in my organization use the solution.

How are customer service and support?

I rate the technical support a seven out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

The solution is deployed on AWS Cloud, which is a private cloud.

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

Price-wise, you get what you pay for in Fortinet FortiMail. Apart from the licensing costs, no additional expenses are attached to the solution's pricing.

What other advice do I have?

Maintenance is needed for the solution when its license expires or when they change the product's interface, after which there is any need to get a new license before upgrading the product.

Four engineers in my company are involved with the maintenance of the product.

Whether I recommend the solution to another person depends on the size of that person's organization since the bigger the organization is, the more struggle involved in using the product.

I rate the overall product an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Private Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Syed-Ashraf - PeerSpot reviewer
National food at Qarshi industries pvt ltd
Real User
Top 20
Effective email security and user-friendly GUI interface
Pros and Cons
  • "After implementing FortiMail, the spam, and malicious emails we receive have significantly reduced, making it much simpler to manage."
  • "I believe there is room for enhancement in content and web security features."

What is our primary use case?

We have an on-premises email server. Before FortiMail, we received a lot of spam and malicious emails, causing inconvenience for our users. After implementing FortiMail, it significantly reduced and improved our security.

How has it helped my organization?

Previously, when users received malicious emails, they would engage the IT department and ask for details about the emails they received. It consumed time and resources for IT management. With the implementation of FortiMail, these types of queries have been greatly reduced.

With the implementation of FortiMail, our spamming was reduced, and junk mail was minimized.

What is most valuable?

The key features that I find valuable are the ones related to securing our email server. After implementing FortiMail, the spam, and malicious emails we receive have significantly reduced, making it much simpler to manage. So it has made email server management much simpler.

FortiMail offers a user-friendly GUI interface, which makes it easy for administrators to browse and use. The interface is designed well, and it simplifies the administration.

What needs improvement?

I believe there is room for enhancement in the content security and web security features. These two aspects can be further developed to improve the overall scalability of the solution.


For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using this solution for one year. One year ago, we implemented it. It's the FortiMail version, not the cloud version. It's an on-premises, hardware-based appliance.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

With one and a half years of experience implementing it, I can say it's not unstable. I think it's up to the mark, so we rate it at nine, indicating high stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I would rate the scalability at seven. While FortiMail offers good security, there are areas where improvements can be made, particularly in content security and web security features.

I believe there is room for enhancement in the content security and web security features. These two aspects can be further developed to improve the overall scalability of the solution. We have more than 400 email users utilizing Fortinet FortiMail.

FortiMail handles email monitoring around the clock. It's a big version 24, and it's used over email traffic. We always monitor FortiMail over emails 24/7. All our emails go through FortiMail.

We are using it with 400 email boxes. In the future, we may increase it by 50 more users, and FortiMail is compatible with that. It meets our requirements, and there's no need to increase anything.

How are customer service and support?

Over the past year and a half, we encountered an issue with our website. There was a malicious script on our website that disrupted our email service. FortiMail scans our emails, but due to the malicious script on our website and the same domain, we were unable to receive emails on Gmail.

The reason behind the email blocking was Fortinet FortiMail, which detected the malicious script on our website. We reported the issue to Fortinet, and Fortinet resolved it within an hour. Fortinet's support was excellent, and we would rate it nine out of ten. It was a pretty good support. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

It's not very difficult. It's quite easy with GUI. Within a short span of time, you can easily configure the firewall and FortiMail and integrate them. It's not a big deal. I would rate it as eight.

We received it in December, and within one month, we tested it. After some time, we went live with Fortinet, which took around seven days. So, the deployment process took about five to six weeks.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented it with the support of our distributor. Two technical persons were involved in the deployment process. We deployed the solution with our network administrator with the coordination of our distributor and technical team. They handled the deployment within four to six weeks.

The solution does require maintenance. Routine maintenance is necessary to implement and tighten security policies, especially for handling malicious emails and bypasses in the email solution. You need to stay vigilant and conduct regular searches to identify and respond to potential threats even after implementing FortiMail. Monitoring and maintenance are ongoing processes.

Generally, only one person is needed to handle maintenance tasks. This individual should possess the necessary skills to manage the email server, FortiMail gateway, and firewall. Additionally, they may be responsible for network maintenance as well. 

In our case, the person responsible for maintenance is our network administrator. They work in coordination with our distributor and technical team to ensure the smooth operation of FortiMail. This person oversees various aspects of network maintenance.

What was our ROI?

There is definitely an ROI. If we calculate the return on investment and consider the time and effort saved from dealing with spam and email glitches, we feel more comfortable and receive safer emails. Overall, it has been a positive experience.

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

The solution is quite pricey compared to other competitors in the market. Due to Fortinet's reliability and quality service,  Fortinet offers a high cost. We rate it around seven. So, it's pretty pricey.

ur licensing costs for FortiMail are quite high, especially with the currency exchange rates in Pakistan. The costs keep increasing day by day, and we are concerned about it. There are no additional costs. We only pay for the maintenance.

What other advice do I have?

FortiMail is already working on enhancing its next-generation terminology, and there is always room for improvement in various aspects. Fortinet continuously strives to improve its solutions.

I believe they are on the right track with the GUI interface. Overall, I think they are doing a good job. We also prioritize securing our email server against future threats, as I mentioned earlier, by proactively safeguarding it from any potential security vulnerabilities or malicious activities.

Fortinet FortiMail has adopted a GUI interface and made improvements in several areas. I think they will continue to provide routine updates and enhance the email server security further. We have integrated FortiMail with our firewall, which is also from Fortinet, and we didn't face any issues during the integration process.

I believe Fortinet is leading the industry by following international standards and incorporating the necessary features to secure users from future threats. They should continue adding more security features where needed.

Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
MOHAN SUKUMAR - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of computer systems at Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology(IIST)
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
A gateway security solution that needs to offer grace period after license expiration
Pros and Cons
  • "Fortinet FortiMail is a complete product addressing mail security concerns. It helps to know spam subscriptions and create restriction policies."
  • "The security products stop their operations once the subscription period expires. It is a wrong policy. If I trust a product, it has to continue working even after expiry. It should have a grace period of 30, 40, or 60 days. We can extend the subscription during those days. In some places, subscription extensions can take up to six weeks. During the renewal process, the support offered by the company is very poor. It also reduces security. We pay for the expired period but do not get protection during those times. The user of Fortinet FortiMail should have a feature to see spam names."

What is our primary use case?

We use the tool as a gateway security solution. 

What is most valuable?

Fortinet FortiMail is a complete product addressing mail security concerns. It helps to know spam subscriptions and create restriction policies. 

What needs improvement?

The security products stop their operations once the subscription period expires. It is a wrong policy. If I trust a product, it has to continue working even after expiry. It should have a grace period of 30, 40, or 60 days. We can extend the subscription during those days. In some places, subscription extensions can take up to six weeks. During the renewal process, the support offered by the company is very poor. It also reduces security. We pay for the expired period but do not get protection during those times. The user of Fortinet FortiMail should have a feature to see spam names. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for 15 years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable except for the downtime due to the subscription extension. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is poor for tools that are clubbed with hardware. 

How are customer service and support?

The tool's vendor support is poor. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

A person setting up the tool must have the technology and domain experience. The preliminary deployment can happen within three to six hours. The tool's fine-tuning happens over one to two weeks. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate the product an eight 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.
PeerSpot user
reviewer2590572 - PeerSpot reviewer
Solution Architect, Presales Engineer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Reseller
Top 5
Efficient email protection and good pricing with minor latency
Pros and Cons
  • "The anti-spam functionality is good and works well."
  • "ortiMail has some latency issues and sometimes takes time to receive emails."

What is our primary use case?

Our main use case for FortiMail is to protect emails. It acts as a security appliance focusing on emails and securing the inbox. It checks the content of the mail itself and the links that accompany the emails most of the time.

How has it helped my organization?

We use FortiMail as our email security for our organization.

What is most valuable?

The price gives a good review of emails. The anti-spam functionality is good and works well.

What needs improvement?

FortiMail has some latency issues and sometimes takes time to receive emails. Text emails without URLs also take time to forward. Accessing links in received emails can take time.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used FortiMail for one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a stable product. That said, there is some latency.

How are customer service and support?

Customer support has some delays and is not as expected. It needs improvement.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

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

I used Cisco secure email before, which was more expensive, complicated, and harder to deploy compared to FortiMail. Fortinet is easier to deploy, troubleshoot, check the logs, and is cheaper.

What was our ROI?

There is a good return on investment between eight to nine out of ten. Deployment time is fast.

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

The pricing and licensing are advantageous. The price is between eight and nine.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I evaluated Cisco for email security.

What other advice do I have?

Out of ten, nine points might be a very high score for this solution, however, eight is more reasonable. I'd rate the solution, therefore, eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
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PeerSpot user
Head of Security Management at Ipko Telecommunications
Real User
Has a SPAM filtering feature and gives better protection against SPAM, phishing attempts, and ransomware; provides good support
Pros and Cons
  • "Fortinet FortiMail has a lot of valuable features. It works great. It also has an antivirus feature. Support for Fortinet FortiMail was also great when my team wanted to block some geographic IPs, but couldn't figure out how to do it. The support team provided clear communication on how to resolve that issue. Another valuable feature of Fortinet FortiMail is SPAM filtering which tells you how many spammy emails you've received. Based on my current use cases, I'm happy with Fortinet FortiMail."
  • "What's missing in Fortinet FortiMail is some sandbox information for some of the emails. It's probably configuration-based, where it could be configured on some emails. For example, there was malware in some emails that weren't detected in some of the Fortinet FortiMail sessions, but it should have been configured from my company's end to better catch scam emails, but overall, the solution is okay. At the moment, my company is okay with the current Fortinet FortiMail offerings, but in the past, because of a lack of understanding, my team wasn't able to quickly implement the geographical IP blocking feature. It was time-consuming to implement that feature, but that wasn't a fault of Fortinet FortiMail. The issue was from my team's end, but just by emailing the support team, that issue was resolved, so right now, there isn't any additional feature I'd like added to Fortinet FortiMail."

What is our primary use case?

We use Fortinet FortiMail primarily for our email security. We're also using the solution for its anti-spam, antivirus, and sandbox features.

How has it helped my organization?

Fortinet FortiMail has been beneficial to my company. In the past, there were a lot of SPAM and phishing attempts, but after Fortinet FortiMail was implemented, it gave better protection against SPAM, phishing attempts, and ransomware. The solution detects emails received from non-reputable sources. You can also finetune Fortinet FortiMail based on your requirements. For example, the solution used to quarantine even safe emails, but after finetuning it, Fortinet FortiMail now only blocks and quarantines unsafe emails.

What is most valuable?

Fortinet FortiMail has a lot of valuable features. It works great. It also has an antivirus feature.

Support for Fortinet FortiMail was also great when my team wanted to block some geographic IPs, but couldn't figure out how to do it. The support team provided clear communication on how to resolve that issue.

Another valuable feature of Fortinet FortiMail is SPAM filtering which tells you how many spammy emails you've received.

Based on my current use cases, I'm happy with Fortinet FortiMail.

What needs improvement?

What's missing in Fortinet FortiMail is some sandbox information for some of the emails. It's probably configuration-based, where it could be configured on some emails. For example, there was malware in some emails that weren't detected in some of the Fortinet FortiMail sessions, but it should have been configured from my company's end to better catch scam emails, but overall, the solution is okay.

At the moment, my company is okay with the current Fortinet FortiMail offerings, but in the past, because of a lack of understanding, my team wasn't able to quickly implement the geographical IP blocking feature. It was time-consuming to implement that feature, but that wasn't a fault of Fortinet FortiMail. The issue was from my team's end, but just by emailing the support team, that issue was resolved, so right now, there isn't any additional feature I'd like added to Fortinet FortiMail.

For how long have I used the solution?

We started using Fortinet FortiMail just this year, in particular, in March.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiMail is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiMail is a scalable solution.

How are customer service and support?

The Fortinet FortiMail team provided great support. On a scale of one to five, I'll give it the highest score, which is five.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

Though I wasn't part of the team that installed Fortinet FortiMail, my impression was that the installation was straightforward because it had some documentation on how to do it, and it was easy, so you won't have much trouble installing Fortinet FortiMail. You just need to learn the dashboard first, which is normal for first-time users of any other application. The solution did have a very user-friendly GUI.

Fortinet FortiMail implementation didn't take long. You first put it on the testing platform with a test domain, then you implement it in a production environment, where you'll learn how to use it, and determine how to best put the solution in production. Next, you set up or orient email traffic to the platform, then let the admins and Fortinet FortiMail support team do the work in terms of finetuning the solution and figuring out how to implement it based on company requirements. Though I don't have exact information on how long the deployment took, it was just a short period. For example, for Fortinet FortiMail to be up and running, it took just a couple of days.

What about the implementation team?

My company worked with Fortinet FortiMail support in implementing the solution in the test environment, then in production.

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

My company has a three-year license for Fortinet FortiMail, including the support, but I'm not so sure of how much the solution costs because I'm not part of the procurement team. What's more important to me is the functionality and stability of Fortinet FortiMail.

In terms of Fortinet FortiMail licensing, the cost is calculated based on company requirements. For example, it's based on the features you need for your environment, on capacity, how many CPUs you have, etc.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated other options before deciding on Fortinet FortiMail. We tested Fortinet FortiMail first, discussed it with others, then went with Fortinet FortiMail.

What other advice do I have?

My company is using the latest version of Fortinet FortiMail.

Approximately six hundred to seven hundred people have mailboxes within the company, but in terms of Fortinet FortiMail usage, my company has five administrators for it. Two administrators deal with cybersecurity issues and security checks, then the other two administrators focus on the network, while a system administrator deals directly with product health. I'd say that there are three standard users of Fortinet FortiMail and two backup users.

I would recommend Fortinet FortiMail to others looking into implementing the solution for business purposes.

My rating for Fortinet FortiMail is ten out of ten.

My company is a customer of Fortinet FortiMail.

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 FortiMail Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: December 2024
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiMail Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.