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Juan Frias - PeerSpot reviewer
Cyber Threat Intelligence Manager at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Top 10
Helps you consolidate the single point of management
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution's most valuable feature is the consolidation and the single point of administration solution."
  • "The graphics interface between Fortinet FortiManager and any Forti products should be standardized."

What is our primary use case?

Fortinet FortiManager is a great solution that helps you consolidate the single point of management for all Fortinet solutions. It also helps you support the change management process that is aligned with ITIL. The solution also helps you to have version control and tracking control.

What is most valuable?

The solution's most valuable feature is the consolidation and the single point of administration solution.

What needs improvement?

The graphics interface between Fortinet FortiManager and any Forti products should be standardized. Doing a configuration change directly in the UTM is not the same as doing it via FortiManager for some features.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiManager for five years.

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiManager is a very stable solution.

I rate the solution's stability ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution's scalability is very good.

I rate the solution's scalability an eight out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

I would prefer the person who helps us on the first call or interaction to have a higher engineering capacity.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The solution's initial setup wasn't done by me but by an expert. I believe the setup is not too simple because it took some implementation by an expert.

What was our ROI?

As a simplified, unified point of management, Fortinet FortiManager helps to reduce administration costs.

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

On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a six out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

I haven't implemented the solution's automation capabilities. The most automation I have done in Fortinet FortiManager is a configuration to be deployed massively to a group of UTMs, access points, or switches. I would recommend the solution to other users. It would be great to have FortiManager by your side if everything you have is from Fortinet.

As the platform tracks every change we make, it helps me with compliance and also helps me maintain all the devices at the same firmware level. It helps with compliance and auditing.

Overall, I 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.
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BahaaEddin Alatrash - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Specialist at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Top 10
We can set unified policies from a central dashboard, reducing human error
Pros and Cons
  • "FortiManager enables us to set unified firewall policies from one centralized dashboard, reducing human error. If you do not have a central dashboard, there's a chance you might set a policy on one firewall and forget to do it for another."
  • "The SD-WAN solution is difficult to manage on FortiManager because you need to share some configurations on the firewall side. Sometimes you lose all connectivity with the firewall, so it is challenging to apply the default configuration to the SD-WAN solution."

What is our primary use case?

We use FortiManager to manage the roles and policies for all of our edge firewalls.

How has it helped my organization?

FortiManager enables us to set unified firewall policies from one centralized dashboard,  reducing human error. If you do not have a central dashboard, there's a chance you might set a policy on one firewall and forget to do it for another. 

What needs improvement?

The SD-WAN solution is difficult to manage on FortiManager because you need to share some configurations on the firewall side. Sometimes you lose all connectivity with the firewall, so it is challenging to apply the default configuration to the SD-WAN solution.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used FortiManager for around two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate FortiManager nine out of 10 for stability. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate FortiManager eight out of 10 for scalability. It's easy to scale, but you may run into some issues. We have around 4,000 users at my company.

How are customer service and support?

I rate Fortinet support six out of 10. The response time could be better. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

Deploying FortiManager is easy, but you may need to reconfigure and restart the appliance during the setup if it loses the connection. This happened once, but it has been working fine since then. 

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

I rate FortiManager eight out of 10 for affordability. All of the features are included with the basic license. It isn't like other solutions where you need to pay for SD-WAN or additional bandwidth. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate Fortinet FortiManager eight out of 10. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Fortinet FortiManager
November 2024
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Socipart67 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Manager at TiThink
Real User
Top 5
Simple to use with easy management and good reliability
Pros and Cons
  • "It can scale well."
  • "The price is a bit too high."

What is our primary use case?

We have two branches and find that this solution makes it easy to implement the same configuration in different firewalls. You don't have to log onto any of the equipment with the VPN of the customer. It is the easiest way to manage a network.

What is most valuable?

This tool is simple to use. It makes management very easy. 

It helps with the underly IT. Things go more smoothly since everything is managed in one place.

The solution is stable.

It can scale well.

The product does help save a lot of time thanks to its efficient management capabilities. 

What needs improvement?

The price is a bit too high. Aside from the price, I do not have any complaints about the product.

It would be ideal if they could bundle the product with others. Right now, you have all of these Forti products and you have to pay for a license for FortiGate and then have other licenses for the Analyzer and Cloud, for example. Instead of paying separately and having all of these licenses, it would be nice to centralize everything and maybe reduce the price for a bundle.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for around seven months. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It has good stability. The product is reliable. I'd rate it nine out of ten in terms of reliability. There are no bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is great. I would rate it nine out of ten. It expands easily. 

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

We did not previously use any different products. 

How was the initial setup?

The implementation is simple. It doesn't require an installation. All the products work on the same cloud. You just have to add it to the equation. 

We have seven engineers working on it to support it. They are available for any maintenance requirements. 

What was our ROI?

We have seen a bit of ROI in that we save time providing the service to clients. 

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

The pricing is pretty high.

What other advice do I have?

I'm using the latest version of the solution. 

It's a good solution. I'd suggest others to go ahead and try it without any hesitation. 

I'd rate the product nine out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

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

Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
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Eric Verreault - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Administrator at Québec Government
Real User
Top 20
Useful group features, beneficial customization, and reliable
Pros and Cons
  • "I appreciate the ability to connect via SSH through Fortinet FortiManager to the FortiGates I manage. This feature allows me to gather information about the interfaces without having to physically connect to the device. This is a convenient aspect that I find valuable."
  • "The information extraction through command lines was could improve to some extent. Although there were some command lines available, there were not enough options. For instance, I needed to obtain the management IP address of my two Fortigates, but the Fortinet FortiManager did not provide me with the IP address on the LAN interface. I attempted to find this information through the command line but was unsuccessful. I also searched for articles on the internet, but could not find a solution. This is an aspect that could be improved or potentially there is a method to access this information that I have yet to discover."

What is our primary use case?

I utilize Fortinet FortiManager to push commands with scripts. I made different scripts for different use cases.

What is most valuable?

I appreciate the ability to connect via SSH through Fortinet FortiManager to the FortiGates I manage. This feature allows me to gather information about the interfaces without having to physically connect to the device. This is a convenient aspect that I find valuable.

I have started utilizing the group features, which enable me to manage and update the devices in a structured and organized manner. For example, when installing new firmware or updates of FortiOS, I can divide the devices into different groups and update each group individually. This is a feature I began using around a year ago and has proven to be very useful.

Moreover, I have begun utilizing customized fields, which has added an extra level of convenience to my work. These fields have proven to be quite useful, and I would recommend them to others.

What needs improvement?

The information extraction through command lines was could improve to some extent. Although there were some command lines available, there were not enough options. For instance, I needed to obtain the management IP address of my two Fortigates, but the Fortinet FortiManager did not provide me with the IP address on the LAN interface. I attempted to find this information through the command line but was unsuccessful. I also searched for articles on the internet, but could not find a solution. This is an aspect that could be improved or potentially there is a method to access this information that I have yet to discover.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiManager for approximately three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Since I have been using the solution I have not experienced any problems with the stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We did not run into any problems with the scalability.

How are customer service and support?

I reach out to the technical support team through a ticket. I was attempting to perform a rather complicated task, which involved pushing the FortiOS onto a FortiGate 30 E device without actually installing it. I had found information online that this was possible, but I encountered issues while trying to do so with two FortiGates.

I was successful in pushing the FortiOS onto the device, but both devices stopped functioning after that. I then asked the technical support team if this was a supported process, to which they responded that while it is possible, it would depend on the model being used. Based on my understanding, it is possible but with some limitations, especially with older models of the Fortinet solutions. This was the nature of my interaction with the technical support team.

Evaluating my experience with the support was decent but not textbook. During the evaluation process, I was asked for a substantial amount of information, some of which I felt was not pertinent. Nevertheless, I obliged and provided all the information requested. The main objective of the evaluation was to gather data from the devices and assess their performance. After the analysis was completed, the evaluators came back with their findings and advised that my current approach with the version or model being utilized within the organization was not recommended.

What other advice do I have?

I rate Fortinet FortiManager a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Security Architect at Bouygues Telecom Mobile
Real User
Top 20
Simple initial setup but technical support can be hit or miss
Pros and Cons
  • "FortiManager's ability to scale is good."
  • "There are a lot of bugs that need to be fixed, for example, the ZTP."

What is our primary use case?

FortiManager is used to facilitate the administration of FortiGate equipment. There are many features to automate processes and make it easier to manage the devices. For example, we can push the same configuration to hundreds or thousands of devices, which helps us maintain a global version of the configuration and status of the devices. We also use scripts and templates to make it even easier.

How has it helped my organization?

The ZTP (Zero Touch Provisionning) helps us to reduce the implementation time and TCO of the remote sites.

What is most valuable?

The main function of FortiManager that makes it valuable to me is automation. I can automate the installation of configurations using different programming languages like Python or HPE, and it's a GUI solution, so it's pretty easy to use, even for basic users. It's also compatible with traditional programming languages, another feature I like about FortiManager.

What needs improvement?

There are a lot of bugs that need to be fixed, for example, the ZTP. Automating and making it easier to understand devices is necessary, especially in terms of zero-touch provisioning. This mechanism needs more work as there are some bugs and some functions that do not work very well. Today, there are tickets with Fortinet regarding a problem with cluster devices. It means two devices can be configured to work like one device. In general, it is easy to configure manually, but when you want to do it automatically, Forti Manager should help, but today it didn't work.

FortiManager is a good tool, but there is a lack of really advanced documentation. While there are a lot of features available, for example, when working with Fortinet support, it can be challenging to find the right information. I work with Fortinet support every week as we have a partnership in my enterprise. However, for the public, it's not easy to access the kind of documentation we have access to. This level of partnership with Fortinet can be costly to attain for the general public.

Some learning websites and communities are available, but the documentation provided is not as advanced as what we have access to. It's challenging to find confirmation and recommendations for advanced admin settings based on complex configurations. To have access to this kind of information, a partnership or conversation with Fortinet support is required, which can be expensive for most users.
Fortinet need to work on the automation part because they are using now JINJA as programming languge without a real complicator behind to help resolve errors on the code which is very challenging.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The device itself is very stable, but it's not the main number when it comes to using FortiManager to manage other devices. However, when it connects to other devices for the gate or to manage them, some functions don't work. There are some problems, but it's only around 3-5%, while 95% of the time, there are no problems interacting with other devices.

It handles stability very well.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

FortiManager's ability to scale is good as it's a virtual machine. You can raise the capacity as you go, and there is no limit for hardware. The basic ones support a lot of devices and offer a good defense. However, you need to raise the level of licensing every time to support more devices. So, in terms of scalability, it's really good.

How are customer service and support?

The level of support for P2 and P1 is wonderful. However, for levels 3 and 4, they have to work on their computer capacity and numbers. I've worked with them many times, and sometimes I have a good engineer but not a good understanding of the program.

By default, when we open a ticket, we only have access to P3 and P4. If we need P2 or P1, we have to ask for it, but not every single ticket requires P2 or P1 priority.

I have had both good and bad experiences with technical support.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

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

FortiManager is definitely better than Cisco, and it's easier to use and more stable. I remember finding FortiManager to be much more flexible and stable.

Meraki works very well but is cloud-based and lacks some administrative tasks and functions. FortiManager is better than Meraki for managing devices.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is quite simple. Initially, I combined CentOS with other products, which took about five hours. However, It's not complicated at all. Moreover, I train some of our clients on how to use it, and they find it easy to understand. I can easily explain the technical aspects of the initial setup, like scripting, etc.

Fortinet FortiManager can be deployed both cloud-based and on-premise. There are various platforms available for on-premise deployment, such as hardware devices or VMs, that can be started on Hyper-V, NSR, or NSF. Additionally, it can be deployed on cloud-based platforms like Azure, Google Cloud, or Amazon AWS.

What other advice do I have?

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

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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General Manager/ Owner at Security Parameter
Reseller
Top 20
Helps simplify security policy management, receives good updates, and is easy to deploy
Pros and Cons
  • "The firmware version upgrades are the most valuable feature."
  • "The price always has room for improvement."

What is our primary use case?

We use Fortinet FortiManager to monitor our customer's firewalls.

How has it helped my organization?

FortiManager simplifies security policy management for our clients, even though their configurations differ. This is because it allows us to easily copy and administer base policies across all deployments.

What is most valuable?

The firmware version upgrades are the most valuable feature.

What needs improvement?

The price always has room for improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiManager for a year.

How are customer service and support?

I used the technical support one time and it was a good experience.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. 

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

Compared to Check Point or Cisco, Fortinet FortiManager is more affordable but it is still on the higher end. I would rate the price 8 out of 10 with 10 being the most expensive.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Fortinet FortiManager 8 out of 10.

I've been working with Fortinet firewalls for over ten years now. Everything works consistently well, including the hardware, software, operating system, and all the features. They're easy to configure, and using firewalls together with FortiManager for central administration and monitoring of all our devices makes everything much simpler.

I recommend Fortinet FortiManager because you can administer the firewalls from one tool.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner/Reseller
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Slawomir Napiorkowski - PeerSpot reviewer
Architect at IT Systems and Solutions sp. z o.o.
Real User
Top 10
It's an essential tool for managing complex environments across multiple sites
Pros and Cons
  • "Without FortiManager, you cannot manage a complex environment across several sites with multiple firewalls."
  • "FortiManager could improve by making it easier to port larger policy packages to the FortiGate firewalls. Sometimes, there's an issue when we install a big package of policies. If you have a couple thousand policies for FortiGate firewalls, it can take a few minutes to receive a response from the remote devices. It's only an issue when you're dealing with thousands of policies and installing them on a large number of devices."

What is our primary use case?

FortManager is a tool for centrally managing multiple FortiGate firewalls.

What is most valuable?

Without FortiManager, you cannot manage a complex environment across several sites with multiple firewalls. 

What needs improvement?

FortiManager could improve by making it easier to port larger policy packages to the FortiGate firewalls. Sometimes, there's an issue when we install a big package of policies. If you have a couple thousand policies for FortiGate firewalls, it can take a few minutes to receive a response from the remote devices. It's only an issue when you're dealing with thousands of policies and installing them on a large number of devices.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have used FortiManager for about 14 years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?


What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate FortiManager eight out of 10 for scalability. 

How are customer service and support?

I rate Fortinet support nine out of 10.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

I have worked with Cisco and Aruba. We decided to switch to Fortinet a couple of years back because we determined that Fortinet offered the best solution.

How was the initial setup?

Deploying FortiManager is straightforward. The initial installation is simple and can be completed in a few minutes, but configuring the devices and sending the policy packages to the firewalls can take a few hours. We have around seven engineers maintaining this solution. 

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

I rate FortiManager six out of 10 for affordability. The pricing is decent. It isn't the most expensive solution. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate FortiManager eight out of 10. I recommend it for those who use FortiGate firewalls. It's a management unit for Fortinet solutions, so if you don't use FortiGate, it makes no sense. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
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Mfsdf Ksfks - PeerSpot reviewer
Presales Consultant at Redington (India) Ltd
Reseller
Top 10
Feature-rich with good centralization of management and helpful support
Pros and Cons
  • "The features are good."
  • "There may be a communication issue. However, other items may be the culprit, such as network connectivity. It depends on the customer's network."

What is our primary use case?

We had clients that wanted to manage multiple devices such as Fortigate firewalls. The customer had an environment with multiple devices or multiple branches. Now, they can centrally manage everything with this one product.

What is most valuable?

The features are good.

The reporting functionality is centralized. You can see policies and monitor the entire infrastructure. It makes administration very easy.

What needs improvement?

I cannot comment on what needs to be improved, although there are always potential areas for improvement in every product.

The Fortinet team is always very responsive and resolves issues quickly. For example, sometimes there may be a communication issue. However, other items may be the culprit, such as network connectivity. It depends on the customer's network. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a stable solution. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable. The solution can be scalable or maybe not scalable enough in some use cases. If you are working with a private or public cloud, it is very scalable. If you go for a hardware-based client, you may need to upgrade the hardware to scale. 

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is very good. They could always be better. Sometimes certain issues take more time, especially in terms of escalation. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The installation is very easy. Documentation is very easy to find on the partner portal.

Configuration can be a big task. It depends on the scope of work. However, a fresh install might take about one hour. 

One person can easily deploy the product. That said, it depends on the environment. For example, if some devices are located in another location, another person may need to be there. You might need some credentials for that location as well.

There is some maintenance for proper monitoring and updating to the latest version of firmware. If you get any error messages or alerts, you'll have to action them. One person can handle maintenance tasks. 

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

The solution is competitive. It's neither cheap nor expensive. The solution can be paid annually. If you use a cloud, you will have to pay for subscription charges. 

What other advice do I have?

I work as a reseller.

I'd advise the solution to users that have a big organization and if they are using Fortigate Firewalls, It helps centralize anything.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten. They have so many features. It's very feature-rich. From one central location, you can monitor everything. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiManager Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: November 2024
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiManager Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.