Sign in
Categories
Your Saved List Become a Channel Partner Sell in AWS Marketplace Amazon Web Services Home Help

Reviews from AWS customer

36 AWS reviews

External reviews

234 reviews
from and

External reviews are not included in the AWS star rating for the product.


4-star reviews ( Show all reviews )

    Tijoy CI

Offers comprehensive features for outbound traffic management and high availability at reasonable cost

  • July 22, 2025
  • Review provided by PeerSpot

What is our primary use case?

Fortinet FortiGate provides combined features. Some firewalls do not provide many features, but Fortinet FortiGate provides them at a reasonable price. Their pricing has been increasing over time. We can have a low-cost solution with all integration supported, providing a full package cost-effective manager. The solution offers SD-WAN capability, web filtering, application filtering, WAF, and authentication features. Most customers use Fortinet FortiGate for internet facility and outbound traffic. They implement it in high availability mode on their data center side and at the perimeter level.

What is most valuable?

Fortinet FortiGate provides combined features that other firewalls do not offer. The solution offers these features at a reasonable price, though prices have been increasing over time. They provide a low-cost product with all integration supported, offering a full package cost-effective manager. Most customers use Fortinet FortiGate for internet facility and outbound traffic.

What needs improvement?

When they release security updates, functionality needs to be cross-checked thoroughly. The firmware updates and patch updates for particular issues can affect other features. Patch testing should be more comprehensive before deployment. The solution could be improved compared to higher-end products in the Fortinet FortiGate line.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using FortiGate for more than 15 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

For stability, Fortinet FortiGate scores eight out of ten with mature versions. However, when dealing with vulnerabilities and security updates, performance can be affected at the application level and other functionalities. With mature OS versions, the stability rating remains above eight, but during vulnerability and security issues, the rating drops to six or seven. This sometimes requires seeking alternative solutions rather than patching.

How are customer service and support?

The customer service is good. They can easily identify issues and provide solutions efficiently when dealing with bugs.

How would you rate customer service and support?

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

I previously worked with Aruba Instant.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is easy to implement.

What about the implementation team?

Implementation was done through an implementer.

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

FortiGuard is included in the setup. When deploying Fortinet FortiGate, it is recommended to check which functionalities are required and enable only those needed. This approach ensures optimal performance from the Fortinet FortiGate firewall.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

There are other providers available such as Sophos that provide similar features at a lower cost. However, for stability, Fortinet FortiGate provides combined features in a cost-effective manner.

What other advice do I have?

The solution is primarily used for data center solutions, specifically for NGFW and authentication. Most customers use Fortinet FortiGate for internet facility and outbound traffic. The SD-WAN features are commonly used for connectivity, and the bandwidth and ISP connectivity performance is good. There have been no issues with VPN connectivity for site-to-site connections. Multiple load balancing mechanisms show good performance. On a scale of 1-10, this solution receives a rating of 8.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

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

Other


    Mostafa Alsharif

Has simplified connectivity and configuration management across multiple sites

  • July 17, 2025
  • Review provided by PeerSpot

What is our primary use case?

The main work for Fortinet FortiGate is the SD WAN solution. They have a good SD WAN solution with the FortiAnalyzer and FortiManager. The company has more than one site, forty-five sites, so we need to connect it altogether.

What is most valuable?

The main feature in Fortinet FortiGate is the SD WAN functionality. Based on my experience, it was very easy to integrate Fortinet FortiGate with SD WAN. The benefits Fortinet FortiGate provides include easy connectivity, user-friendliness, scalability, and easy configuration management.

What needs improvement?

I believe Fortinet can make Fortinet FortiGate better with reduced costs, free certification, and improved security.

For how long have I used the solution?

My experience with Fortinet FortiGate is approximately five to six months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I would rate the stability of Fortinet FortiGate as eight because there are other solutions that are more secure and more capable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

When talking about scalability for Fortinet FortiGate, I would rate it as nine or higher.

How are customer service and support?

We have not needed technical support from Fortinet until now.

How would you rate customer service and support?

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

We moved to another vendor. We first moved to Cisco firewall, and then about six months ago, we moved to Fortinet FortiGate.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup for Fortinet FortiGate was simple. We worked with another vendor, and it was easy to configure and migrate with our current infrastructure.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented through a vendor, through a third party.

What was our ROI?

There is a feature inside Fortinet FortiGate for AI and ML.

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

The Sophos XG was only for one branch. We mainly have a HQ Cisco Firepower FMC. I believe Fortinet FortiGate is easier.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

There is a feature inside Fortinet FortiGate for AI and ML.

What other advice do I have?

It is acceptable for my feedback about Fortinet FortiGate on PeerSpot to be with my personal name as a personal opinion without contact details or company name.

I am interested in being a reference for the vendor for Fortinet FortiGate, and it would be fine if the vendor contacts me with questions about my review.

In the future, I might have colleagues who can provide reviews about Fortinet FortiGate.

We plan to work with Fortinet Unified Sassy. I can recommend Fortinet FortiGate to other users.

I rate Fortinet FortiGate a nine out of ten overall.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises


    Vladimir Natalenko

Effective centralized management and tech support increase operational efficiency

  • July 16, 2025
  • Review from a verified AWS customer

What is our primary use case?

I currently work in the automotive industry, providing software for automotive dealers, and we only use Fortinet FortiGate for corporate purposes.

What is most valuable?

One of the best features of Fortinet FortiGate is how effectively the software is written; the virtual network interfaces significantly outperform Cisco in my project. I didn't need separate switches or load balancers because I was able to resolve internal FQDNs of the load balancers, which was impressive. The centralized management allowed us to manage 50 devices effectively, which I found better than Cisco.

What needs improvement?

During a recent upgrade from old devices to the latest ones, corporate IT faced challenges as there was no straightforward migration process, requiring many manual steps. I've completed upgrades with Cisco before where the process was simple, but this time it wasn't the case for corporate IT. I also heard that SSL-based VPN will be discontinued, which could be concerning.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used Fortinet FortiGate for several years; initially, I brought FortiGate to my previous company during a project.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Integrating SD-WAN capabilities with Fortinet FortiGate is straightforward, with minimal complexity involved.

How are customer service and support?

My experience with Fortinet FortiGate support has been excellent, as I was fortunate to have an office in Vancouver where Fortinet had staff. We worked closely with tech personnel through the project. While I usually don't give perfect scores, the support was great. However, one area for improvement is that many functions can only be accessed via CLI, which has discrepancies between the web interface and direct connection.

How would you rate customer service and support?

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

I pushed corporate IT to replace SonicWall with Fortinet FortiGate, and now in my current company, we have FortiGate that we recently upgraded to the latest models.

What other advice do I have?

Managing Fortinet FortiGate involves three corporate IT personnel, and although it initially took them quite a while to handle some tasks, I provided scripts that allowed them to work much quicker. What took them a day or two is now a job of just 10 to 15 minutes. Scripting and utilizing Git repositories would make things smoother, and I intended to publish modules for Terraform but haven't had the time yet.

Overall, I would rate Fortinet FortiGate around an eight, as there is always room for improvement.


    reviewer2078835

Offers granular application control and cost efficiency

  • July 15, 2025
  • Review provided by PeerSpot

What is our primary use case?

It is a next-generation firewall used to create policies to allow and deny any traffic. I have used Fortinet FortiGate in the finance sector previously, and we are now using it in the manufacturing side.

What is most valuable?

In my opinion, some of the best features of Fortinet FortiGate include its ability to block specific applications. For example, if I want to block someone from using Facebook videos, I can disable or use its application control features to block access. Facebook has many components such as video features, chat features, and VoIP calling features, and I can block any of these features to be more granular.

SD-WAN is an excellent feature where you can route the traffic to other WAN links without manual interruption. Technically, you cannot put two default routes on any firewall, but SD-WAN is a feature we can use to divert our traffic from one ISP to another. The impact of SD-WAN on the network performance has been significant. Previously, when we didn't have Fortinet FortiGate, we had Cisco routers where we used manual routing, and if one of the primary links was down, we had to do manual routing. With Fortinet FortiGate, it's much easier as we don't have to do anything; it's already configured, and if something happens, our configuration automatically changes the link and diverts the traffic when one of the links is down.

What needs improvement?

Fortinet FortiGate can be improved by being more stable because when we look for logs or open a case, we always find a bug and then we have to upgrade it. However, since it's a cost-effective solution, we are satisfied.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have more than 10 years of experience with Fortinet FortiGate.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiGate is stable, but it has some bugs, so you have to upgrade it. I would not say it has all the capabilities, but it's good for a manufacturing site.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiGate is pretty scalable.

How are customer service and support?

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate's support at a seven out of ten because whenever I open a case with their support, I have to explain everything and clarify the background. They take some time—at least a day—to see what's happening with the firewall. The agents aren't much experienced in providing solutions, but it's better than Palo Alto's support, which is the worst.

How would you rate customer service and support?

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

Previously, we had Palo Alto firewalls which were expensive—the contracts were particularly expensive. Fortinet FortiGate is not that expensive and is more affordable when comparing pricing. Nowadays, firms usually look for cheaper models and solutions, so Fortinet FortiGates are good, but for financial sectors, Palo Alto is better.

The main differences between Palo Alto and Fortinet FortiGate are that Palo Alto has more features and functionality compared to Fortinet FortiGate. Palo Alto can be slow, but Fortinet FortiGate is fast. With Palo Alto, we have to commit and it takes five minutes for the configuration to push, which isn't the case with Fortinet FortiGate.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Fortinet FortiGate is straightforward. The upgrade process is also straightforward.

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

It's cost-effective.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate a nine out of ten. If you are looking for a cost effective solution and want to avoid the risk, go with the Fortinet FortiGate.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises


    Raphael Nwosu

Offers comprehensive security features with outstanding flexibility for network management

  • July 14, 2025
  • Review provided by PeerSpot

What is our primary use case?

For now, I have one running on a corporate network. We make use of the modules that are there such as application filtering, web filtering, IPsec VPN, Network segmentation, advanced threat protection and others.

How has it helped my organization?

We extensively use FortiGate's security features to proactively detect and mitigate threat.

Use Web Filtering to control websites accessible to users and block inappropriate or unproductive sites.

Use Application Control feature to limit the use of risky or bandwidth-intensive applications.

We use the network segmentation feature for isolating and limiting potential threats.

Use SD-WAN to optimize the use of our internet links.

IPS functionality detects and blocks malicious network activity.

What is most valuable?

The core benefit is that a lot is packed into it. There are many features packed and significant flexibility from Fortinet FortiGate in being able to do numerous things. Even features such as SD-WAN provide granularity that I'm happy about. Generally, every aspect of it being a next-generation firewall provides good value.

What needs improvement?

In terms of pricing, Fortinet needs to do more to compete effectively. We gained a lot of traction from Fortinet in Nigeria, however, the battle is currently intensifying. Companies such as Palo Alto are making a strong impact. Fortinet was able to gain more attraction than Cisco in Nigeria for the past ten years, however, going forward, I'm not sure that trajectory will be maintained if Fortinet doesn't strategize regarding pricing and partnerships.

Regarding maintaining skilled personnel for Fortinet solutions, if they can address the pricing for certification exams, that would help. Sometimes it's a barrier for people here, especially for companies to train people to get certified. We train people in many other solutions we deploy, however, for Fortinet, though we intend to do that, it would be beneficial if there were more incentives for people pursuing certifications.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using my current solution for almost two and a half years. However, I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for up to seven years now, working with Fortinet.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I am satisfied with the performance.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is sufficiently scalable for my needs.

How are customer service and support?

Their technical support is very good. I'm happy with the technical support. When tickets are logged, the tracking system is excellent, and the response is fast. During the few times I raised tickets, I was satisfied with the support.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

I have experience with Cisco and a little bit of Sophos. I found Fortinet FortiGate better than Cisco in terms of functionality being packed in one device. 

The scalability for Fortinet FortiGate was unparalleled at that time. I saw Fortinet as a company that had strong strategic plans in terms of maintaining market dominance and having long-term plans to survive in the industry. This industry is very dynamic and Fortinet has been doing the right things to compete effectively.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is simple. It's far better than my experience with Cisco.

What about the implementation team?

In-house

What was our ROI?

The return on investment is satisfactory.

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

The license doesn't currently cover Secure Access Service Edge. Even though our currency in this part of the world is becoming increasingly weak, the pricing is now expensive for us. I have tried pushing Fortinet FortiGate to some customers, however, sometimes the transactions don't conclude due to pricing issues. Fortinet FortiGate may need to give special consideration for countries where currency has depreciated significantly, such as Nigeria. This will help in the competition.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I have previously worked with Cisco and Sophos and might have considered those before choosing Fortinet.

What other advice do I have?

I'm always an advocate of Fortinet FortiGate. It's natural that it's the first OEM I recommend when it comes to networking and network security infrastructure solutions. 

Fortinet is my number one, especially regarding the Fortinet FortiGate. For virtual appliances and cloud security, Fortinet is still performing well. For endpoint security, other solutions appear more popular, so perhaps Fortinet should focus more on the endpoint security aspect. 

I rate Fortinet FortiGate nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

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


    reviewer2516481

Maximize security with zero licensing fees for VPN and SD-WAN

  • July 14, 2025
  • Review provided by PeerSpot

What is our primary use case?

My typical use case for Fortinet FortiGate involves it being one of the best solutions for next-generation firewall. In terms of simplified control and in-built SD-WAN solution, there are no licenses for VPN. From a commercial perspective, it is beneficial. Technically, it has successfully stopped attacks, which is the reason the customer was using Fortinet FortiGate.

What is most valuable?

The dynamic segmentation feature in Fortinet FortiGate has an in-built switch and wireless access point controller. Fortinet FortiGate has a feature called VDOMs, virtual domains, where you can create multiple virtual firewalls within a single hardware, which is one of the fantastic features.

In terms of effectiveness, Fortinet Unified SASE covers all three use cases: Secure Internet Access, Secure Private Access, and Secure SaaS access. For any security implementation, networking is essential, and Fortinet FortiGate provisions that through FortiGate's SD-WAN. The integration with FortiSASE and Fortinet Forti-SD-WAN is very simple and straightforward.

What needs improvement?

In terms of improvement for Fortinet FortiGate, I don't find any needed improvements regarding hardware because it is very good. The operating system has most of the features. 

At this moment, I'm not finding any other improvements in this case. They are advanced in this segment. Fortinet FortiGate has in-built automation features and cyber risk assessment.

One suggestion might be to increase the storage size in the hardware for local reporting.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have nine years of experience working with Fortinet FortiGate.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiGate is a very stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

In terms of scalability, Fortinet FortiGate provides more throughput compared to other OEMs, so the value for money is very high. If it is a VM, it can be scalable. In terms of hardware, it's all about scalability, throughput, and managing the number of sessions based on the hardware sizing. If the team sizing the firewall does it properly, then the solution is easily scalable.

How are customer service and support?

I would evaluate customer support from Fortinet FortiGate as seven or eight out of ten. The reason I do not give 10 out of 10 for customer support is that while they follow the SLA and there is no issue with that, for them it might be P3, but for us, it might be P1 or P2 case. Remote assistance requirement should support them.

How would you rate customer service and support?

What was our ROI?

After implementing Fortinet solutions, I evaluate the return on investment as providing more throughput performance. The performance is very high in terms of packet inspection and handling the traffic. It is one of the best solutions in that case. The total cost of ownership will be low because there is no extra additional license for SD-WAN, VPN, or the VDOM feature. Considering all those things, it is a very cost-effective solution.

What other advice do I have?

My advice to others looking into Fortinet FortiGate is that they can consider the return on investment or total cost of ownership. Fortinet FortiGate is definitely a good solution, not less than a better solution. It's very good compared to Palo Alto or Check Point. Those using the Fortinet FortiGate firewall should start using the features part of the solution, either it can be a WAF solution or a security rating or automation features. They can directly integrate with the cloud firewall. Operation technology is doing very well because there are many features where the network and security administrators should start enabling and making use of it. On a scale of one to ten, I would rate this solution nine or ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

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

Other


    reviewer1666980

Focus on network segmentation with highly supportive team assistance for effective threat protection

  • July 10, 2025
  • Review provided by PeerSpot

What is our primary use case?

We use Fortinet FortiGate for network segmentation. We protect from the outside world and make segregation with the outside world. With Fortinet FortiGate, we primarily focus on network segmentation.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiGate is the price-quality ratio. It's a very good fit as it's not very expensive and offers extensive functionality. It functions effectively as a firewall, performing its intended purpose compared to the competition. When activating the Unified Threat Protection, users gain access to FortiGuard. The SASE possibility is also interesting even though we do not currently use it.

It's not only about the product itself. It is also the team around Fortinet. We receive substantial help from Fortinet, which is very valuable as they assist us in choosing the right solutions. If we need configuration assistance, they can send specialists who help design the solution. The value comes from both the FortiGate firewall itself and how the team supports you.

What needs improvement?

One area for improvement involves FortiAnalyzer, specifically regarding the SOC part and log interpretation. Sometimes interpretation is very difficult. They send an extensive amount of logs, and when putting that in a SOC or SIEM, payment is based on gigabytes sent. We send many unnecessary items, resulting in unnecessary costs.

We decided to reduce the logs and now send only half of what we had before after determining what was unnecessary. They should improve what needs to be sent to the SIEM. The logs should be lighter. In the log structure, there are many unnecessary columns, resulting in a large amount of redundant data. They should improve the way logs are sent to the SIEM.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Fortinet for more than ten years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiGate is stable overall when choosing a release that has been tested. We have observed more vulnerabilities on Fortinet, however, this indicates that as the product becomes more successful, it becomes a larger target for hackers. This issue exists with every major vendor.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of Fortinet FortiGate for our organization is one of the best aspects, as they use the same OS for everything. This means you can find your way back and upgrade without changing everything in terms of configuration. Scaling up infrastructure is not problematic as it doesn't require a major migration.

How are customer service and support?

Based on my experience with their support, I would rate Fortinet FortiGate eight out fo ten. Sometimes it takes more time if the issue is complicated. Overall, the support is good.

How would you rate customer service and support?

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

We've always used Fortinet; we were working with someone else who was also using Fortinet.

How was the initial setup?

I personally participated in the initial setup and deployment of Fortinet FortiGate a very long time ago. Currently, I am more involved in management than operations, so I no longer follow this aspect.

Fortinet FortiGate is deployed on-premises in my organization.

What was our ROI?

The return on investment with Fortinet FortiGate is measured in terms of security. A firewall can be nice, however, if it is poorly configured, it will result in poor value for money. 

Return on investment for a firewall is about performing its intended function. Without one or with poor configuration, you can lose substantial money. The return on investment is reflected in the level of protection provided.

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

I am aware of the pricing of Fortinet FortiGate through our purchasing service. I have access to the list price and know the discounts. The price-quality ratio is very good, and we have an excellent representative who helps us secure good pricing.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I evaluated other options before choosing Fortinet FortiGate through a tender process. They met all the feature requirements and testing criteria. The dedicated ASIC provides very good performance, which was initially the key factor for our needs. We continue monitoring what Palo Alto and Cisco do, but we maintain a partnership agreement with Fortinet.

What other advice do I have?

I have experience comparing Fortinet's SD-WAN with Cisco's solution. We currently don't work with SD-WAN, having returned to an MPLS network since we own the network and cables. 

We don't integrate SD-WAN capabilities with Fortinet FortiGate in our network yet since we own our whole network, including all the cabling and optical fibers in the region. While SD-WAN is a good feature, it's not necessary for our use case. 

Regarding Fortinet Unified SASE, implementation may come in the future. 

We don't use Fortinet FortiGate's data center solution. 

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises


    DougYoung

Ensures consistent security and reliable connectivity across multiple locations

  • July 09, 2025
  • Review provided by PeerSpot

What is our primary use case?

We have a couple of use cases for Fortinet FortiGate. We are using it for SASE, the Secure Access Security Edge, to provide VPN services and firewall functionality. We are also using their access points as well as their firewalls and switches.

How has it helped my organization?

It is providing consistent security policies across multiple locations.

What is most valuable?

Fortinet Unified SASE is fantastic in my opinion. We rely heavily on it. It also provides remote access.

The solution provides consistent security policies across multiple locations.

What needs improvement?

The licensing is a little confusing and a bit too granular for Fortinet FortiGate. I would like to see a more streamlined set of options. 

The hardware is not terribly expensive, but the software license and support can be quite expensive. Some improvements could be made regarding cost considerations and complexity around their licensing.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have had experience with Fortinet FortiGate for about three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiGate is completely stable and rock solid. From a stability perspective, Fortinet FortiGate just works; you get it set up and it does not fall over. We have had no security-related incidents related to anything with the FortiGates. The advanced features are really good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We are not that big, however, we have had no scalability issues whatsoever with Fortinet FortiGate. We have a redundant setup for failover, however, it has not had to fail over ever and we have not had a capacity issue. It is highly scalable.

How are customer service and support?

Their support is outstanding for Fortinet FortiGate. You get through to a person. They are very quick to respond and they are extremely knowledgeable and very helpful.

How would you rate customer service and support?

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

We previously used Palo Alto, and the reason we switched to Fortinet FortiGate for firewalls or SD-WAN edge solutions was reputation. We felt that the product set just fit better and was more flexible.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Fortinet FortiGate was pretty straightforward. It gets a little complex with routing rules and ACLs and VLANs and things of that nature. However, the interface is pretty straightforward. It has a good CLI interface as well. Whenever it was a bit too complicated, we would pick up the phone and get an expert to help us through it.

What was our ROI?

Return on investment since having this product is hard to quantify as it is a sunk cost and the cost of doing business. Having this functionality in place has shown no negatives, and this solution works effectively. 

We do not have significant cost overhead to maintain it. Once you get it set up, it just works. It is a little expensive, however, you get what you pay for. Whenever we need support to bring on something that we do not understand, they help us. From a net cost overhead, it is cost avoidance from additional headache related to instability or things not working properly. 

The return on investment is more about cost avoidance and stability, resulting in lack of downtime and incidents.

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

The licensing could be improved as it is a little confusing and too granular for Fortinet FortiGate. I would like to see a more streamlined set of options.

What other advice do I have?

We operate in the Insurtech industry. We have not integrated it with the SD-WAN features yet. 

We do not utilize Fortinet FortiGate's data center solution as we are not big enough for that. 

On a scale of one to ten, I rate Fortinet FortiGate a nine.


    Nawad Ali Shah

Enables comprehensive security and routing for SMB and mid-market

  • July 09, 2025
  • Review provided by PeerSpot

What is our primary use case?

Fortinet FortiGate is strong in SMB and mid-market, approaching SD-WAN from a security perspective. Customers have requirements for internet as many are moving away from private connectivity and migrating to Teams, making security a top priority. They've chosen Fortinet FortiGate as it offers both a comprehensive security portfolio, including intrusion detection, deep packet inspection, and VPNs. It provides robust SD-WAN capability, eliminating the need for two vendors. Additionally, they offer a SASE solution for smaller sites where a virtual Fortinet FortiGate can be used instead of a physical one, saving space for retail locations.

How has it helped my organization?

These features resonate with small to medium-sized organizations, attracting more people to the Fortinet FortiGate solution since it's security-first while also providing SD-WAN capability. Unlike competitors such as Meraki that limit connections to two, Fortinet FortiGate allows up to 100 connections as their focus is on security rather than SD-WAN.

What is most valuable?

Fortinet FortiGate SD-WAN capabilities typically require redundancy depending on the carrier. There are two types of redundancy: network redundancy with different carriers, such as Bell and Telus, or Verizon and AT&T, both connecting to the same Fortinet FortiGate box. In traditional setups, when there were two connections, one would be active and the second passive, activating only during failover. This wasn't cost-effective as customers paid for both connections while one remained passive.

In the SD-WAN environment, both connections become active, allowing application-specific routing. For instance, voice traffic can be directed to one connection while data traffic uses the other. Rules can be created specifying alternative routes if the primary connection is unavailable.

The impact on service availability and overall network performance is significant. It provides customers with assurance against single points of failure. However, capacity management remains crucial. If both networks operate at 80% capacity and one fails, the secondary connection would face a 160% load, causing blockages. Ideally, connections should operate at 50-60% capacity to handle full load during failures.

Fortinet FortiGate has been successful and ranks high on the Magic Quadrant since they're innovators with appropriate pricing. They offer a best-in-breed solution for their target market. While they're not focused on large enterprises they excel in the mid-market SMB segment, offering comprehensive solutions from endpoint protection to VPNs and deep packet inspection.

What needs improvement?

Fortinet FortiGate has started implementing AI, however, it hasn't reached full maturity. Their AI solution doesn't compare to solutions such as Microsoft Copilot and SharePoint, primarily since AI relies on data, and Fortinet FortiGate focuses on perimeter defense and security rather than internal network data.

One notable limitation is the absence of honeypot capabilities, which competitors such as Palo Alto offer. These capabilities entice and trap attackers, allowing analysis of attack vectors. Fortinet FortiGate focuses purely on defense mechanisms without actively gathering intelligence about potential threats. This approach aligns with their mid-market focus, where such advanced threat intelligence features might be less critical than in enterprise environments.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have architected Fortinet FortiGate over the last 12 months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiGate performs at 100% effectiveness when customers have the right skill sets and policies in place, making it a very reliable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scaling-wise, there have been no problems with Fortinet FortiGate. In the mid-market, which typically handles up to 50 to 100 sites and campus environments, there haven't been any scaling issues.

How are customer service and support?

From an implementation and partner support perspective, Fortinet FortiGate's support deserves a rating of seven out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

The setup requires understanding of security and is not plug-and-play, but it isn't complex when implemented by certified Fortinet engineers.

What about the implementation team?

We provide professional services to install Fortinet FortiGate through our Fortinet-certified engineers, who handle installation services for companies.

What was our ROI?

The return on investment is 100% guaranteed. Similar to car insurance, security investment proves valuable when incidents occur. For small businesses, average losses can reach $300,000 per week, while mid-market companies face potential losses of $500,000 to a million. This makes the annual security investment of approximately $100,000 worthwhile. Furthermore, cyber insurance requirements often necessitate solutions such as Fortinet FortiGate rather than simpler alternatives.

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

Fortinet FortiGate pricing varies based on hardware specifications, size, and quantity purchased. Many companies access these solutions through managed service providers, who add their management fees to the hardware and license costs. Due to security being a specialized skill set and the various types of attacks (phishing, DDoS, hacks), having Fortinet FortiGate represents just one component of the total security investment.

What other advice do I have?

There's always room for improvement with Fortinet FortiGate, as no vendor achieves perfection. In their market segment, considering their offering and price point, they merit an eight out of ten rating.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

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

Other


    Juan Frias

Integrating communications ensures operational continuity and cost-effective agility

  • July 07, 2025
  • Review provided by PeerSpot

What is our primary use case?

We have a Fortinet FortiGate 900 series that is a big UTM. We also have 10 Gig switches, all fiber, for distribution of the service provider's connections.

What is most valuable?

The key features include SD-WAN, firewall use, intrusion prevention, intrusion detection, and application control. 

I have tested 90% of the features that Fortinet FortiGate offers. This type of solution helps us integrate all communications of our company. They guarantee operational continuity of our company and reduce risks by eliminating and detecting threats. This solution gives us agility.

What needs improvement?

The area that Fortinet may improve is customer support. When you have an incident, situation, or open a case, the support is not as good as Cisco or other platforms I have tested. There are many opportunities for improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for eight years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Currently, we are experiencing a general outage of one of the main internet service providers of the Dominican Republic, and we have not been impacted in our operations because with SD-WAN, we have another internet service provider and we are working with the second WAN connection without any disruption.

How are customer service and support?

The area that Fortinet may improve is customer support. When you have an incident, situation, or open a case, the support is not as good as Cisco or other platforms I have tested.

How would you rate customer service and support?

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

Before Fortinet FortiGate, we had Cisco.

How was the initial setup?

It was not easy. While it might be easier now than eight years ago, you have to be careful and ensure you use a great partner that helps you implement this solution as easily as possible.

What about the implementation team?

The experience is good when you use a quality partner or integrator. We use an integrator, located in the Dominican Republic. They have great support here and extensive knowledge.

What was our ROI?

The return on investment is great. Previously, we were using a dedicated point-to-point connection from the service provider that cost approximately $3,000 a month. When we implemented Fortinet FortiGate, we changed to two internet high-speed dedicated connections, costing approximately $2,000 in total, resulting in significant cost savings.

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

The cost efficiency is notable because it is an overall product with a mid-range price point, and you receive more value for the price.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Before Fortinet FortiGate, we had Cisco.

What other advice do I have?

The only product that I have not integrated yet is the Unified SASE. This gives my team agility because as the Chief Information Security Officer, I do not have frequent contact with the platform, but my team has this interaction. 

On a scale of one to ten, I rate this solution a nine.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

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

Other