FortiClient vs. FreeBSD vs. macOS

Overall, my experience with the client is good, and because of its performance and lightweight, I recommend this software to my colleagues. Before this, I also used other apps for the same purpose, but my search ended when I came to Forticlient.

Incentivized

FreeBSD is an excellent choice to continue using older hardware and have it perform, it is a great choice for a UNIX based development environment. Although I haven't used it as a server, it is most suited for this - it would make an excellent, secure and robust server for and I would love to start using it for this as well.

Incentivized

Macs, macOS, and the appropriate Mac applications really shine in ease of use. Specifically, the system's media-handling features are excellent. The developer frameworks (libraries) are excellent and provide easy programmatic access to the operating system's features. macOS is very stable and is built on a solid foundation of a Unix kernel. The Swift programming language is very approachable, and macOS supports many scripting and programming languages, opening up a wide variety of coding libraries.

Incentivized

• Virtually a one-click action connection to my work network while remote. I just enter my network username & Password, click connect, and I can access all the fileshares as if I were on-site.
• Speed - I have used other virtual network clients in the past, and the speed while working remote with one of them (even on a high speed connection) was easily 10x slower than if I were physically on the network. FortiClient is different, where the speed degradation is on the magnitude of only 2-3x slower - A significant and noticeable difference compared to other clients on the market.
• On MacOS, FortiClient has a little toolbar icon that gives me a status, as well as actions to quickly connect or disconnect from my work network. It is a small thing, but a super handy feature!

Incentivized

• stability
• security
• scalability

Incentivized

• Unified hardware and software drivers
• Power users can have full access if needed
• Upgrade cycles are so easy with OS transfer

Incentivized

• font way too small on login, unable to select an option, for example, to see each letter of password as typed promotes errors at login
• login errors and failure rate extremely high as [reported] by all our physicians and other providers: not infrequently one will have to return to office after hours in order to complete charts or access charts to answer patient after hours questions
• frequent disconnects in spite of excellent internet signal
• unacceptable interruptions in patient care

• Installation can be tricky for first timers
• You need to be comfortable using a command line terminal most of the time

Incentivized

• upfront costs to getting the most benefit from macOS requires you to purchase a Macbook...this is expensive
• it's windows snapping function just isn't as good as Windows OS
• as good as the M chips are, gaming just isn't a big strong suit

Incentivized

Because the software is very simple and easy to use, very efficient, and has a stable connection that allows the user to perform tasks without problems. Also, this software does not need to be configured by IT technicians, since it comes with a very developed and understandable set up guide.

Incentivized

Its simply the best operating system

Incentivized

We have used Forticlient for a number of years now and have found only minor faults with the application. The fact that our end users request little to no training to be able to utilize our VPN says a lot compared to the product we previously used to use for similar tasks. The Forticlient shield is a quick way to 'demonstrate confidence in security' at a glance among our end users - if you see the shield, you are protected. The only downside we've experienced is a few false positive AV detections, but this is more linked to Fortiguard labs/signatures.

Incentivized

I'm sure I'm biased. I've been using a Mac for 30+ yrs. I am significantly more productive on a Mac than on any other platform. It comes down to some personal preference and familiarity, but I just think the interface is more intuitive and streamlined

macOS tends to be very reliable, and Apple distributes updates as needed to patch known vulnerabilities or issues. It is very seldom that a macOS-based system is unavailable, and if that happens, the cloud-based storage and identity management support make it very easy to slot in a loaner machine while the user's primary machine is repaired.

Incentivized

The Apple Silicon hardware allows macOS to perform very well, with rapid response. Local processing for Apple Intelligence-related items is quite fast, and the response is impressively complete. Our experience with integrations to other enterprise systems is that the other system is usually the bottleneck in the process, rather than macOS.

Incentivized

FortiClient is a security suite with which we can keep our equipment well-protected. And it is that in a system like Windows, which is always the target of all kinds of attacks, it is not enough to have a simple antivirus.

Incentivized

Overally, FortiClient has less vulnerabilities than the two other products. The price is comparable to Citrix Gateway, but significantly less than Cisco AnyConnect. Much of the benefits of the FortiClient come with its ability to integrate with other Fortinet solutions. Without that, it is interchangeable with almost any other client.

Incentivized

FreeBSD is the closest to the original BSD unix. This OS is currently used by vendors in the field of routing, switching, security as well as base OS for MAC devies.

Incentivized

Just that simplicity of day to day activities and management. It's basically zero hassle with the ability to scale and power up if needed

Incentivized

macOS is very easily deployed with central MDM/DDM management systems. There are several of these available to select, depending on the amount and type of deployment needed. We use Jamf Pro to support a "zero touch" deployment model, which makes it almost as easy to deploy 100 endpoints as 10 (other than delivery and unboxing).

Incentivized

• Security is essential so we gain trust from clients!
• Data has private so we don't need to worry about additional security.
• More than 95% client needed more security which is fulfil by FortiClient.
• Don't need to use additional securities like SSL certificate or SSH.

Incentivized

• As FreeBSD is free - the ROI is at least the cost of some commercial Linux or Windows based OS (which can be very expensive)
• Allowed the re-use of older hardware that would have otherwise been disposed
• No cost development environment
• Opportunity for a no cost server setup also

Incentivized

• Apple supports their hardware longer than most manufacturers, which is good.
• Apple's hardware is more expensive than similar equipment competition, which is bad but offset somewhat by its longevity.
• Apple in an Apple world works great.
• Apple in a Windows world has some work to do to get things talking.

Incentivized