Item: Fortinet FortiGate
Rating: 9
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

FortiGate devices are used in our organization as firewalls and VPN servers. Main internet connections used Palo Alo firewalls, FortiGates are used on the secondary ones, as the cost of the FortiGates is significantly lower. SSL client-server VPN is used with Fortinet's Forticlient software as a client piece on PC and Mac computers. Fortinet subscription services are used for web filtering.

Pros and Cons

Compared to Palo Alto, FortiGates are significantly less expensive. I would advise organizations to use them in cases where funds are limited.
FortiGates are easy to configure via GUI - it is very simple and logical. Compared to Palo Alto or Cisco ASAs, Fortinet products are easier to work with for less experienced admins.

Web filtering subscription services are not as good as Palo Alto's. Palos had a smaller number of false negatives in my experience.
Log filtering is better on Palo Altos. It is easier to find log entries for particular events on the Palo Altos.

Return on Investment

FortiGates allowed for installing relatively robust firewall solutions for secondary network connections.
Money were saved, as compared to Palo Alto-based solution.

Alternatives Considered

Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls - PA Series, Cisco ASA and pfSense

FortiGates are cheaper than most alternatives (except solutions like pfSense, of course.). They are also very easy to configure and have affordable security subscription options.

Support Rating

As devices proved very reliable, the configuration process was easy, and Fortinet's documentation is very robust, I had no need to contact Fortinet's support. All in all, it is a pleasure to work with these devices.

Key Insights

Do you think Fortinet FortiGate delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Fortinet FortiGate's feature set?

Yes

Did Fortinet FortiGate live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Fortinet FortiGate go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Fortinet FortiGate again?

Yes

Other Software Used

FatPipe SD-WAN, Darktrace, Nagios XI

Likelihood to Recommend

I haven't worked with a higher-end offering from Fortinet, so my experience can only apply to smaller devices (80E and 60E). These units are less expensive than similar offerings from Palo Alto, making them a good choice for small businesses and branch offices. Also, FortiGate is the easiest firewall to configure, in my experience (among Cisco ASA, Palo Alto, pfSense, etc.). Ease of configuration is also a big advantage for organizations with limited resources. Palo Alto firewalls have better filtering and logging capabilities, though, so organizations with complicated requirements should consider investing in Palo Alto NGFW instead of FortiGate.

Easy-to-use firewall

Overall Satisfaction with Fortinet FortiGate