Group IT Manager at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Great dashboard with customizable reporting and excellent logs
Pros and Cons
  • "There are customizable workflows that you can work with. You can automate certain tasks in FortiAnaylzer in the incidents and events sections."
  • "It's possible that they could add some advanced analytics and some proactive controls for logging analytics. That will help a lot."

What is our primary use case?

The Primary case is to collect & monitor logs & events from all of our firewalls and appliances in one single interface with analysis

How has it helped my organization?

Our work has been more focused and efficient due to the automatic notifications and reports

What is most valuable?

You can monitor all appliances from a centralized location. 

You have a front dashboard for all our operations and all the logs. If you need to search for anything you can just dig deep into the logs.

For example, if you are searching for an email to find out why it is blocked, you will be able to see the policy that blocked it, which logs were triggered, etc... It gives you all the information you need right there, from the dashboard.

The solution offers excellent customizable reports. In our case, we needed a monthly report of all internet consumption, and we were able to easily create this.

There are pre-defined templates. The logs cover any question or need that we populate within these templates. However, you can also build your own template.

There is great analytics that can be used in different departments. For example, our marketing department can go more into media patterns and not just into browsing patterns.

Everything is easily visible and can be tracked and studied.

SOC is very helpful. It shows which IPs are targeting your environments. It shows you the threat levels of all the threats you're facing - including the locations, which policy was triggered et cetera. It will even tell you if the system blocked the threat or not.

FortiAnaylzer is compatible with all of our web browsers. 

There are customizable workflows that you can work with. You can automate certain tasks in FortiAnaylzer in the incidents and events sections. 

What needs improvement?

It is a pretty big software package. It has a lot of features which maybe aren't that useful. 

It's possible that they could add some advanced analytics and some proactive controls for logging analytics. That will help a lot.

The could be more automation and more artificial intelligence integrated into the solution.

It was a service model application originally. It needs to have some artificial intelligence in dealing with the analysis of the nodes, and not just showing the nodes. I'm one version behind the latest version, so I don't know if they added it yet, however, if they haven't it would be a good thing to put into their roadmap.

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Fortinet FortiAnalyzer
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For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

My solution is based on VM ova image which is predefined by Fortinet. I don't remember when was the last time I restarted the machine which shows no matter what is the size of logs collected the system doesn't crash.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is pretty good. It's only limited in the log size. You can buy five gigs or 10 gigs if you need to. It depends on how you're going to handle/store the logs.

That said, it is scalable since you are only billed with the size of logs you are using as per the packages and you don't need to modify the cpu/ram. I have it installed on a VM environment and it's connecting to data all over my sites that are both inside and outside Lebanon.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is perfect whether from the vendor or from the online support. I'm lucky to have a partner in Lebanon who is a preferred platinum partner with Fortinet. Whenever we open a case with them we always get a clear response. They are professional. We're quite satisfied with the level of support we are getting.

How was the initial setup?

It is very straight forward, the only thing that you might do some customization in the report and the event management. Other than this everything is predefined and based on templates, so you are able to add your touch on the reports as well.

What about the implementation team?

I have implemented it with a vendor who is the leader in our region working with Fortinet Solutions.

What other advice do I have?

We're Fortinet end-users.

I was on older versions and now I'm with a newer version. People have faced many issues after downloading the latest update so I tend to keep one update back from the newest one to avoid issues.

I'd advise other potential users that, first of all, if they have Fortinet products in their environment, they should consider FortiAnaylzer. If they don't have it, they shouldn't consider it. They need to have Fortinet appliances.

Secondly, it is a very easy configuration, so companies will not have any problems configuring the FortiAnaylzer. It doesn't require a lot of resources.

We're going to bring a dedicated server for our FortiAnaylzer due to the fact that it is a bit of a predefined virtual machine that we can download from Fortinet's side. If you don't want to go deep in the reports and logs, it can rely on the built-in reporting tools in your appliances.

If you happen to have three Fortinet solutions in your environment then you need to have a FortiAnaylzer as it helps a lot in troubleshooting. It helps a lot with predicting everything that you might see happening on a lot on your network. You will need to have FortiAnaylzer due to the fact that the reporting is not that advanced in the appliances.

Overall, I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. If it was more automated and added in some AI elements, I would rate it higher.

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
Network & Security Administrator at Diamond Bank Plc
Real User
Simple solution that can is good for log collection but it should be more efficient
Pros and Cons
  • "It is a simple and solution."
  • "I'm looking for something more efficient to analyze different foreign things. That's why FortiSIEM could compete with FortiAnalyzer."

What is our primary use case?

We use the on-prem deployment model of this solution.

My primary use case for this solution is for log collection. I have a lot of FortiGates that I have to collect logs from, so I primarily use it for log collection. We plan to deploy a SIEM and we want to try to see how to integrate all the solutions to our SIEM. We are processing for PCI data specifications. We have to respond to PCI requirements, so that's why we are making some changes and acquiring some new security solutions to deploy. Among them, we have FortiSIEM and other security solutions like antivirus.

What is most valuable?

It is a simple and solution. I can structuralize all my FortiGate logs but it's not so good from the administrative side. I have FortiGate in four countries and I am responsible for securing Fortinet. I also have to manage FortiGate in other countries, not just my own. If I have to go through each FortiGate it's going to be a little bit complicated. FortiAnalyzer is a good product; but, I keep thinking that FortiAnalyzer isn't really what I'm looking for which is why I am looking to acquire a SIEM solution. It will give me more log collection possibilities. 

What needs improvement?

I'm looking for something more efficient to analyze different foreign things. That's why FortiSIEM could compete with FortiAnalyzer. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution in this company for three months.

How are customer service and technical support?

I haven't had to contact their technical support yet. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not that complex. I didn't do the initial configuration, it was already set up, I'm only managing it right now. If we're talking about the integration side, like how to integrate FortiGate in FortiAnalyzer, I don't think it's complex. That's why they are known as one of the leaders in security.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to somebody considering it. 

The relevance of this solution will depend on the case. If you are considering this solution I would ask what you really intend to accomplish with it and what model you want. It's going to be based on the data you need to protect and analyze.

If I had to choose between FortiSIEM and FortiAnalyzer for log position it's better to go for SIEM. We all know that we can do a lot more with SIEM than just a log collection. Log collection is included in FortiSIEM; so, why acquire FortiAnalyzer is you can have FortiSIEM?

I would rate FortiAnalyzer a 6.5 out of ten. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiAnalyzer
May 2024
Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiAnalyzer. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2024.
772,422 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Director General CEO at SC Telecom
Real User
Overall effective equipment management
Pros and Cons
  • "Fortinet FortiAnalyzer is a complete package for managing our equipment."
  • "The support could be better for Fortinet FortiAnalyzer here in Mexico."

What is most valuable?

Fortinet FortiAnalyzer is a complete package for managing our equipment.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiAnalyzer for approximately six years.

How are customer service and support?

The support could be better for Fortinet FortiAnalyzer here in Mexico.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Fortinet FortiAnalyzer a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Security Engineer at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Overall features useful, reliable, but need more integration
Pros and Cons
  • "Overall we are satisfied with all the features the solution provides."
  • "There are a lot of solutions on the market and Fortinet FortiAnalyzer is limited. It cannot be used across multiple vendors. They can improve by advancing their technology."

What is our primary use case?

We are using Fortinet FortiAnalyzer for analyzing network traffic and it provides us with log analytics.

What is most valuable?

Overall we are satisfied with all the features the solution provides.

What needs improvement?

There are a lot of solutions on the market and Fortinet FortiAnalyzer is limited. It cannot be used across multiple vendors. They can improve by advancing their technology.

The solution could improve by having better integration and support with Apple, Linux, and Microsoft solutions.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiAnalyzer for approximately five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We have been making changes to the cloud signatures and categories because the market is changing and Fortinet FortiAnalyzer has been stable and reliable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable but there are additional costs if you want to increase the scalability.

How are customer service and technical support?

We have been satisfied with the support.

How was the initial setup?

The installation was not difficult.

What about the implementation team?

We did the implementation ourselves.

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

In the local market sometimes people are being charged more than other solutions. Although the market is competitive, legitimate suppliers do not receive a large enough discount to pass onto the customers. 

Fortinet FortiAnalyzer is not suitable for everyone, it is best suited for mid-sized businesses but if the price could be reduced there would be more customers in all-sized businesses.

What other advice do I have?

I rate Fortinet FortiAnalyzer a seven 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
Jr. Engineer at a computer software company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Stable and scalable with robust security and performance
Pros and Cons
  • "Its robust security and performance are the two main features. We also use the log reporting feature."
  • "We should be able to do the patch upgrades in a centralized manner. This functionality is currently not there. It would be good to be able to do the firmware updates from one place and at the same time. Currently, if we want to update all appliances, we require FortiManager, which is another solution from Fortinet. Its documentation can be improved. It will be helpful for implementing the product and gaining knowledge for management purposes."

What is our primary use case?

We basically use it for security. We are using the latest version.

What is most valuable?

Its robust security and performance are the two main features. We also use the log reporting feature. 

What needs improvement?

We should be able to do the patch upgrades in a centralized manner. This functionality is currently not there. It would be good to be able to do the firmware updates from one place and at the same time. Currently, if we want to update all appliances, we require FortiManager, which is another solution from Fortinet.

Its documentation can be improved. It will be helpful for implementing the product and gaining knowledge for management purposes.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiAnalyzer for three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable. This solution is being used for a government department with a lot of users.

How are customer service and technical support?

Their technical support is good. We don't have any issues with their support.

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

In my earlier organization, I have used solutions from CheckPoint and Palo Alto. These are good products, but they are expensive as compared to Fortinet. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very easy. 

What about the implementation team?

We got help from Fortinet engineers. We have a tie-up with the Fortinet support team. They install it for us. 

We have three people for its deployment and maintenance. We have two network engineers and one technical support engineer.

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

Its price is okay for us. Fortinet products are cheaper than other solutions.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution, but it also depends on the organization. We are using this solution, and we are getting good results. 

I would rate Fortinet FortiAnalyzer a ten out of ten. It is the best. 

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
Fraud Risk Analyst at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Provides analyzing tools, monitoring tools, and log management
Pros and Cons
  • "From my perspective, we need to see the traffic in a good way so we can know what has happened in our network. The analyzing tools and the monitoring tools and the logs are the important part in the network."
  • "The traffic monitoring could be better, and stability could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use cases are log management and the reporting fraud forum. It provides a vision of the network.

What is most valuable?

From my perspective, we need to see the traffic in a good way so we can know what has happened in our network. The analyzing tools and the monitoring tools and the logs are the important part in the network.

What needs improvement?

The traffic monitoring could be better, and stability could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for about two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution should be more stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

For the cloud version, you can expand it as you need it.

How are customer service and support?

I haven't contacted technical support.

How was the initial setup?

The solution is easy to install.

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

FortiAnalyzer was in the product itself, but two years ago they split it from Fortinet. We paid the license two years ago.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate this solution 9 out of 10. 

I can recommend this solution for other users. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
ICT System Specialist at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Log management that is scalable, easy to use, and priced well
Pros and Cons
  • "The interface is simple and easy to navigate."
  • "One of the main disadvantages is not having a direct link to the security policy when you see something in the log."

What is our primary use case?

We are using Fortinet FortiAnalyzer to manage services for our customers. We use it for log management.

What is most valuable?

Fortinet FortiAnalyzer is easy. For customers with basic knowledge, and for those who do not have a technical background, Fortinet is quite good and it should be the first choice.

The interface is simple and easy to navigate.

What needs improvement?

One of the main disadvantages is not having a direct link to the security policy when you see something in the log. You should be able to right-click and go directly to the security policy. When you compare with Checkpoint, they are very good with reporting and logging, and when you right-click on the log you can go to the policy and edit it.

In the next release, I would like to have a feature added where you can right-click and it takes you directly to the policy to edit it.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Fortinet FortiAnalyzer for four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiAnalyzer is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This is solution is very scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

I don't have any issues with technical support.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. Everything with Fortinet is straightforward.

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

When comparing with other solutions such as Checkpoint and Cisco, Fortinet is priced well.

What other advice do I have?

I am an expert in Juniper and Fortinet at a professional level.

Previously in another company, we were service providers, and I did the implementation for service delivery cargo, and for an enterprise company, I did the firewall migration.

I would recommend Fortinet FortiAnalyzer.

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

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
Technical lead at Rogers Capital Technology Services Ltd
Reseller
Offers customized reports but their support needs improvement
Pros and Cons
  • "The program is stable and it gives me great visibility."
  • "The technical support is not very good."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case of this solution is to deep-dive and get deep visibility analyzing of logs and proxy of the network. In other words, to get good customized reports.

How has it helped my organization?

The solution allows us to see what our users do on their computers. Some way they work all day long, but then we see that they have been surfing on net, using YouTube, streaming or looking at Facebook. It is therefore a very handy program. 

What is most valuable?

I am very impressed by the new version's security - on-premise or on the cloud. We have integrated the program with FortiView to get a better-customized log and more scalability on the application. The newer version is also much faster than the previous one and we have more visibility on whatever is happening on our system. 

What needs improvement?

Reporting wasn't very good in the previous version, but I believe it has greatly improved. The newer version has more features and the quality of reporting is better too. 

I would also like to see an improvement in the rebooting.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for about 13 years now.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of the solution is good - better than the previous version. Even the hardware had changed from DCVs to some STVs so now the hardware and software are more powerful compared to the previous version. We are now able to do 14-hour functionality. The program is disabled on the FortiManager by default, but we can enable it via the console in order to get the same visibility on the FortiAnalyzer. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of the program is good and we are hoping to increase our usage. I would like to see new features and better functionality, though. For the scalability of the FortiAnalyzer, we need to take into consideration the time it will take to load 30 users instead of only 14. So maybe we would perhaps need an upgrade license for FortiAnalyzer deployment in that case.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support isn't very good, I rate it a 2 out of 5. I don't really rely on their support because in the past I had some issues and the support team could not help me. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was really straightforward. The duration of the deployment depends on the requirements of the customer and the kind of reports they want to get. It can be customized to the client's specifications. Some only use it for visibility while others want to get detailed reports. If the requirements are complex, it will take around two days. Otherwise, it will take a few hours. It is very easy to deploy the FortiAnalyzer. 

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

This program is quite expensive. We have to renew the hardware every year and the hardware is very expensive. And we need to renew the licensing for application control too. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate this solution a 6 out of 10. It is a good security firmware for automation. From a single dashboard we can get all the logs and traffic information on our firewall. We can get more visibility, so there is no need for the engineer to go in each and every firewall to get information. 

Even if we don't use the FortiAnalyzer, we can use a FortiCloud to send a log. But we are still using a cloud-based solution. We are using our internet bandwidth to send logs. That's in real-time or scheduling. If bandwidth is the key factor, I will not recommend the customer to use a FortiCloud. And even if you are using the FortiCloud, the basic free version, you have a retention log for only seven days. If you want to have a longer retention log, let's say for one year, then you need to create a subscription with FortiGate. In that case, it is better to have a FortiAnalyzer on-premise. Always try to listen to your customer.

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