2020-01-29T08:35:00Z

What advice do you have for others considering Fortinet FortiGate-VM?

Miriam Tover - PeerSpot reviewer
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PeerSpot user
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57 Answers

Florian-Buis - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
Top 20
2024-02-01T15:45:28Z
Feb 1, 2024

Overall, I rate the product a nine out of ten.

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RajeshKumar20 - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
2024-02-01T09:53:23Z
Feb 1, 2024

Speaking about how the tool improved security within our company's virtualized environment, I would say that if I go for VPN, data in the cloud, or more number of users, then Palo Alto Networks is the best. If there is a smaller number of users, then Fortinet FortiGate-VM is good. For an MNC organization, Palo Alto Networks is a good option. For Indian organizations, I recommend Fortinet FortiGate-VM. A scenario where the solution was essential for cloud workload protection is applicable in a small company with 100 to 200 users of the product. If you need a tool without much of an investment, then it is better to choose Fortinet FortiGate-VM. The most effective part of the tool that is useful for network threat prevention is Fortinet Secure SD-WAN, which is free of cost and is available with a large number of uplink ports, so the servers can directly have a firewall, which is not something that is possible for Palo Alto Networks. I recommend the product to those who plan to use it. The product has a lot of customers in India. If I consider Fortinet FortiGate-VM's growing network demands, I rate the scalability a seven to eight out of ten. The management and configuration areas in the product are easy. The product offers a lot of security tools to meet a lot of security needs. Fortinet allows you to add security solutions one by one in your environment. Depending on the product's capability to deal with network scenarios and the use of internal and external firewalls, I rate the overall tool a ten out of ten.

Jasmit Singh Juneja - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
2024-01-12T08:40:00Z
Jan 12, 2024

There's not much maintenance required. One to two people is required. Patches and upgrades are required and happen automatically if you've configured it that way. It is easy to deploy over the cloud. There are ready appliances to run in a public cloud like Amazon, Microsoft, or Google Cloud. I recommend the solution. It is fantastic, easy to deploy, and very scalable. It saves a lot of time. Some particular hardware is not available in stock. FortiGate-VM is a good alternative. You could download, configure, and apply it. You could buy it online or from a Fortinet partner. It's quick and easy to set up. Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

JB
Consultant
Top 20
2024-01-11T15:54:24Z
Jan 11, 2024

I rate Fortinet FortiGate-VM an eight out of ten.

OT
Real User
Top 20
2024-01-11T15:03:00Z
Jan 11, 2024

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

Aung Min Oo - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
Top 5
2024-01-09T11:57:58Z
Jan 9, 2024

My team consists of around 15 engineers who help me take care of the technical aspects of the product. I recommend the product to those who plan to use it. I rate the overall tool an eight and a half to nine out of ten.

Learn what your peers think about Fortinet FortiGate-VM. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2024.
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Abdelzaher Ahmed - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
Top 5
2023-12-19T11:05:00Z
Dec 19, 2023

I would recommend Fortinet for large-scale companies and Sophos for medium or small enterprises. I would rate it 8 out of 10.

AnilKumar35 - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
Top 10
2023-12-05T11:24:21Z
Dec 5, 2023

I rate the overall tool a nine out of ten.

Tenishan Fernando - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
Top 10
2023-08-21T08:26:00Z
Aug 21, 2023

It would be beneficial for Forti to expand its cybersecurity solutions even further. While solutions like FortiSolor exist, there's room to enhance feature sets in line with the increasing requirements of compliance and private security needs. These can effectively address client-side security needs. Comparing Forti's offerings to competitors, certain strengths stand out. There are notable visibility and flexible configuration options. The client-side experience benefits from robust management capabilities accessible through this solution and the troubleshooting becomes seamless because of good visibility and an effective controller. I would rate it an eight out of ten.

Thabo Molemele - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
2023-05-16T12:47:00Z
May 16, 2023

I recommend the solution to others and rate it a nine.

AV
Real User
Top 20
2023-04-12T10:34:05Z
Apr 12, 2023

My advice is if you have to go with the complete stack, go with the complete stack, not the replacement-only product. Don't look at it as a replacement. Choose a platform. Overall, I would rate it a nine out of ten. The reason is that I have a next-generation firewall. Fortinet FortiGate-VM provides various deployment options, such as physical or virtual devices, and it can be easily integrated with public clouds. Additionally, I can integrate it with other Fortinet products like network access control or zero trust network access in a single step, which is very convenient. Their security stack portfolio works well with my hybrid mesh firewall, and I am satisfied with its integration capabilities. We have had a very good experience with Fortinet FortiGate-VM. They are usually the first choice for us when it comes to designing. We have certain products for certain purposes, and this one is our preferred choice for firewall purposes. Moreover, They have hardware appliances that can be deployed on-premise, virtual appliances deployed on the cloud, and a mesh that can form a cluster. It's very good.

OB
Real User
Top 20
2023-02-27T09:05:27Z
Feb 27, 2023

One person is suitable in a 24-hour period for the maintenance of the solution. A three to five administrator maintenance team would be sufficient to cover all the maintenance shifts per week. I highly recommend Fortinet FortiGate-VM to others. I rate Fortinet FortiGate-VM a nine out of ten.

TP
Real User
Top 20
2023-02-07T14:25:12Z
Feb 7, 2023

When evaluating the overall solution, it is important to consider both the benefits and drawbacks. Fortinet FortiGate-VM presents a multitude of advantages that make it a fantastic product choice. It offers exceptional stability, a scalable design, and unparalleled support from the manufacturer. It is with great confidence that I wholeheartedly recommend Fortinet as a reliable and valuable solution. I would recommend this solution to others as long as it's fulfilling the requirements of the customer. I rate Fortinet FortiGate-VM an eight out of ten.

RL
Real User
2022-01-20T10:37:14Z
Jan 20, 2022

I'm a customer and an end-user. We use the on-premises version due to the fact that, in Algeria, we do not use cloud deployments. I'd advise potential new users that it's a good edge solution, and not necessarily the best for data centers. I'm very happy with this product and would rate it at a ten out of ten.

DS
Real User
2022-01-19T15:08:00Z
Jan 19, 2022

I'd give this solution a rating of nine out of ten.

MM
Real User
2022-01-04T21:34:58Z
Jan 4, 2022

We are customers and end-users. We don't have a business relationship with Fortigate. I would advise potential new users to check the compatibility of the UTM firewall, of the rules of your organization. It's not magic. It's hard work implementing that. I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten. We've been pretty happy with its capabilities.

KL
Real User
2021-12-24T10:18:57Z
Dec 24, 2021

I rate Fortinet FortiGate-VM a ten out of ten.

RA
Real User
2021-12-22T19:06:00Z
Dec 22, 2021

This is a very easy appliance, and they make it easy to learn. I would rate it as eight out of ten.

AA
Real User
2021-12-13T11:43:41Z
Dec 13, 2021

FortiGate-VM is a good solution, and I would say one of the best solutions on the market. I would rate it an eight out of ten.

EC
Real User
2021-11-02T18:19:30Z
Nov 2, 2021

There are around 100 users making use of the solution in our organization. The solution is quite good. It is simple and fast. I rate Fortinet FortiGate-VM as a nine out of ten.

EB
Real User
2021-10-22T18:44:48Z
Oct 22, 2021

I rate Fortinet FortiGate-VM eight out of 10. However, based on experience, we usually don't recommend using VM firewalls. We still prefer using a hardware-based firewall when that's appropriate. It depends on your needs and the size of your user base. With FortiGate-VM, you can control the size of your firewall if you're using VMs. But on the other hand, if you are using Microsoft Hyper-V, you need to address all these vulnerabilities of Microsoft. And if you're using VMware, then you need to deal with VMware's vulnerabilities. The hardware version of FortiGate has already been hardened based on FortiGate standards. That's the main difference between the FortiGate appliance and FortiGate-VM.

PB
Real User
2021-09-22T16:59:04Z
Sep 22, 2021

Definitely, I would recommend this solution to others. FortiGate Cloud and FortiGate-VM are the same product. FortiOS is the operating system on FortiGate. Fortinet has a very large product portfolio. You have the VM, and you have physical appliances for Firewalls. I would rate Fortinet FortiGate-VM a nine out of ten.

RS
Real User
2021-09-03T19:58:15Z
Sep 3, 2021

I would recommend this solution to others. It is a stable firmware, with many releases. It has a lot of features. Apart from the firewall, it comes with antivirus, IPS, and Web Application Firewall. It has a lot of integration with external connectors, such as Teams, that are protected from threats that come from external sources. I would rate Fortinet FortiGate-VM an eight out of ten.

TN
Real User
2021-08-10T17:31:30Z
Aug 10, 2021

I will recommend the solution. If it's a first-time deployment in Azure, they need to understand a couple of things, like the interfaces we need to create. The good thing about FortiGate is that they don't hide how their devices work. You can go to their website and get every instruction that you need at any time. It's straightforward and even has pictures showing you what you should expect. I've done a few changes for the first time, and I didn't have to stress. But you must know the infrastructure well. On a scale from one to ten, I would five Fortinet FortiGate-VM a ten.

AZ
Real User
2021-07-20T19:16:00Z
Jul 20, 2021

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate-VM a 10 out of 10. It tops others in terms of performance.

AR
Real User
2021-07-09T18:06:31Z
Jul 9, 2021

I work with a service provider and he sells service in cloud and FortiGate products, including FortiGate VMs. With this, he sells services, and I work with him on support and initial configurations or deactivations for customers. I work with various versions of the solution, the latest being 7.7. We use a variety of deployments, including on-premise and in public clouds. Not an American public cloud, however. Rather, it's a public cloud here in South America. I'd rate the solution at a ten out of ten. the product is excellent and I am very happy with it overall.

MA
Consultant
2021-07-06T20:49:00Z
Jul 6, 2021

My advice would be to look to the anticipated growth of the network before starting the implementation so that you are appropriately sizing the scope and size of the equipment. Overall, on a scale from one to ten, I would give this solution a rating of seven — it's a solid product. Depending on the solution you need, some of the appliances can be a little cost-prohibitive at the high end, but at the low end, they're very cost-effective. Plus, the interface is simple to use. For the right customer, I think it's a solid play.

VG
Reseller
2021-06-07T14:07:50Z
Jun 7, 2021

On a scale from one to ten, I would give Fortinet FortiGate-VM an eight.

ST
Real User
2021-06-03T09:33:00Z
Jun 3, 2021

I am on the implementation team, meaning that we configure the firewalls for our customers, mostly consisting of the BFSI banks and accounting for 2,000 people who make use of the solution. I cannot proffer advice to others who are considering implementation of the solution. All I can say is that it is straightforward and simple, only requiring configuration. I rate Fortinet Fortigate-VM as a seven out of ten.

MV
Real User
Top 20
2021-05-04T14:11:20Z
May 4, 2021

I would definitely recommend this solution. I was advised to be very skeptical about the performance statistics as indicated in the documentation, but I didn't find that to be the case. It is very scalable with good performance. I would rate Fortinet FortiGate-VM an eight out of ten.

BB
Real User
2021-05-01T15:25:14Z
May 1, 2021

We like this solution. I would rate Fortinet FortiGate-VM an eight out of ten.

RD
Real User
2021-04-01T09:46:43Z
Apr 1, 2021

We're an end-user and a customer. We have a plug-in with the subscription. We use the current version on their 100Es. In general, I would advise other users that they need to look at whether they're going to go physical or virtual. I'd advise once they decide that to then look at the maybe lesser known next-generation firewalls that have functionality. The folks that are going to be operating the tool need to look at the user interface to make sure that that it is easy to use. Most users at an enterprise don't even know the firewall's there, let alone what it is, so they're not unique. I think all of the firewalls are pretty decent at not impacting users. The differentiator is which ones are easy to set up, which ones are easy to configure and use and how good they are at reporting. The other thing I would say is, look at whether or not they integrate into your overall IT management, whether you're using ServiceNow or what you're using for IT management. How do the firewalls integrate with that or not? It's important. I'd rate the solution at a four out of ten. It does base functions and it's doing that at a pretty high price.

JT
Real User
2021-02-26T11:47:22Z
Feb 26, 2021

The solution is FortiGate 60D and FortiGate-VM is FortiOS 5.2.2. I'm not sure which version of the solution we are currently on. Our company exports this solution to large customers. We're partners with Fortinet. We have the solution on a local server. I'd rate the solution at an eight out of ten.

LM
Real User
2021-02-22T13:24:03Z
Feb 22, 2021

Overall, on a scale from one to ten, I would give this solution a rating of eight.

DK
Real User
2021-02-16T17:34:39Z
Feb 16, 2021

We were customers and end-users of the product. That is no longer the case. We've moved off of the product recently. We wanted a cloud-based option and therefore we switched. Overall, I would recommend the solution. I would rate it at a ten out of ten.

TD
Real User
2021-02-09T23:59:56Z
Feb 9, 2021

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate-VM a nine out of ten.

MR
Real User
2021-02-03T09:34:03Z
Feb 3, 2021

We're partners of Fortinet. We're using the latest version of the solution. We have been using the solution while we have been waiting for the hard drive version of the solution, which has been delayed. I would recommend the solution to other organizations. I'd rate the product eight out of ten.

JD
Real User
2020-12-02T14:51:28Z
Dec 2, 2020

At this point, aside from technical support, we have no issues with this product. It has everything that we need at the moment, and I cannot think of any other features that should be there. My advice for anybody who is implementing FortiGate-VM is that they need to understand how their business operates and what their requirements are. They need to understand the technology in terms of security and performance before they purchase any devices. I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

JV
Reseller
2020-08-05T06:59:00Z
Aug 5, 2020

I would recommend this solution. As a piece of tech, as a firewall, it's really good. Local channel support in South Africa is very strong. The functionality of the gate is good. I think it probably surpasses many of its competitors. So I would recommend it. I'm very familiar with the realities of looking at it so I'll be very open with my customers in recommending FortiGate and at the same time explaining the pitfalls to them. I would rate this product a seven out of 10.

ZM
Real User
2020-08-02T08:16:47Z
Aug 2, 2020

With our clients, there is a range of Fortinet FortiGate versions, anything from FortiGate 60E to FortiGate 3700D. Management connects to a FortiAnalyzer, and we have application firewalls as well. We have a centralized data center where we have a combination of customers with on-premises equipment. This includes small devices to secure the customer's environment, and larger devices at the data center, specifically for our customers. We try to build our services around Fortinet products. We prefer to work with Fortinet products based on what we have learned from the Gartner Magic Quadrant, and I recommend them. I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

EE
Real User
2020-07-22T08:17:31Z
Jul 22, 2020

We aren't really a customer or reseller, however, we do occasionally recommend the solution to clients from time to time. The entity I was recently researching for was looking basically to replace some existing solutions. That was the reason why they were asking me to help them do some research. I, on a normal basis, don't do that much with it anymore. However, because I have access, I've been helping them. I'm not using the latest version. I may be using the one before that, although I don't know the exact version number. I would warn other organizations that there are some places where some people run into some roadblocks, and they're not sure what to do. My experience in the past has always been that, at least, the support is actually really good. Therefore, if they're running into a situation that they're not sure about, it's probably better to call and seek professional help, as opposed to trying to force it, because it can get confusing really quick. I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

Judit Fekete - PeerSpot reviewer
Reseller
Top 20
2020-07-22T08:17:26Z
Jul 22, 2020

We recommend this firewall often and we've actually used many solutions previously. Since we chose this one, we've been overall quite happy with the results. We recommend it largely due to the fact that we use the solution ourselves. I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. If it wasn't for the pricing model and the scalability issues, I would rate it higher.

DP
Real User
2020-07-22T08:17:00Z
Jul 22, 2020

Normally I don't really push a virtual appliance. Some customers may be interested in a virtual appliance for scalability. For most of our customers, we are pushing hardware-based solutions and not a virtual appliance. For example, if we have a customer that has a private data center in Mauritius and wants to have a hybrid solution, let's say to interconnect on the public cloud, and they want to do SD-WAN to secure it from the public to its current on-premises data center, normally we will go with the virtual appliance on the public side. I would recommend Fortinet's hardware 100% of the time, especially in comparison to Palo Alto. With the VM, it's a harder question to answer. A better question would be: what do you will prefer for a next-generation firewall? Do you prefer Fortinet? Do you recommend Fortinet or Cisco or Palo Alto? I would say personally I always recommend Fortinet. I will continue to due to the fact that the cost and the integration, and the general user-friendliness, are all impressive. I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. I'd rate it higher if it had a longer trial, better licensing, and stronger technical support. There are still places for improvement in the solution.

SS
Real User
2020-07-20T05:36:55Z
Jul 20, 2020

FortiGate-VM would be for more like a cloud or on-premise SMB environment. And for anyone wanting to scale-up and get big performance, it should be used as a physical appliance. I would rate this solution a nine out of 10.

MT
Real User
2020-07-19T08:15:00Z
Jul 19, 2020

I like FortiGate-VM for constructing VPNs. It's easy to deploy. I would recommend it. It's quite easy. I would rate FortiGate-VM a seven out of ten. Not a ten because I think that Cisco is better.

AF
Real User
2020-07-15T07:11:41Z
Jul 15, 2020

We're just customers. We don't have a professional relationship with the organization. We're using the latest version of the solution. I have learned that they have some internal resources available. However, those who are not trained and certified should not be experimenting with it. I'd advise other organizations that, if they don't have a proper administrator who can monitor and maintain their appliance, it's better they if don't implement it. It's not like somebody who has a background of software can handle Fortinet. They need to be properly trained and knowledgable. I'd rate the solution seven out of ten overall.

EX
Reseller
2020-06-15T07:34:11Z
Jun 15, 2020

We're resellers of both Cisco and Fortigate solutions. I'd advise other companies or users to give a try. The Virtual Appliance is very easy to set up. In terms of scalability, it's easy enough to expand out, especially if you compare it to the hardware. For the virtual solution, it's easily upgraded. For the physical, you need to do a POC. It really depends on what kind of distributor a company is working with. Some provide you all the resources. Others don't. I'm not sure how it works with the Cisco Virtual Appliance. For Cisco, I only know about the cloud. Normally, I provide my customer with Meraki. I won't provide a Cisco solution, even though Meraki is part of Cisco. I would rate the solution eight out of ten. There's still room for improvement. There could be a bit better support and not all solution providers offer this kind of Virtual Appliance in my region. Once more people use it, they may begin to improve on it even more.

GD
Real User
2020-02-10T07:39:02Z
Feb 10, 2020

We've also recently acquired FortiMail as well. This solution has the basic functionalities required for a firewall. In fact, in terms of our evaluation, it's basic functionalities are enough for us. If I were to compare it to Palo Alto, it does not necessarily have the full capability of that particular solution. We're not a bank. We don't belong to the banking industry so we don't really need such high caliber firewalls that provide multiple levels of security. It's not required with our industry, so a mid-range firewall like Fortigate is perfect. If your business is small or even enterprise-level, if it doesn't necessarily need multiple or heavy firewalls, Fortigate will actually work just fine for you. I'd rate the solution seven out of ten. It perfectly meets our requirements.

SI
Real User
2020-02-06T11:37:16Z
Feb 6, 2020

We used to be on the cloud, but we phased it out more than a year ago. I'd recommend the solution. It's one of the best on the market. It's great for financial services institutions. Security is important because of the type of companies that are typically dealing with it. I'd advise that users use it within a firewall, to create a double layer of protection or something similar. I'd rate the solution eight out of ten, especially when comparing it to other solutions.

MR
Real User
Top 20
2020-02-05T10:15:27Z
Feb 5, 2020

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten. I only really use the solution for communication and ordering support. We don't have a business relationship with Fortigate. We're just a customer.

TL
Real User
2020-02-05T08:05:09Z
Feb 5, 2020

I would recommend using Fortinet, especially its web security proxy and web security gate because it is quite useful for them. I would suggest this solution. I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

it_user1277631 - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
2020-02-05T08:05:06Z
Feb 5, 2020

Our customers for this virtual appliance are very happy with their deployments and I recommend it. This is not a perfect solution but we are not seeking one. Every product has room for improvement. I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

SS
Real User
2020-02-03T09:10:18Z
Feb 3, 2020

I will say that for low-end firewalls, Fortinet is good compared to the others. The pricing is good, and when you need a new feature, you don't have to buy a new device. I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

RV
Real User
2020-02-03T09:10:18Z
Feb 3, 2020

Overall, this is a good product with good features and priced well compared to others. It is GUI-based and I am happy with the interface. I would recommend it and cannot think of any changes that I would make. The only problem is that new releases tend to be a little buggy. I would rate this solution a seven out of ten.

JR
Real User
2020-02-02T10:42:08Z
Feb 2, 2020

We're using the latest version of the solution. I'd recommend the solution. I'd rate it eight out of ten.

Yasir Obaid - PeerSpot reviewer
Reseller
Top 10
2020-01-29T11:22:00Z
Jan 29, 2020

POCs are definitely the way to go because cyber-security is still in many cases new for many clients. Cybersecurity is a very wide arena in today's day and age. There is no one single solution, every day someone else is innovating some specialization in some form or another. Clients would like to see a proof of concept before they go on a large full-scale deployment. In the next release, I would like to have the possibility of being able to offer cyber-insurance with this because this is something that I think is completely unavailable at the moment here. This would add a whole new dimension. I would rate it a seven out of ten.

PB
Real User
2020-01-29T08:35:00Z
Jan 29, 2020

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give it a 9. FortiGate is a nice and very good product but the implementation and post-implementation of the product are cumbersome. You have to manage four devices instead of two devices if I go for FortiAnalyzer. For a small, entry-level business, Fortinet should give the entire reporting on the UI so that end to end engineers can manage efficiently. So as technology is concerned, I give eight out of 10, but because of reporting, I would give five out of 10. I am just giving an example: if I know everything or you know everything but if you can't explain it, how do other people come to know that you know everything? FortiGate clearly captures each and everything for the backup capture and everything but it doesn't show what it is acquiring. Analytical reports are missing from there.

FortiGate Virtual Appliances allow you to mitigate blind spots by implementing critical security controls within your virtual infrastructure. They also allow you to rapidly provision security infrastructure whenever and wherever it is needed. FortiGate virtual appliances feature all of the security and networking services common to traditional hardware-based FortiGate appliances. With the addition of virtual appliances from Fortinet, you can deploy a mix of hardware and virtual appliances,...
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