Firewall, switches, Wi-Fi, WAN, and web protection under one brand and one management console. When IT is one or two people, having one less system to maintain often matters more than the specs of any single product.
Fortinet, Inc. is a security company founded in 2000 and headquartered in California, USA, listed on NASDAQ (ticker: FTNT). Its main difference from most pure security vendors is that it builds security and networking equipment into one system. Firewalls, switches, access points, and WAN connections all run on its own FortiOS. One management console, one set of logs. The vendor calls this architecture the Security Fabric.
According to the vendor's own website, it has more than 1 million customers worldwide and has shipped more than 17.2 million units cumulatively (as of 30 June 2026). The vendor also states that FortiGate is the most widely deployed network firewall in the world (source: vendor's public website information). Based on common deployment patterns in Taiwan, it typically suits organizations with 20 to 2,000 employees, as well as branch sites of larger enterprises.
This page spans two categories. To understand it from a requirements perspective, see Web & API Protection (WAF) and Enterprise Networking.
From the network perimeter to web and API, email, and endpoints - one ecosystem, one set of log reports.
The gatekeeper at the network's outbound edge. It identifies which application and which user is connecting, can inspect encrypted traffic, and has built-in intrusion prevention (IPS), antivirus, and URL filtering. Models range from branch to data center class, all running the same FortiOS.
A standard firewall cannot read attacks at the web application layer. FortiWeb covers this gap: OWASP Top 10, application-layer DDoS, malicious bots, and automated API discovery protection. Available in four forms: hardware 100F-4000F, virtual machine VM01-VM16, container VMC01-VMC08, and public cloud.
A cloud subscription version that requires no equipment to maintain. The vendor has consolidated cloud web protection, FortiGSLB global load balancing, and Advanced Bot Protection into a single platform; older contracts are listed as legacy contracts. Quotes should reference the current SKU names.
Blocks spam, phishing, and attachments carrying malware, and includes data loss prevention. Especially relevant for trading and manufacturing companies frequently targeted by BEC (business email compromise) fraud.
Software installed on employee computers. Provides VPN, a zero-trust connection client, and endpoint antivirus, and lets the firewall check the computer's health status before deciding whether to allow it onto the network.
FortiManager lets you change settings, push policies, and update firmware for multiple devices from a single screen. FortiAnalyzer centralizes log collection and produces audit reports, the "log retention" tool most often required in regulatory checks.
Moves security to the cloud so employees working off-site are protected by the same policies without connecting back to the office. Made up of a secure web gateway (SWG), zero-trust network access (ZTNA), cloud access security broker (CASB), and digital experience monitoring (DEM).
Switches, wireless, mobile network failover, multi-link routing, and network access control can all sit under FortiGate.
The backbone of the internal wired network. The 100-200 series (8-48 ports) suits offices, 300-600 suits campuses, 1000-3000 (10/25/100GE) suits data centers, and there is a hardened Rugged line for industrial use. Supports 802.3bt PoE, powering IP phones, cameras, and access points directly.
Enterprise-grade (not consumer) Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi 7 models are already available (FAP-221K / 231K / 241K / 441K / 443K), alongside Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 6 series. FortiGate can act as the wireless controller directly, so wired and wireless share the same policy set.
Turns a carrier's mobile network into another network line for the company. It switches over automatically if the main line fails, lets temporary sites or construction sites without fixed-line service get online right away, and can also serve as a backup link for SD-WAN.
Built into FortiOS, with no separate equipment to buy. With multiple outbound lines, it automatically determines which one performs best, routes critical traffic such as video conferencing and ERP over the best-performing line, and switches over automatically if a line drops.
An access-control system for the network. When printers, cameras, IoT sensors, or legacy equipment connect, it first identifies what the device is, whether it should be allowed on, and which network segment it belongs to. Suits manufacturing plants, healthcare facilities, and schools.
Firewall, wireless controller, network management software, and NAC would normally mean four separate purchases. Instead, one FortiGate takes over FortiSwitch and FortiAP. That saves on equipment, and on annual licensing fees and learning costs as well.
The six situations below are where this architecture delivers the most value.
If the site is a single large campus with very high wireless density in one location and a dedicated networking team, a campus-network-centric architecture is a better fit. For a side-by-side comparison, see Enterprise Networking and Web & API Protection (WAF).
Vendor firmware updates and security advisory tracking are both part of annual maintenance.
Perimeter network equipment faces the internet directly. Version management and security advisory tracking are at the core of operations. Once a device is live, whether someone keeps track of versions, follows vendor announcements, and schedules update windows matters as much as which brand you chose.
* The annual maintenance contract provides business-hours support, including troubleshooting and periodic health checks; actual scope is as agreed in the contract.
The same engineering team handles everything from the requirements interview through to annual maintenance. For the full process, see Services.
On our role as supplier: We source vendor products and support through authorized channels in Taiwan, and provide planning, deployment, migration, training, and annual maintenance.
The five questions we hear most before purchase.
Models range from branch to data center class. Sizing depends on outbound bandwidth, the number of concurrent users, and whether encrypted traffic needs to be inspected (this is the most performance-intensive feature). We give a model recommendation after assessment, to avoid under-spec or over-spec.
No. FortiGate can be deployed on its own first as the perimeter firewall, alongside your existing equipment. The integration benefits of FortiLink usually show up once switches or access points reach their replacement cycle. Planning and maintaining a mixed-brand environment is also within scope.
FortiWeb sits in your own data center or cloud environment, so traffic does not need to route through an external node. It suits internal systems, B2B systems, and situations where data should not leave the country. A cloud WAF suits sites with heavy external traffic that need global nodes and CDN acceleration. The two can also run side by side. For guidance on choosing, see Web & API Protection (WAF).
Yes. FortiGate-VM, FortiWeb-VM, and FortiManager-VM are all available as virtual machines and can run directly on a hyperconverged cluster. The same cluster can run business systems and virtual firewalls together. See Hyperconverged Infrastructure & VMware Alternatives for details.
The hardware is a one-time purchase, but FortiCare support and FortiGuard security subscriptions need annual renewal. If a subscription lapses, the device still runs, but signatures and threat intelligence stop updating - protection effectively freezes at the date it lapsed. The initial quote includes a 3-5 year renewal cost estimate.
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