FortiManager Centralized Security Management (Max 500 managed devices)

Using Fortinet FortiManager  in AWS  is different than working on the Google Cloud  platform. In previous roles, it was primarily hosted in environments as well as on-prem. Fortinet FortiManager  is for centralized management for multiple FortiGate  firewalls across various sites. I use it to push consistent security policies and firewall rules across distributed networks efficiently. I also monitor device health and configuration centrally to quickly identify and troubleshoot issues. I have supported network automation by using scripts and policy packages to streamline repetitive tasks. In AWS , Fortinet FortiManager helps ensure our cloud deployed FortiGates stay in sync with our security posture and compliance needs, especially when scaling across multiple VPCs or accounts.

One of my favorite features in Fortinet FortiManager is the centralized policy and device management. Being able to push consistent firewall rules and configuration changes across multiple FortiGates saves a ton of time and reduces errors compared to managing each device individually. I also appreciate the automation capabilities, such as the ability to schedule firmware upgrades or run scripts across devices, which helps with the maintenance windows and reduces manual work.

Another aspect that stands out is the visibility and compliance reporting. With Fortinet FortiManager's dashboards and logs, it made it easier to track configuration drift and audit changes, which is critical in regulated environments. The combination of automation and scalability makes Fortinet FortiManager really effective for our work.

Fortinet FortiManager ensures our cloud deployed FortiGates stay in sync with our security posture and compliance needs, especially when scaling across multiple VPCs or accounts.

There are some aspects that Fortinet FortiManager could improve upon. The user interface can feel clunky, especially for more complex tasks such as managing large-scale policy packages or custom scripts. This occasionally slows down the workflow for admins who are new to the platform.

Another challenge is device synchronization as well as policy push delays. At times, changes do not propagate immediately, which can create confusion during critical updates or troubleshooting. These issues are relatively minor in comparison to the benefits Fortinet FortiManager provides, but improvements in these areas could enhance the user experience and operational efficiency.

I have been using Fortinet FortiManager for two to three years overall.

I have contacted the technical support for Fortinet FortiManager multiple times, particularly when dealing with advanced scripting or automation features. Their support team has generally been responsive and helpful, especially for complex use cases and troubleshooting unexpected behaviors in policy automation. More advanced scripting topics can require digging into Fortinet's forums for a knowledge base, as official documentation is not always comprehensive. The support experience has been positive overall.

My experience with Fortinet FortiManager has been reliable, especially when deployed on appropriate hardware or well-resourced virtual environments. It handles managing dozens of FortiGate  devices without significant lag or downtime. Performance can be impacted if the appliance is undersized for the environment or if there is a large volume of logs. Proper sizing and regular maintenance, including database cleanup and firmware updates, help maintain smooth operation for day-to-day network management.

Fortinet FortiManager is a robust platform that meets the need for growing networks. Whether managing a handful of FortiGate devices or a hundred across multiple sites, it provides centralized control that simplifies administration. It can group devices, apply policy packages, and automate configurations and changes, making the managed complexity easier as the network expands. The platform also supports multi-tenant management, which is especially useful for MSP environments. Planning is key, so proper initiation, design, and resource allocation ensure you do not run into performance bottlenecks as you scale.

I would rate Fortinet FortiManager technical support a solid seven to eight out of ten. They are generally knowledgeable and responsive, especially for cases escalated to the engineering teams. Their support portal and documentation are helpful, but sometimes the initial triage can take longer than expected, depending on the complexity of the issue. There can also be delays in getting deep technical answers for more advanced features, but overall, their support team provides solid assistance.

I have used and gained exposure with Cisco Firepower Management Center. Compared to Fortinet FortiManager, it stands out for its tight integration with the broader Fortinet Security Fabric , which simplifies managing multiple security products in one place. It is generally easier to deploy and manage in smaller to mid-sized environments. Cisco Firepower offers more visibility and advanced analytics features, providing deep integration for network traffic analysis. Each has its own strengths, depending on the environment scale. Fortinet FortiManager hits a good balance between usability and centralized control, especially in Fortinet-heavy networks.

The initial install for Fortinet FortiManager is straightforward, especially if you are familiar with Fortinet devices and architectures. The setup process involves deploying the Fortinet FortiManager appliance, either virtual or physical, as well as configuring the network settings and connecting it to your FortiGate devices. It becomes more challenging during the initial policy import and device discovery, especially in larger, complex environments with numerous firewalls and different configurations. Planning device groups and admin roles ahead of time makes a significant difference in smoothing out that phase. Once the baseline is configured, ongoing management becomes much easier, thanks to the centralized controls. It is a manageable process that benefits from good documentation, so with the right strategy, implementation should be successful.

Fortinet FortiManager requires applying regular firmware and software updates to ensure you have the latest security patches and feature improvements. You also need to monitor its health, checking logs, storage usage, and connectivity with managed devices to catch synchronization issues early. Occasionally, you might need to troubleshoot or reestablish communication with FortiGate devices if the policies do not push correctly. In larger environments, scheduled maintenance windows are important for performing backups of configuration and system state, as well as upgrading Fortinet FortiManager without impacting device management. While it automates many tasks, it still requires active administration to maintain optimal performance and security.

The pricing depends on what you are trying to implement. While I do not manage procurement directly, based on my experience and industry feedback, Fortinet's pricing is competitive and aligned with the benefits of the features they offer. Their licensing model can sometimes be complex, especially when factoring in additional modules such as Advanced Threat Protection or FortiCare support and cloud services. The value received, especially from having an integrated security fabric and centralized management tools such as Fortinet FortiManager, often justifies the cost. However, budgeting and pricing always depends on the specific deployment size and feature set. Fortinet provides a strong ROI for organizations focused on comprehensive security.

I rate Fortinet FortiManager an 8 out of 10. I am a customer of Fortinet FortiManager. I am okay with my name and the company name to be with the review, and I am also okay with Fortinet contacting me about this review. I am fine with the legal statements that need to be read.

Public Cloud

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

They use Fortinet FortiManager  because they administrate the entire solution.

I need Fortinet FortiManager  for administration because I have a policy to incline and control the unit.

I deal with managing large-scale VPN deployments with Fortinet FortiManager because the client needs VPN communication.

Fortinet FortiManager is effective and helpful for VPN management, such as deployment VPN management.

They use Fortinet FortiManager for the same clients.

I appreciate that Fortinet FortiManager's administration is more simple.

I am familiar with Fortinet FortiManager's centralized policy-based provisioning and capability.

I use Fortinet FortiManager's revision control feature for audits and compliance.

I don't know how they can make Fortinet FortiManager better.

The pricing and support could be improved.

It would be good if they made small improvements anywhere.

They can also have better integration with other solution providers.

Setting up Fortinet FortiManager is not complex.

It is straightforward.

On a scale of one to 10, I rate the ease of setting up Fortinet FortiManager as nine, with 10 being the easiest.

Fortinet FortiManager is scalable, and I can explain how it achieves this scalability.

I rate the support for Fortinet FortiManager as nine on a scale from zero to 10.

Positive

The pricing for Fortinet FortiManager is good and not expensive.

It is competitively priced.

Fortinet FortiManager is very good to me.

It is very compliant, though it is not helping in maintaining compliance or managing configuration changes.

I rate how it helps maintain compliance with this feature as nine out of ten.

The administration for this solution is very simple. We have experience managing the solution, but I only have commercial experience, not technical.

In general, I find Fortinet FortiManager very good.

I would give it a nine out of 10, and I think the whole solution is very good.

I would advise anybody thinking about using Fortinet FortiManager.

To the client, I recommend this solution as it is very good.

We are resellers.

Review Rating: 9/10

I have experience with Cisco Ethernet switches and with Fortinet FortiSwitch.

I worked with FortiGate  firewall, as well as Fortinet FortiManager  and access point.

I have experience with Fortinet FortiManager .

We are using Fortinet FortiManager because we are managing almost 140 FortiGate  firewalls.

Almost 1,600 clients are using Fortinet FortiManager in my organization.

The most valuable features of Fortinet FortiManager, in my opinion, are SD-WAN and the manageability console.

The integration capabilities of Fortinet FortiManager are a little bit tricky, but it's acceptable.

There is room for improvement in Fortinet FortiManager because there is no option for roaming profiles, and the cloud console is not available, which is different compared to Cisco Meraki, and the cloud connectivity is not sufficiently good.

I have almost four years of experience with Fortinet FortiManager.

The deployment was done in-house by my organization.

It was completed in-house.

I would rate the stability as eight out of ten.

I would rate the scalability of Fortinet FortiManager as six out of ten.

I grade it a six out of ten because manageability and SD-WAN are acceptable, but the problem is cloud connectivity and roaming profiles are not working, as there is no option for them.

Technical support from Fortinet is better than our FortiGate, as our reseller is giving good technical support.

From FortiGate, I can say the support rates only five out of ten.

The support from FortiGate is low quality, but my reseller is better.

Neutral

The initial setup of this solution is easy for me.

I haven't seen an ROI from this solution yet.

I didn't calculate it yet.

Regarding the price of Fortinet FortiManager, I need to get that information from my management, as they handle purchasing.

We didn't use the AI capabilities in Fortinet FortiManager, so we don't know about that.

I would recommend Fortinet FortiManager if you need to control multiple devices or SD-WAN; otherwise, it may not be necessary. I would rate Fortinet FortiManager as eight out of ten.

On-premises

Microsoft Azure 

I use Fortinet FortiManager  to manage multiple devices in a single location. Although it does not provide a security posture itself, it depends on the firewall policies and settings in their respective firewalls. Fortinet FortiManager  is primarily meant for the management of devices.

Fortinet FortiManager manages multiple devices in a single location and can identify vulnerabilities. If it could create and send automated policies for any vulnerabilities to all devices, that would be ideal. I recommend integrating more AI features to enhance the reliability of the product.

The deployment of Fortinet FortiManager is quite complex and should be easier. It requires improvement in vulnerability management and should integrate automated AI features to enhance its reliability. The AI features are very limited, and there is room for adding more.

I have used Fortinet FortiManager for about ten years.

There are some issues when it comes to different firewall models with different firmware versions. Fortinet FortiManager can manage only a certain number of firmware versions at a time, which complicates deployment.

On a scale of one to ten, I would rate the stability of Fortinet FortiManager as a seven.

I would rate Fortinet FortiManager's scalability as a six out of ten, indicating it could be more scalable.

I find Fortinet's technical support for FortiManager effective and I would rate it eight out of ten.

Positive

For the cloud version, you just have to register the license, then it prepares the appliance. After that, you just add the devices by their IPs. For the on-premises version, you have to check the firmware versions and perform necessary updates.

One person can deploy Fortinet FortiManager, taking approximately fifteen to thirty minutes. Sometimes it takes even less time.

I find Fortinet FortiManager to be a bit more expensive, especially when considering the environment. It shows cost-effectiveness when managing more than ten devices, whereas it is less effective with fewer devices. I rated pricing as six out of ten.

I recommend Fortinet FortiManager for those managing more than ten devices. Overall, I would rate Fortinet FortiManager as a seven out of ten. Also, there is no need for maintenance after the deployment.

Hybrid Cloud

Other

I use Fortinet FortiManager  for checking anomaly traffic, monitoring traffic inflow and outflow, and managing firewall traffic. It offers a centralized console to manage all Forti appliances and provides visibility of logs from multiple Forti consoles.

Fortinet FortiManager  offers a centralized console for managing multiple Fortinet appliances, eliminating the need to log into different consoles at various locations. It provides a unified platform where logs from multiple Fortinet consoles are forwarded to Fortinet FortiManager, making it easier to manage network operations. Furthermore, it simplifies patch updates and OS updates by allowing direct deployment from Fortinet FortiManager. It has enhanced automation capabilities such as IP and URL blocking integrated with incident ticketing tools.

Currently, I do not have suggestions for immediate improvement, but as the technology landscape evolves, I would recommend exploring and implementing AI features. Additionally, Fortinet FortiManager could benefit from integrations with Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)  solutions.

I have used Fortinet FortiManager for the past two years before migrating.

The deployment of Fortinet FortiManager took around one week. The setup in our data center needed to be confirmed to be working fine before arranging for disaster recovery setup, due to compliance issues and management approvals.

I have not faced any stability issues or downtime with Fortinet FortiManager.

Scalability is not an issue for me since we purchased high-scale, high-bandwidth appliances that support 30 to 40 percent more than our actual current traffic.

The Fortinet support team has assisted me significantly. They are responsive and resolve issues quickly when I raise a ticket.

Neutral

I was using Fortinet FortiManager but have migrated to Palo Alto due to a management decision.

The initial setup of Fortinet FortiManager was easy. I can rate it ten out of ten for ease of setup.

I recommend obtaining a bit of free training before using Fortinet FortiManager. Overall, I rate Fortinet FortiManager between eight to nine. My rating is not perfect due to the threat intelligence of Fortinet FortiManager, which has a lot of false positives.

On-premises