FortiSwitch

Three of the strengths (and things I like best) are the improved network security, reduced management overhead, and vendor consolidation and operational efficiency. The integration of FortiSwitch with our FortiGate firewalls is a massive win. We now have a unified security fabric that extends security policies all the way to the access layer. This has been crucial for protecting our network from internal and external threats, ensuring the safety of our students' data and online activities. The single-pane-of-glass management through the FortiGate controller is an absolute game-changer. Our team no longer has to manage separate security and networking solutions from different vendors. This has drastically reduced our management overhead, freeing up our limited IT resources to focus on other critical projects. By standardizing on Fortinet for our switches and security, we have eliminated the complexities and inefficiencies of working with multiple vendors. Seamless integration with FortiSwitch, FortiAP, and FortiGate products makes our entire network more cohesive and easier to troubleshoot. This has made our operations much more streamlined and efficient. I also enjoy the secure onboarding for all devices. The free onboard NAC features have been invaluable to our school district. With a high volume of devices, we can ensure that every device connecting to our network is securely onboarded and complies with our security policies. This provides us with peace of mind, knowing that our network is protected from unauthorized access.

Zero touch and out of the box initial setup.

My team and I like how easily it integrates with existing Fortinet technology. We had already bought into Fortinet firewalls, so configuring them to manage the FortiSwitches was an easy choice to make, since it greatly reduced our networking complexity. We also like the security features that are built into the switches such as network access control, device profiling, and micro-segmentation. Finally, the cost for these switches is reasonable compared to other technologies on the market. We found that some vendors charge extra for features that are built into FortiSwitches.

While a major strength for users already invested in the Fortinet Security Fabric, this can be a drawback for others. Single pane of glass management and the full functionality of features like FortiLink are only available when the switches are managed by a FortiGate. This can make the product less appealing for organizations with a multi-vendor environment or those who want to use a standalone switching solution. The deep integration and rich feature set, particularly within FortiOS, can present a steep learning curve for those new to the Fortinet platform. While it becomes a powerful tool once you're familiar with it, the initial setup and configuration, especially for more advanced features, can be challenging without prior experience or training. Some firmware upgrades can be disruptive and occasionally introduce what we like to call, ForiBugs or unexpected behavior. While Fortinet regularly releases updates to add features and patch vulnerabilities, the process requires thorough testing to avoid any network disruptions, which is a concern for a live educational environment. The powerful features come with a learning curve, especially for a large environment like this school district, but the single management console is worth the initial effort.

For its full use of functionality, it requires end to end Fortinet infrastructure.

My team and I dislike the fact that it is difficult to integrate with other technologies. We have had some challenges with network communication between Fortinet and other switching equipment. The issues were able to be resolved, but it required a call with support. I'm also surprised at the number of security vulnerabilities that are disclosed with Fortinet products. I am grateful that patches are issued for these vulnerabilities in a timely manner, but downtime is needed in order to apply updates. Although this is something that affects every manufacturer, it seems like Fortinet is constantly issuing patches. A small issue that I dislike is that you must manually register the switch with Fortinet after it has been received, otherwise the company does not have a record of the device in their support portal. Most other vendors register the device with support at the time of sale and already have it in their system.