FortiGate-VM NGFW Reviews & Product Details

There are a lot of things to like about FortiGate -VM to mention some

1 advanced threat protection - using intrusion prevention, application behavior analysis threat intelligence and others it detects sophisticated attacks and it also helps to identify malicious behavior even if the attacker is already inside the network.

2 Security fabric integration - like FortiSandbox, FortiNDR FortiAnalyzer which helps to improve visibility and automated response across the network.

3 Its flexibility in virtual environments - such as VMware, Hyper-V, AWS, Azure, and GCP. which helps for fast deployment and easy scaling. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

One thing i dislike about its licensing might be complex, it have different license types like CPU cores VM models makes it a little confusing. the others are like the dependance in the performance of the VM as we know it is a VM based unlike the hardware appliance this one depends on the RAM, Hyper-V performance, and also its CPU allocation. so the firewall performance is dependable on the VM. if the VM resources are not optimized the firewall may not perform as expected. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

We have been using FortiGate-VM NGFW for the past 8 years, and it has proven to be a highly reliable and flexible firewall solution. One of the key strengths is its ease of use—both in initial deployment and ongoing management. The interface is intuitive, which makes configuration and troubleshooting efficient.

We also appreciate the strong automation capabilities, which help streamline routine tasks and improve operational efficiency. Additionally, the ability to seamlessly collect and forward logs to our SIEM system has been extremely valuable for monitoring and security analysis.

Overall, FortiGate-VM NGFW is a powerful, user-friendly firewall that meets both our security and operational needs very well. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

At times, depending on the software version, we have experienced issues related to increased CPU and memory utilization. Additionally, there are situations where the number of sessions grows excessively, which can impact overall system performance and stability. These issues can be challenging to manage and may require additional effort for troubleshooting and optimization. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I love the firewall performance of FortiGate-VM NGFW. It filters traffic smoothly and blocks unwanted access without slowing down the network, keeping the system stable even during high traffic. I also like the VPN feature because it's secure and reliable, allowing remote users to connect easily and keep connections stable. This is really important for daily work. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

It does not work very well sometimes. One thing that could be improved is the user interface. For new users, it can feel a little complicated. A more user-friendly design will make it easier for beginners to understand and manage the settings. Another improvement could be better documentation and step-by-step guidance. Sometimes when setting advanced features, clear instruction is needed to configure correctly. It would also help if troubleshooting was easier when a problem happens. Clear alerts and suggestions could solve issues more quickly. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What I like best about FortiGate-VM NGFW is its strong security capabilities combined with flexible deployment in virtual and cloud environments. It provides multiple security features such as intrusion prevention, antivirus, application control, web filtering, and SD-WAN in a single platform, which simplifies network protection. The interface is user-friendly, making configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting easier for administrators. I also appreciate its integration with the Fortinet Security Fabric, which allows centralized visibility and management across different security components. This helps organizations maintain better control over network security while scaling easily in cloud infrastructures. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

One thing I dislike about FortiGate-VM NGFW is that the licensing and pricing structure can be complex, especially when multiple security subscriptions and add-ons are required for full functionality. The initial setup and configuration can also have a steeper learning curve for new administrators due to the wide range of features and policies available. In virtual environments, the firewall can be resource-intensive, requiring sufficient CPU and memory to maintain optimal performance under high traffic loads. Additionally, firmware updates may sometimes introduce compatibility or stability issues that require careful testing before deployment. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I like how FortiGate-VM NGFW combines enterprise-grade security with flexibility for virtual and cloud environments. It stands out with its all-in-one security features, including firewall, IPS, antivirus, web filtering, and application control, which makes security much easier to manage and more consistent across environments. I appreciate the strong performance; even with deep inspection enabled, it handles traffic efficiently without noticeable performance degradation. The granular policy control allows me to create detailed security policies that help with proper network segmentation and protecting sensitive workloads. The seamless integration with the Fortinet ecosystem simplifies management and improves visibility. Its scalability and flexibility as a virtual appliance make it easy to scale resources up or down as requirements change, especially in cloud or hybrid setups. I also find the good visibility and logging features incredibly helpful as they make troubleshooting and security analysis much easier. Overall, it is a powerful, reliable NGFW solution that fits perfectly in modern virtualized and cloud infrastructures. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

While FortiGate-VM NGFW is a strong solution overall, there are a few areas that could be improved based on real usage: Licensing complexity: The licensing model can be confusing at first, especially when choosing between different bundles and understanding what features are included. Learning curve: The platform is very powerful, but that also means it can feel overwhelming for beginners. UI and policy navigation: The interface is functional, but when managing many policies and objects, navigation can become less intuitive. Resource tuning in virtual environments: In some cases, fine-tuning CPU and memory allocation requires trial and error. Log analysis without additional tools: Basic logging is good, but deeper analysis often requires additional Fortinet tools. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I really like FortiGate-VM NGFW's capability for exhibit and deployment anywhere, which provides all-in-one security. The strong visibility logging feature is a standout, and the dashboard is very clear, making it easy for me to understand. One of the strongest points is its faster troubleshooting; whenever something breaks, I can check forward traffic logs to see which policy might have allowed or denied traffic, and use real-time packet monitoring if needed. I also appreciate its immediate threat detection, where it clearly shows the top threats and blocked applications, enabling faster incident response. This has been crucial for making clear decisions. Additionally, the installation was very easy and straightforward. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I am highly satisfied with the product visibility login capabilities dashboard design and over the performance from reliable however are improvement good naked better like policy and GUI simplification , performance monitoring granularity, reporting customisation and licence. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What I like most about FortiGate-VM NGFW from Fortinet is the strong balance it strikes between security capabilities, performance, and flexibility in virtualized environments.

From my experience working on system architectures and migrations, I especially appreciate how straightforward it is to deploy across cloud and hybrid infrastructures, which makes it a good fit for modern microservices and distributed systems. The centralized management, advanced threat protection, and deep traffic inspection also deliver solid network visibility and control, without introducing significant additional complexity. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

One thing I find challenging about FortiGate-VM NGFW from Fortinet is that the initial setup, as well as configuring more advanced features, can involve a steep learning curve. This tends to be even more noticeable in complex environments or for teams without deep network security experience.

On top of that, licensing and resource sizing in virtual environments can be difficult to plan accurately. It’s especially tricky when you’re scaling infrastructure or trying to optimize performance in cloud deployments, where getting the sizing right can take extra effort. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I like FortiGate-VM NGFW for its faster deployment, lower infrastructure dependency, and easier expansion, especially as customer environments grow. It makes things much easier for me and my team during both presales and customer discussions. Since it's a virtual firewall, we can quickly deploy it in cloud or virtual environments without waiting for hardware delivery. Plus, the initial setup was kind of easy for me. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The licensing model can sometimes be confusing, especially when explaining different bundles and add-ons. It would help if Fortinet simplified the packaging to make it easier to position during sales discussions. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What I like most about FortiGate-VM NGFW is how it combines strong security features with simplicity. It gives me everything in one place—firewall, VPN, intrusion prevention, and web filtering—without making things overly complicated. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

One thing I don’t like as much is the licensing structure—it can get a bit confusing and sometimes expensive depending on the features you need. Also, while the interface is generally user-friendly, there are moments where certain settings feel buried or not very intuitive, especially for new users. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

There are many reasons, the most relevant ones are having all in one stack like getting IPS, ssl inspection and web filtering in one place and it's better performance efficiency compared with paloalto and checkpoint. additionally, the policy design logic is much staraight forward and unambigious. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

When we talk about the drawbacks, it has complex licencing model and the security features are resource intensive. and the GUI is functional but a little bit challenging for new user, it is not intuitive. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.