Fortinet’s FortiGate 80E next-generation firewall (NGFW) offers security at a good price point, making it one of the most popular firewall solutions available in the market today. Arriving in a compact desktop form factor, the FortiGate 80E offers protection against cyber threats for mid-sized businesses and branch offices. For bigger enterprises, Fortigate 80E is also highly-scalable through Fortinet’s Enterprise Bundle which allows more features to be explored for end-to-end protection on all channels.
In a cyber landscape where threats emerge every minute, the more there is a need to improve our security services. If we want security and privacy, if we want our devices protected from malicious attackers on the Internet, if we want our personal files and assets protected from malevolent hackers, it goes without saying that we need a stronger software solution to protect ourselves from their attacks. Browsing the Internet without a secure network is enough for us to appear vulnerable to these attacks. Nowadays, you really can’t go anywhere online without a good, updated firewall.
One of the strongest firewalls to date is Fortigate 80E. If you’re in the market for such security, this one is worth considering. And like always, we’ve come to the rescue with a review of this powerful product.
The FortiGate 80E is an optimal midrange firewall that is easy to deploy and provides complete visibility of your entire digital network. If you’re operating a small business with just under a hundred users, you’ll be glad to know that this security appliance has a recommended user network of 50 to 100.
In this review, we’re deep-diving into the features that FortiGate 80E offers, and the pros and cons of purchasing one, either to finally protect your network for the first time, or to replace your current security appliance as you find it no longer performing to your expectation. If you want to know if this is worth purchasing for your needs, then read on.
Why Choose Fortinet FortiGate Firewall 80E?
Rarely would you find a security appliance that makes deep packet inspection moving beyond protocol and intrusion prevention. Deep packet inspection in itself is an advanced method of inspecting traffic. It identifies, blocks, and reroutes packets with suspicious data and code payloads. This is moving beyond what a conventional network packet filter can do where it only scans packet header information.
The FortiGate 80E guards against harmful traffic, inspecting both encrypted and unencrypted ones to protect against malware attacks and exploits. With AI-powered security, it proactively blocks unknown signatures in real-time through its Fortinet Security Fabric, and Fortinet Lab Security and other technologies developed only by Fortinet.
FortiGate 80E comes in a compact fanless desktop form factor with secure SD-WAN technology, and UTM technology.Each feature works together to deliver end-to-end network security in one platform. Finally, using its low latency performance with an industry-leading purpose-built processor, it protects your data and prevents harmful and unauthorized access through signature matching, SSL decryption, path-guided updates, and other more advanced malware blocking.
Switching to this appliance, however, has some drawbacks worth noting. Due to its full-geared GUI interface, a lot of users may find it too advanced for the beginner engineer. Some simplification of the security features that this software solution offers would be much better and more welcomed. However, once fully deployed, you won’t regret the switch. The Fortigate 80E software solution offers full, unprecedented protection at a reasonable price.
Pros
Reasonable pricing
Easy to get around GUI
Stable Performance
Can Handle huge traffic
FortiCare Support Services
Cons
Full GUI Interface Might Be Complicated For A Beginner Engineer
Crashes That Need Hard Reboots
Reports Not In Real Time
Traffic Shaper Needs improvement
Bugs In Newer Versions
Key Features
Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW)
The next-generation firewall, as the name suggests, is more advanced than a traditional firewall as it uses both static and dynamic deep packet inspection when it comes to whitelisting or distinguishing safe applications from unsafe ones.
It moves beyond protocol, and adds a deeper-level application inspection to make sure that connections between networks are valid and secure. Compared to a traditional firewall, the next-generation firewall can block malware even before they can enter the network. Middle to large enterprises require such security.
Compact And Reliable Form Factor
FortiGate 80E comes in a sleek, compact form factor, making it suitable for small spaces such as branch offices and small businesses. It is also wall-mountable, saving you a lot of floor space, lessening the chances of overheating.
Fortinet Security Fabric
Fortinet Security Fabric is a cybersecurity platform that delivers a wide and broad visibility of the entire attack surface to better handle risk. The platform’s integrated and unified solution reduces the hassle of supporting multi-point products, while its automated workflows boost operational speeds and cut down response times across the Fortinet deployment system.
Fortinet Security Fabric covers the following important areas under a single management center :
AI Driven Security Operations – automatically detects, isolates, prevents, reacts, and responds to cyber threats
Security-Driven Networking – secures, accelerates, and integrates user and network experience
Dynamic Cloud Security- controls and protects cloud applications and infrastructures
Intrusion Prevention System
With this feature, you get the latest defense updates on network intrusions. From the name itself, it prevents and blocks threats before they can even touch your network. Plus, Fortinet keeps an updated and comprehensive library of signatures and policies that enable full control of attack detection.
URL Filtering
The URL filtering feature safeguards the user from URLs and websites with malware and spyware that steal private data. Either you can make categories that allow certain URLs to be accessible, or you can manually identify which URLs can and can’t be accessed.
Application Filtering
Earlier in the article we talked about deep packet filtering inspection in next-generation firewalls, but what happens during this inspection wasn’t made clear. Deep packet inspection is a type of network packet filtering which evaluates the header and the data part of a packet that goes through an inspection point. It then takes away any non-compliance to protocol such as spam, intrusion, viruses, or any other forms of defined criteria that blocks the packet from going through the inspection point.
It’s best explained by talking about the application filtering technology where the analysis of packets is applied to the information that it contains rather than just scanning it at surface level. Application filtering can be used to control access of the user and the action that it is trying to perform.
3G/4G WAN Connectivity
The 3G/4G WAN Connectivity feature makes it compatible with existing USB modems. It is quickly becoming the next best, or even better, alternative to DSL connections.
Secure SD-WAN
Secure SD-WAN, which is also known as software-defined WAN, is the application technology applied to WAN connections. Some of the examples are broadband Internet, 4G, and LTE. With this feature, we get high-speed application performance to connect to the cloud.
Unified Threat Management
UTM technology merges multiple security and networking functions with one unified appliance.One of the useful functions of the UTM is deep packet inspection, web filtering, and automatic updates, making human intervention no longer required.
FortiOS
FortiOS is Fortinet’s very own operating system that makes use of an advanced security fabric that gives you broad visibility on the digital attack surface while pairing it with an integrated solution under an automated workflow. This is to increase the speed of the action against digital attacks. The latest FortiOS version delivers security-driven networking, zero-trust network access, AI-driven security operations, and dynamic cloud security.
FortiCare Support Services
For a security solution as advanced as Fortinet, as a user, you will need a full-blown support service to cater to whatever needs and issues you may encounter with the appliance. Fortinet doesn’t take this for granted. It powers its support services to ensure successful deployment and business continuity.
Examples of these are the Device FortiCare which provides firmware updates and technical support, while the account-based services have a designated support engineer to help with training and other service points.
FortiGuard Bundle
As if the features aren’t enough for a leading-edge software solution, Fortigate also offers flexible add-ons that you can choose from according to your specific business needs. The FortiGuard Enterprise Bundle is made for bigger businesses that require stronger security as cyber threats emerge every second. The Enterprise Bundle combines all cybersecurity services into one comprehensive bundle that protects you against all channels.
Other Features
Firewall Protection
FortiOS
Security Fabric
VPN Support
Remote Access
SSL Traffic inspection
Device Telemetry
Zero-trust Network Access
Dynamic Cloud Security
AI-driven security operations
Specifications
| Firewall Throughput: | 4Gbps | ||
| Maximum New Sessions Per Second: | 30,000 | ||
| Maximum Concurrent Sessions: | 1.3 Million | ||
| Storage Capacity: | 16GB SSD | ||
| Serial Ports: | USB and Console RJ45 | ||
| Form Factor: | Desktop | ||
| Power Required: | 100-240V AC | ||
| Dimensions: | 216 x 178 x 42mm | ||
| Weight: | 1.2kg |
How To Use
Think Fortinet FortiGate 80E will provide the added layer of protection needed to protect your business? Then what are you waiting for? Learn more about its features and current price here.
Once you’ve made your purchase, you may follow this step-by-step installation guide on how to set it up :
How To Set-Up A Fortigate 80E Appliance:
- You have two options in installing the hardware: either mounted on the wall or laid on a flat surface.
- When mounting on the wall, make sure you secure the screws with the mounting bracket. Then look for the unit’s rear, here you can find the plug to attach to a power source with the provided power cable.
- When installing the unit on a flat surface, make sure that clearance on all sides of the unit gives adequate airflow.
How To Install Fortinet’s Fortigate 80E:
To get a newly-installed Fortigate ready to use, you need to register to Fortigate with a support account, set the system time, and set-up new login details. For full details in installation, here’s Fortinet’s Cookbook on FortiGate 80E Installation Guide.
- Connect Fortigate appliance WAN 1 to an ISP interface.
- Connect the PC to the appliance through Port 1
- Power on these units.
- On your browser, go to http://192.168.100.99/login
- Login using the default login credentials
About Fortinet
Fortinet is an American multinational corporation founded by brothers Ken Xie and Michael Xie, both of whom are successful owners of separate IT companies.Since they founded Fortinet in 2002 with headquarters in Sunnyvale, California, the company since then became one of the known leaders in IT cybersecurity, developing top of the line cybersecurity software and appliance services.
The FortiGate firewall was the first-ever product released by Fortinet. Almost 20 years later, the company is still going strong, developing and marketing cybersecurity products and services like firewalls, and anti-virus, intrusion prevention, and endpoint security software solutions. In 2016, it first released its security fabric architecture which included integration and automation with other networks’ security devices and third-party vendors.
Users from all over the world depend on Fortinet when looking for solutions for network, mobile application, cloud, or mobile environments. This includes solutions on multi-cloud, IoT, SD-WAN capabilities, wireless access points, sandboxing, and messaging security.
When more than 450,000 customers from the largest known enterprises, service providers, and government organizations in many different industries across the world trust Fortinet’s uncompromised protection against expanding attacks, there’s no reason not to trust it to do its best with things of a lesser impact, like providing enterprise-grade protection on smaller networks.
Final Thoughts
As the threat landscape continues to become more advanced, so is the need to use next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) that use deep-packet inspection and advanced overall threat protection. Such firewalls have extensive control and visibility over new signatures, blocking malware even before it enters a network.
What makes Fortigate 80E and other Fortigate Firewall products better than other firewalls in the market is its affordability and easy-to-deploy solution. Many users find its GUI simple and easy to get around with. Though, as some users reported, encountering crashes that require hard reboots is one downside.Also, report scans are not in real-time. Hopefully, both of these can improve on future versions.Good thing is that Fortinet provides FortiCare Services, and ongoing technical support ,making up for this drawback.
Fortigate 80E makes it possible to quickly deploy and simplify VPN and SSL setups without added licensing costs. It’s an appliance worth considering if you’re in the market for a new firewall replacement. If you own an enterprise branch office or middle-sized business, there’s no way you can find a better firewall appliance at a much lower cost than this one. And once you do find your business expanding, it becomes much easier with Fortigate 80E as it is scalable and flexible when upgrading other Fortigate products that are using the same interface.
Have you seen for yourself what Fortigate 80E can do? Was there something you liked, or did not like? What would they be? We would love to know what you think, so please drop us a line or two via our Contact Us section.
Also, after reading our review, if you want to check out other types of hardware firewalls, we’ve got plenty of articles about those on firewallguide.com, feel free to check them out! If you haven’t found the right firewall for you, there’s no need to worry, we are here to help you decide which firewall will help your business the best, and we will always be here for you to help you make the right choice.
