Best practices and tips for using FortiGate-VM rar in hybrid and multi-cloud environments
What is FortiGate-VM and why you need it
If you are looking for a cloud-native solution that can provide advanced threat protection, consistent security policies, and high performance for your virtual and hybrid environments, then you should consider FortiGate-VM. In this article, we will explain what FortiGate-VM is, what are its benefits and features, how to deploy it on different platforms, how to use it for different use cases, and how to migrate from legacy firewalls to FortiGate-VM.
FortiGateVMrar
Introduction
FortiGate-VM is a full-featured next-generation firewall (NGFW) packaged as a virtual appliance. It can be deployed as a virtual machine (VM) on leading virtualization, cloud, and software-defined networking (SDN) platforms, such as VMware ESXi, Hyper-V, Xen, KVM, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, Alibaba Cloud, IBM Cloud, Nutanix AHV, OpenStack, Cisco ACI, VMware NSX-T, Nuage Networks VSP, and more.
FortiGate-VM delivers the same AI-powered advanced threat protection, identity-based segmentation, micro-segmentation, and network security functions as the physical FortiGate appliances. It also leverages the same operating system (FortiOS) and integrates with the same security fabric (Fortinet Security Fabric) that powers all Fortinet products and services. This ensures consistent security across private cloud, public cloud, and telco cloud environments.
Some of the benefits of using FortiGate-VM include:
Reduced hardware costs and increased operational efficiency by eliminating the need for dedicated physical appliances
Increased flexibility and scalability by enabling on-demand provisioning, resizing, cloning, and migration of VMs
Improved agility and automation by supporting cloud-native integrations, APIs, templates, scripts, and orchestration tools
Enhanced visibility and control by providing centralized management, analytics, reporting, and auditing across hybrid and multi-cloud deployments
Improved user experience by securely connecting to application workloads without performance bottlenecks
How to deploy FortiGate-VM on different platforms
FortiGate-VM can be deployed as a virtual appliance in private and public cloud environments, either as a bring-your-own-license (BYOL) instance or provisioned on-demand via public cloud marketplaces. Depending on the platform you choose, there are different steps and requirements for deploying FortiGate-VM. Here are some examples:
How to deploy FortiGate-VM on VMware ESXi
To deploy FortiGate-VM on VMware ESXi, you need to - Download the FortiGate-VM OVF file from the Fortinet support site - Import the OVF file into the VMware vSphere client or web interface - Configure the VM settings, such as CPU, memory, disk, and network interfaces - Power on the VM and access the FortiGate-VM console - Assign a static IP address to the management interface and connect to the FortiGate web UI - Activate the FortiGate-VM license and configure the basic settings, such as admin password, hostname, DNS, NTP, etc. - Configure the security policies and features according to your network requirements
How to deploy FortiGate-VM on other virtualization, cloud, and SDN platforms
To deploy FortiGate-VM on other platforms, you need to follow the specific instructions and guidelines for each platform. You can find the detailed documentation and resources for each platform on the Fortinet support site. Some of the common steps are:
Download or obtain the FortiGate-VM image file for the platform you want to use
Upload or import the image file into the platform's management console or interface
Create and configure a VM instance based on the image file and the platform's specifications
Launch the VM instance and access the FortiGate-VM console
Assign a static IP address to the management interface and connect to the FortiGate web UI
Activate the FortiGate-VM license and configure the basic settings, such as admin password, hostname, DNS, NTP, etc.
Configure the security policies and features according to your network requirements
How to configure and manage FortiGate-VM using FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer
To configure and manage FortiGate-VM using FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer, you need to:
Add the FortiGate-VM device to FortiManager using its IP address or serial number
Assign the device to a device group and a policy package
Configure the device settings, such as interfaces, routes, firewall policies, VPNs, etc. using FortiManager's GUI or CLI
Deploy the configuration changes to the device and verify the status
Add the FortiGate-VM device to FortiAnalyzer using its IP address or serial number
Configure the logging settings, such as log filters, log forwarding, log storage, etc. using FortiAnalyzer's GUI or CLI
View and analyze the logs and reports generated by FortiAnalyzer for the device
How to use FortiGate-VM for different use cases
FortiGate-VM can be used for different use cases depending on your network needs and goals. Here are some examples:
How to use FortiGate-VM as a next-generation firewall (NGFW)
To use FortiGate-VM as a NGFW, you need to:
Enable and configure the firewall features, such as application control, intrusion prevention system (IPS), web filtering, antivirus, anti-spam, data loss prevention (DLP), etc.
Create and apply firewall policies that match your traffic patterns and security requirements
Use identity-based segmentation and micro-segmentation to isolate and protect your network assets and users
Leverage AI-powered threat intelligence and sandboxing to detect and block advanced threats
Monitor and audit your network traffic and security events using logs and reports
How to use FortiGate-VM as a VPN gateway
To use FortiGate-VM as a VPN gateway, you need to:
Enable and configure the VPN features, such as IPsec VPN, SSL VPN, site-to-site VPN, remote access VPN, etc.
Create and apply VPN policies that match your connectivity needs and security standards
Use encryption algorithms and authentication methods that ensure data confidentiality and integrity
Use dynamic routing protocols and load balancing techniques to optimize VPN performance and availability
Monitor and troubleshoot your VPN connections using logs and diagnostics tools
How to use FortiGate-VM for hybrid and multi-cloud security
To use FortiGate-VM for hybrid and multi-cloud security, you need to:
Deploy FortiGate-VM instances on different cloud platforms that host your application workloads
Create secure VPN tunnels between your on-premises network and your cloud platforms using FortiGate-VM as VPN gateways
Use Fortinet Security Fabric to synchronize and orchestrate security policies and events across your hybrid and multi-cloud environments
Use FortiCASB to monitor and control your cloud applications and data
Use FortiCWP to scan and secure your cloud storage and databases
Use FortiWeb to protect your web applications from common and zero-day attacks
How to use FortiGate-VM for software-defined networking (SDN) security
To use FortiGate-VM for SDN security, you need to:
Deploy FortiGate-VM instances on SDN platforms that support your network virtualization and automation needs
Integrate FortiGate-VM with SDN controllers, such as Cisco ACI, VMware NSX-T, Nuage Networks VSP, etc.
Use Fortinet Security Fabric to synchronize and orchestrate security policies and events across your SDN environments
Use FortiGate Connector to enable dynamic security insertion and service chaining for SDN traffic
Use FortiSIEM to collect and correlate security data from your SDN environments
How to migrate from legacy firewalls to FortiGate-VM
If you are using legacy firewalls that are not compatible with your virtual and hybrid environments, you may want to migrate to FortiGate-VM for better security and performance. Here are some steps to help you with the migration process:
How to use FortiConverter service to convert firewall configurations
To use FortiConverter service to convert firewall configurations, you need to:
Access the FortiConverter service portal and create an account
Select the source firewall vendor and model, and upload the configuration file
Select the target firewall vendor and model, which should be Fortinet FortiGate-VM in this case
Review the conversion results and download the converted configuration file
Import the converted configuration file into your FortiGate-VM instance using the web UI or CLI
How to test and validate the migration process
To test and validate the migration process, you need to:
Create a test environment that mimics your production environment, including the network topology, traffic patterns, and security requirements
Deploy a FortiGate-VM instance in the test environment and import the converted configuration file
Verify that the FortiGate-VM instance is functioning properly and has the same security policies and features as the legacy firewall
Run various tests and scenarios to check the functionality, performance, and security of the FortiGate-VM instance
Identify and resolve any issues or gaps that may arise during the testing process
How to optimize the performance and security of FortiGate-VM
To optimize the performance and security of FortiGate-VM, you need to:
Adjust the VM settings, such as CPU, memory, disk, and network interfaces, according to your network needs and best practices
Update the FortiOS version and firmware of your FortiGate-VM instance regularly to get the latest features and fixes
Enable hardware acceleration features, such as SR-IOV, DPDK, RSS, etc., if supported by your platform
Tune the firewall policies and features, such as application control, IPS, web filtering, antivirus, etc., according to your network needs and best practices
Monitor and audit your network traffic and security events using logs and reports generated by FortiAnalyzer or other tools
Conclusion
In conclusion, FortiGate-VM is a cloud-native solution that can provide advanced threat protection, consistent security policies, and high performance for your virtual and hybrid environments. It can be deployed as a virtual appliance on leading virtualization, cloud, and SDN platforms. It also leverages the same operating system (FortiOS) and integrates with the same security fabric (Fortinet Security Fabric) that powers all Fortinet products and services. This ensures consistent security across private cloud, public cloud, and telco cloud environments.
If you are interested in learning more about FortiGate-VM or want to try it for free, you can visit this link: [Fortinet Enterprise Security Without Compromise]
The following table compares different models and specifications of FortiGate-VM:
ModelLicenseCPUMemoryDiskInterfacesFirewall ThroughputConcurrent Sessions
FortiGate-VM00BYOL11 GB8 GB375 Mbps100,000
FortiGate-VM01BYOL or On-Demand12 GB40 GB101 Gbps200,000
FortiGate-VM02BYOL or On-Demand24 GB40 GB102 Gbps400,000
FortiGate-VM04BYOL or On-Demand48 GB40 GB104 Gbps800,000
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