Enterprise organizations have long been concerned about cybersecurity. Standard firewall hardware appears to be no longer the best option when branch sites convert to an SD-WAN paradigm. However, a handful of suppliers have begun to completely integrate SD-WAN with next-generation firewall protection in a single box.
One of them, Fortinet, offers complete SD-WAN functionality with its FortiGate next-generation firewall. Today, we’ll take a look at the top Fortinet Firewalls for SD-WAN that we’ve examined and recommend to clients.
Fortinet SD-WAN is one of the greatest options for WAN cost reduction while improving software security and experience, in our opinion.
What is SD-WAN?
SD-WAN (Software Defined Wide Area Network) employs centralized software intelligence to direct wide-area network traffic to remote/branch locations in a more effective manner. Prioritized traffic can be routed across numerous MPLS or Internet-facing WAN services such Ethernet Fiber, Wave, 4G, 5G, xDSL, and LTE. Our clients are increasingly interested in hybrid SD-WAN.
Application performance is improved by ensuring that individual application traffic is routed via the best WAN service available according to the application’s specific requirements, such as lowest latency or maximum bandwidth.
As a consequence, WAS service costs are reduced, while WAN efficiency, user experience, and overall productivity improve.
In comparison to a regular WAN, SD-WAN is readily available and managed because it is the essence of hardware. To operate properly, it usually relies on four basic and fundamental components.
- WAN virtualization
- Elastic traffic management
- Edge connectivity abstraction
- Centralized management
Six reasons why Secure SD WAN Fortinet is the best option:
According to Gartner, 25 % of organizations are expected to implement SD WAN in the next two years.1 What advantage is SD WAN has over traditional WAN in terms of performance and convenience comes at the sacrifice of centralized security given by backhauling network traffic through the data center, where everything can be scanned and filtered in one location.
Fortinet’s Secure SD WAN for Distributed Network Architectures
When considering your options, it’s critical to choose the correct SD WAN solution. Without a doubt, Fortinet’s Secure SD WAN provides all of the necessary features to sustain secure operations across many branches and distant sites. So, here are six reasons why Fortinet’s Secure SD WAN is the finest solution for companies:
Fortinet SD WAN Networks
The demand for better networking capabilities is being driven by the use of cloud services. SD WAN connection requires the router or firewall to dynamically balance internet and intranet traffic among all accessible WAN services. Here are the main reasons why Fortinet’s Secure SD WAN is the appropriate solution to help our customers:
- A dynamic cloud application database that routes applications over the same ports and bandwidths as they are required to handle SaaS apps with continually changing IP addresses.
- FortiOS’ route-based intelligence offers dynamic routing based on connection quality assessments to ensure high availability and complete application visibility for business-critical applications.
- O neutral channel supply enables you to mix and match numerous broadband connections (internet, MPLS, LTE, etc.) for direct usage through public internet connections.
Next-Generation Firewalls provide security (NGFW)
The FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) is a single device that combines SD?WAN network and security features. It also provides an all-in-one solution with SD WAN ready capabilities for easy deployment of public cloud apps. Some of its primary characteristics are as follows:
- On a single device, it combines NGFW and SD WAN network protection functions.
- It features security processors built specifically for SSL inspection. Firewall was allowing for faster unlocking of encrypted connections, analysis of encrypted packets, detection of threats, and blocking of threats.
- It acts as a first line of security against web-based assaults by preventing access to malicious, hacked, or unsuitable websites; in fact, it is the first line of defense (only web filtering service in the industry with VBWeb2 certification).
- For secure communications, IPsec VPN and threat prevention performance with security processors.
- Follow real-time activity to aid risk analysis, detect and mitigate possible concerns, and automate audits for firewall rule and policy compliance.
Console Management from a Central Location
While the SD WAN is capable of extending the entire range of security capabilities with each new network connection (wired or wireless), it must be maintained centrally. Here’s how Secure SD?WAN from Fortinet makes this possible:
- Fortinet’s Secure SD WAN enables transparent visibility throughout the whole network, as well as unified policy administration and virtual private network (VPN) control at all branches and remote sites, all from a single dashboard.
Implementation with No Contact
As a consequence, compared to the processes required in adding branches to typical WAN systems, automatic device provisioning and branch deployments (no need to dispatch trained network experts to all locations) saves a lot of time. Here’s how Fortinet’s Secure SD?WAN makes the procedure easier:
- When FortiGate is published, FortiOS dynamically constructs the full physical and logical network topology.
TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) is low (TCO)
Because it has a lower total cost of ownership than systems with separate network and security appliances, it is less costly to connect, simpler to install, and easier to manage.
Detection and Clean-up
Because it is difficult to avoid all threats, cybersecurity extends beyond prevention. She is in charge of both detection and remediation. It’s vital to have a high-performance and cost-effective security solution like Fortinet’s Secure SD WAN. (THE FortiGate’s excellent performance and safety were demonstrating in the NSS Labs 2017.3 Next-Generation Firewall test results.)
Overview of the FortiGate 60F
The FortiGate 60F is a fanless SD-WAN system that delivers great performance. The FG-60F reduces remote access concerns and helps enterprises cut long-term expenditures by phasing out expensive MPLS connections. It is designing for branch offices, remote outposts, and mid-sized corporations. SD-WAN provides enterprises with secure, direct Internet access for cloud-connected services such as Dropbox, GitHub, Salesforce, Office 365, and others.
Fortinet’s SD-WAN Application-Specific Integrated Circuit enables this security-focused WAN edge networking (ASIC). The first-of-its-kind SOC4 – which was initially introduce in the FortiGate 100F, which is more port-heavy and rack-mountable – provides lightning-fast application identification and steering for over 5,000 recognise cloud apps. Because of Fortinet’s sophisticated routing capabilities, contemporary networked organizations can provide excellent user experiences without sacrificing speed.
The FortiGate 60F joins its bigger brother in the F-Series, the 100F, as monarchs of the SD-WAN arms race and the industry’s new face of digital transformation. A company intending to deploy software, devices, or cloud environments across several branch locations should consider these approaches for their WAN edge efficiency.
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