We performed a comparison between Fortinet FortiGate-VM and Meraki MX based on real PeerSpot user reviews.
Find out in this report how the two Firewalls solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI."I appreciate FortiGate's flexibility, which allows for centralized management through FortiManager."
"Security, SD-WAN, and Streetscape are valuable features."
"We use the FortiGate Sandbox to detect zero-day vulnerabilities, such as anomalies or malware, that are unknown and have not yet been discovered."
"The VPN is the most valuable feature."
"I like that you are able to manage FortiGate from the FortiManager to create a more centralized environment."
"It's a user-friendly firewall. Most of the tasks are very simple. It's simple to configure and troubleshoot this firewall."
"A strong point of FortiGate is that the graphical interface is complete and easy to use, especially if we think there is a list of operations that we are able to perform inside."
"Fortigate represents a really scalable way of delivering perimeter network security, some level of layer 7 security, WAF, and also a way to create a meshed ADVPN solution."
"The reporting is good."
"The dashboards are a good feature."
"Fortinet-VM is more scalable than the hardware version. If you're using an appliance, there are limitations in terms of hardware specs. So if you want a more scalable firewall, you can get a VM and install it on a high-end server."
"FortiGate is a nice and very good product."
"Overall, it's an excellent solution."
"The ROI is good since I get free support."
"The most valuable feature is the UTM, which gives them an advantage over other firewalls."
"The solution's initial setup process was very easy."
"They have very good technical support and I have relied heavily on them."
"It prevents us from being hacked and delivers information about who and where the attack came from."
"We've had no issues with the scalability or the stability of this solution"
"Site to Site VPN: The device can establish a VPN connection to multiple sites in a mesh environment in seconds, and without complex VPN knowledge."
"The product is quite secure, easy to manage, and well-connected with other devices."
"I am happy with the technical support for the solution. I rate the technical support a ten out of ten."
"The solution's most valuable feature is the Meraki dashboard, which is a single pane of glass."
"The most valuable feature is that we didn't have any problems with Meraki MX."
"It is stable, but its stability can be improved."
"You do need some IT knowledge in order to effectively work with the solution."
"The UTM filtering needs improvement."
"Backup can be improved."
"The cloud features and integration could be improved."
"It would be nice if backups could more easily migrate between different models."
"It is very expensive, and their support is not very good. I hope that their technical support will be better in the future."
"The logging details need to be improved."
"Fortinet devices are acknowledged as highly potent and come with a notable cost. These devices offer extensive visibility, an array of configurations, and a range of security features. However, there's room for enhancement in their routing and switching security aspects, akin to Cisco's offerings. A noteworthy aspect here is Meraki, which offers cloud controllers. If FortiGate were to introduce a similar cloud management solution, it could strongly compete with both Meraki and Cisco products. Cisco operates in two sectors: enterprise and SMB. Particularly in the SMB market, they hold sway due to their convenient cloud management features. For instance, Meraki's cameras and wireless access points can be easily controlled through their cloud management portal. If FortiGate were to provide cloud-based management solutions for SMB customers, it could cater to a significant portion of the market, considering that a substantial number of customers fall within the SMB and mid-level enterprise categories."
"Sizing can be challenging for customers interested in using Fortinet FortiGate-VM."
"There should be integration with an active directory — with Microsoft."
"The stability of the product is an area of concern where improvements are required."
"Improvements are needed for the responsive UI and JIT traffic reporting."
"Technical support could be improved."
"The solution is fairly complex."
"Right now, we have two data centers that are a thousand kilometers apart. It would be nice to be able to string them together."
"In the next release, because the security is pretty basic, I think they could include additional security features."
"Direct logging is something that can be introduced. In the absence of cloud management, the possibility of local configurations and on-premise logins becomes restricted. This limitation stands as a primary concern. When it comes to resolving issues, the inability to access login options hampers troubleshooting efforts. The stability is noteworthy; but when compared to alternative products, its stability is comparatively lower. Additionally, certain limitations are observed in terms of remote control. Price-wise, the solution stands out for its competitive and cost-effective nature compared to other alternatives. Operationally, it is user-friendly and requires minimal effort from administrators, making configuration hassle-free."
"Right now, you can postpone the update but eventually, if you don't do the update, it will install the updates automatically for you and that's something that is not working for me."
"It would be nice to get detailed logging information without third-party software."
"FortiGate is cheaper than Meraki. Even the license renewal is less than Meraki."
"We had minor issues with Meraki MX. We had a couple of RMAs, so that could be an area for improvement, but in terms of how the RMAs went, the turnaround time and getting those back into redeployment were quick. Another area for improvement in Meraki MX is that when you're scaling for multiple locations, you need to use the same model, but the model you'd need is only available for a short time. The specific model you require could be out of stock, or Meraki isn't making that model anymore, so Meraki should improve that."
"The IPS, the Intrusion Prevention System, can be improved."
"An area for improvement in Meraki MX is that it needs some provision, as supplying the unit through Cisco can be tedious at times, but as far as the product itself and its offerings, Meraki MX is five-star all the way."
Fortinet FortiGate-VM is ranked 9th in Firewalls with 113 reviews while Meraki MX is ranked 2nd in Unified Threat Management (UTM) with 58 reviews. Fortinet FortiGate-VM is rated 8.4, while Meraki MX is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of Fortinet FortiGate-VM writes "An easy-to-manage and configure tool that provides ample documentation to help with the setup phase". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Meraki MX writes "Cost-effective, simplified, easy to manage, and reliable with advanced security features and granular visibility". Fortinet FortiGate-VM is most compared with Azure Firewall, Palo Alto Networks VM-Series, Fortinet FortiOS, OPNsense and Sangfor NGAF, whereas Meraki MX is most compared with Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls, Cisco Secure Firewall, Sophos XG, SonicWall TZ and Netgate pfSense. See our Fortinet FortiGate-VM vs. Meraki MX report.
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