FortiGate-VM NGFW
Data center security solutions
Firewall software
Unified threat management software
Data security software
Network security software
Business security software
MSP software
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What is FortiGate-VM NGFW
FortiGate-VM NGFW is a virtualized next-generation firewall delivered as a VM image for deployment in private data centers and public cloud environments. It provides network security controls such as stateful firewalling, application control, IPS, VPN, and threat prevention for segmented networks, virtual networks, and cloud workloads. Typical users include network/security teams and managed service providers that need consistent policy enforcement across virtualized infrastructure. It integrates with the broader Fortinet security and management ecosystem for centralized policy and logging.
Virtual NGFW deployment flexibility
FortiGate-VM supports deployment on common hypervisors and cloud marketplaces, enabling firewalling in virtual data centers and cloud VPC/VNet architectures. This helps organizations apply similar controls to those used on physical appliances while adapting to software-defined environments. It fits use cases such as east-west segmentation, perimeter protection for cloud subnets, and secure connectivity between sites and clouds.
Broad integrated security services
The product combines firewalling with NGFW capabilities such as intrusion prevention, application control, web filtering, and malware/threat detection features depending on licensed services. This consolidates multiple network security functions into a single policy and enforcement point. For teams that prefer an integrated stack over assembling separate point tools, it can reduce operational handoffs and policy fragmentation.
Centralized management options
FortiGate-VM can be managed through Fortinet management tooling (for example, centralized policy, logging, and analytics components) to standardize configuration across many instances. This is relevant for MSPs and enterprises operating multiple tenants, regions, or business units. Central management can improve change control, reporting consistency, and incident investigation workflows when deployed at scale.
Licensing and sizing complexity
Capabilities and throughput depend on license tiers, enabled security services, and the compute resources allocated to the VM. This can make capacity planning less straightforward than fixed appliance models, especially when inspection features are enabled. Organizations often need careful benchmarking and cost modeling to avoid under-provisioning or unexpected subscription costs.
Performance depends on platform
As a virtual firewall, performance and latency are influenced by the underlying hypervisor/cloud instance type, CPU features, and network I/O configuration. High-throughput or low-latency environments may require specific instance families, acceleration features, or architectural changes. This can add operational constraints compared with purpose-built hardware in some data center designs.
Ecosystem-centric operations
Many advanced operational workflows (centralized logging, analytics, orchestration, and multi-device policy management) are strongest when paired with other Fortinet components. Teams using heterogeneous security stacks may need additional integration work via APIs, syslog, or SIEM connectors. This can increase implementation effort when standardizing across multiple vendors and platforms.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan / SKU type | Price (official Fortinet website) | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| FortiGate-VM (1 vCPU) — Normal series (perpetual BYOL VM base) | Not published on Fortinet public site — see Fortinet price list / contact reseller or partner. | Perpetual VM base. Must purchase FortiGuard and FortiCare services separately (annual). vCPU-based SKUs; 1 vCPU limits apply. See FortiGate-VM VM license docs for limits. cite |
| FortiGate-VM (2 vCPU) — Normal series (perpetual BYOL) | Not published on Fortinet public site — see Fortinet price list / contact reseller or partner. | Perpetual VM base; buy FortiGuard/FortiCare separately. vCPU-based SKU. cite |
| FortiGate-VM (4 / 8 / 16 / 32 / unlimited vCPU) — Normal series (perpetual BYOL) | Not published on Fortinet public site — see Fortinet price list / contact reseller or partner. | Additional vCPU SKUs available (4,8,16,32,unlimited). RAM restrictions removed in newer FortiOS; VDOM limits depend on CPU level. FortiFlex / Flex-VM options exist for large/MSSP customers. cite |
| FortiGate-VM — S-series (annual subscription SKU) | Not published on Fortinet public site — see Fortinet price list / contact reseller or partner. | Single annually contracted SKU that contains the VM base plus FortiCare/FortiGuard service bundle (S-series). Available as annual subscription (S-series). cite |
| FortiFlex / Flex-VM (enterprise / MSSP entitlement program) | Not published on Fortinet public site — contact Fortinet sales/partner. | Program for large or MSSP customers to create multiple VM entitlements; consumption-based on points. Contact Fortinet for pricing and qualification. cite |
| PAYG / On-demand (cloud marketplace: AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI, AliCloud) | Pricing is listed on the respective cloud marketplace product pages (hourly / annual on-marketplace pricing). Fortinet does not publish these marketplace hourly rates on their product docs; see marketplace for exact costs. | PAYG / on-demand images are billed hourly (or term-based) by cloud marketplaces; PAYG includes support entitlement via Fortinet support registration. PAYG instances may not support VDOMs; BYOL and PAYG are not interchangeable. cite |
Notes:
- Fortinet documentation repeatedly refers to a Fortinet "price list" for SKU unit prices and service-bundle prices, but Fortinet documentation and community guidance indicate the price lists are maintained/updated quarterly and are distributed via partners (not freely browsable as a full public price list). For commercial prices you must contact a Fortinet reseller, partner, or cloud marketplace page. cite
Seller details
Fortinet, Inc.
Sunnyvale, California, USA
2000
Public
https://www.fortinet.com/
https://x.com/Fortinet
https://www.linkedin.com/company/fortinet/
