Starting FortiClient EMS and logging in
FortiClient EMS runs as a service on Windows computers.
The post-installation setup wizard facilitates the rapid setup of EMS for users immediately following installation, prioritizing license provisioning. You must have a license to proceed and use EMS.
EMS requires you to authenticate via FortiCloud for license entitlement immediately after installation. You must log in to EMS, validate your FortiCloud account, and EMS must retrieve the license for you to proceed further. Access to EMS is contingent on the validation and connection of your FortiCloud account information.
In air-gapped instances, EMS allows you to upload a license file. However, this only applies in rare cases. In the majority of deployments, you must provide FortiCloud account information and EMS retrieves the license directly from FortiCloud.
The post-installation setup wizard streamlines the EMS post-installation setup process.
To license EMS using the post-installation setup wizard:
- After installing EMS, launch it for the first time. EMS displays a Welcome to EMS page that displays the hardware ID of the machine that EMS is installed on. Registering and licensing EMS requires the hardware ID. Click Take me to FortiCloud. This opens the FortiCloud website, where you can register and license your EMS instance. See Licensing EMS by logging in to FortiCloud.
- Click Next. Do one of the following:
- Enter your FortiCloud credentials associated with your EMS registration to establish connectivity and synchronize the license from FortiCloud.
- Enable Activate license through FortiFlex to activate the license through FortiFlex.
- If you are using an air-gapped system, click Click here. Browse to and upload the license file.
- EMS undergoes registration and displays a new page where you can configure new administrative credentials. Enter the desired credentials, then click Save & Continue. EMS loads the main GUI and you can proceed with configuration as desired.