Azure services and components
FortiGate-VM for Azure is a Linux VM instance. The following table lists Azure services and components that you need to understand when deploying FortiGate-VM. All services and components listed relate to ordinary FortiGate-VM single instance deployment or FortiGate-native active-passive HA deployment.
| Service/component | Description |
|---|---|
|
Azure Virtual Network (VNet) |
This is where the FortiGate-VM and protected VMs are situated and users control the network. When you deploy FortiGate-VM, you can configure relevant network settings. |
|
VM |
FortiGate-VM for Azure is a customized Linux VM instance. |
|
Subnets, route tables |
You must appropriately configure the FortiGate-VM with subnets and route tables to handle traffic. When deploying from the marketplace launcher, there are two subnets for the FortiGate-VM labeled |
|
Resource group |
A group of resources where the FortiGate-VM is deployed |
|
An availability set is a logical grouping capability that you can use in Azure to ensure that the VM resources you place within it are isolated from each other when they are deployed within an Azure datacenter. Usually a set intends to accommodate multiple VMs. |
|
|
Public DNS IP address |
You must allocate at least one public IP address to the FortiGate-VM to access and manage it over the Internet. |
|
Unlike AWS, you cannot configure Azure security groups at the time of FortiGate-VM deployment. All traffic is allowed inbound to, or outbound from, the subnet, or network interface by default. See Default security rules. |
|
|
VHD |
A special type of deployable image used for Azure. As long as you deploy FortiGate-VM from the marketplace launcher, you do not need VHD files. However, you can launch FortiGate-VM (BYOL) directly from the FortiGate-VM VHD image file instead of using the marketplace. Ask azuresales@fortinet.com to find out where you can obtain the VHD images if needed. |
|
You can deploy FortiGate-VM instances in two ways:
ARM templates are available on GitHub. Fortinet-provided ARM templates are not supported within the regular Fortinet technical support scope. Contact azuresales@fortinet.com with questions. |
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A network LB automatically distributes traffic across multiple FortiGate-VM instances when configured properly. Topologies differ depending on how you distribute incoming and outgoing traffic. Fortinet provides a FortiGate marketplace product listing that automatically comes along with 2 FortiGate-VM nodes and LB. See HA for FortiGate-VM on Azure. |