Deployment methods with FortiManager

In this section, we will review each type of branch device along with its recommended method of deployment. While it is entirely possible to configure devices directly by using a FortiGate GUI, we avoid this method because it is inefficient for large deployments, and may lead to misconfiguration and discrepancies between branches. Instead we will use the following FortiManager templates to configure and deploy our devices:

• FortiSwitch templates
• AP templates
• CLI templates

FortiManager supports the following deployment methods, depending on the type of device:

1. Device discovery: a device is connected to an already deployed and configured FortiGate, and is then discovered and configured by using FortiManager.
2. Model device: a model device is a representation of the final configuration in the FortiManager database that can be provisioned before the device is physically connected. For details, see the SD-WAN Deployment Guide for MSSPs document.

This section contains the following topics:

• FortiSwitch deployment method
• FortiAP deployment method
• FortiExtender deployment method