Getting started
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For the latest information about FortiOS 7.2, see the latest patch version of the Administration Guide. |
FortiOS is the operating system that runs on Fortinet’s FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW). It supports different platforms, including physical and virtualized appliances.
FortiOS delivers security as a hybrid mesh firewall that spans a meshed topology of on-prem and cloud environments. With FortiGuard's AI-powered security services, FortiOS provides protection across the attack surface with IPS, advanced malware protection, web security, inline malware prevention, data loss prevention, and more.
In addition, FortiOS is central to the SD-WAN solution by providing SD-WAN functionalities and intelligence in a single FortiGate, a mesh of FortiGates, or integrated into a SASE environment. It is also central to the Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solution by making policy decisions and applying policy enforcement based on security posture input.
Use the following resources to get started with FortiOS:
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Documentation links |
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Learn about best practices for FortiOS |
See the Best Practices guide. |
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Learn about new FortiOS features |
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Learn about standard practices for deploying a solution or an architecture |
Go to Best Practices | 4-D Resources and review the document categories. |
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Review information about FortiOS releases, including resolved and known issues |
Differences between models
Not all FortiGates have the same features, particularly entry-level models (models 30 to 90). A number of features on these models are only available in the CLI.
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Consult your model's QuickStart Guide, hardware manual, or the Feature / Platform Matrix for further information about features that vary by model. |
FortiGate models differ principally by the names used and the features available:
- Naming conventions may vary between FortiGate models. For example, on some models the hardware switch interface used for the local area network is called lan, while on other units it is called internal.
- Certain features are not available on all models. Additionally, a particular feature may be available only through the CLI on some models, while that same feature may be viewed in the GUI on other models.
If you believe your FortiGate model supports a feature that does not appear in the GUI, go to System > Feature Visibility and confirm that the feature is enabled. For more information, see Feature visibility.
Low encryption models
Some FortiGate models support a low encryption (LENC) license. With an LENC license, FortiGate devices are considered low encryption models and are identified by LENC, for example FG-100E-LENC.
LENC models cannot use or inspect high encryption protocols, such as 3DES and AES. LENC models only use 56-bit DES encryption to work with SSL VPN and IPsec VPN, and they are unable to perform SSL inspection.
For a list of FortiGate models that support an LENC license, see FortiGate LENC Models.
