Networks continue to transform from traditional hub-and-spoke architectures to hybrid IT, yet one thing has remained the same: The data center is integral to the modern enterprise. Data centers support a combination of applications, users, and devices, and can be complex to secure due to the volume of network traffic. Next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) securing the data center must deliver high-performance capabilities and comprehensive threat protection and coordination across the entire infrastructure. And with the rise of sustainability goals, this must be done in an energy-efficient manner.

The new FortiGate 3200F and 900G were purpose-built to address these needs. The FortiGate 3200F and 900G combine FortiGuard AI-Powered Security Services with unmatched performance to protect data centers from advanced threats, but their protection doesn't stop at the data center perimeter. The FortiGate 3200F and 900G, along with all FortiGate NGFWs, support centralized and unified management to protect hybrid IT end-to-end with hybrid mesh firewall.

Gone are the days of a single on-premises firewall to protect all network traffic. With the rise of hybrid networks, organizations have deployed NGFWs to address different environments, like the cloud and OT, that operate in a silo, leaving openings for cybercriminals to exploit.

A hybrid mesh firewall architecture extends NGFW protection beyond the data center to campuses and branches, industrial OT sites, cloud environments, and remote sites, to tighten enterprise cybersecurity and reduce the overall attack surface. According to Gartner, by 2026, more than 60% of organizations will have more than one firewall deployment, which will prompt the adoption a hybrid mesh firewall.¹

Thanks to a single FortiOS operating system, FortiGate NGFWs are uniquely positioned to support a hybrid mesh firewall architecture that delivers AI-powered security and high performance across hybrid IT. Every FortiGate is also integrated with FortiManager for rich automation and streamlined control across all firewall form factors, including appliances, virtual firewalls, cloud-native firewalls, and Firewall-as-a-Service.

Data Center-Ready Performance and AI-Powered Security

FortiGate 3200F series is purpose-built for hyperscale data centers, delivering 4x the industry average firewall throughput, 4.7x the industry average SSL Inspection throughput, and 3.5x the industry average IPsec VPN throughput while consuming 72% less energy than competitors. It comes with four 400GE interfaces to seamlessly manage high traffic volume and supports 800,000 concurrent connections, so you can scale your sustainable data center according to business needs.

FortiGate 900G series is setting a new industry standard by delivering data center-ready performance in a compact 1U form factor. It boasts 6x the firewall throughput, 5x the IPsec VPN throughput, and 3x the threat protection throughput (20 Gbps) than the industry average, ensuring efficient and secure operations for your enterprise.

Energy efficiency is top of mind for IT decision makers. In fact, the Gartner^?Top Strategic Technology Trends for 2023 Sustainable Technology report reveals that "50% of CIOs will have performance metrics tied to the sustainability of their IT organizations by 2025."¹

Thanks to Fortinet's proprietary security processing units (SPUs), FortiGate 3200F and 900G protect data centers while being more energy efficient than those of industry peers. In fact, FortiGate SPUs consume, on average, 88% less power than the industry-standard CPUs that power competitor firewalls. Specifically, FortiGate 3200F is up to 4.6x more energy efficient than industry averages, while FortiGate 900G is up to 6.6x more efficient, delivering unmatched performance at a very low energy consumption rate.

These SPUs also deliver superior performance by offloading resource-intensive functions from the main CPU, such as IPsec, firewalling, SSL/TLS inspection, and IPS. Both models have ultra-low latency capabilities, ensuring smooth network operations even during peak traffic periods. This high-performance capability enables organizations to leverage the full potential of their network infrastructure without compromising security or user experience.

FortiGate 3200F and FortiGate 900G vs. Competitors

Below is a comparison of the top firewalls on the market against the target performance numbers of both the FortiGate 3200F and FortiGate 900G series. Security Compute Rating is a benchmark (performance multiplier) that compares FortiGate performance metrics versus the industry average of competing products across various categories that fall within the same price band. Also included are power and heat metrics for competing products showcasing the energy efficiency of FortiGate 3200F and 900G series versus competitive solutions.

FortiGate 3200 Series Security Compute Rating

FortiGate 900G Series Security Compute Rating

• FortiGate 3200F and 900G threat protection performance is measured with Firewall, IPS, Application Control and Malware Protection, and Logging enabled.
• The numbers for competitive solutions are based on publicly available sources. Other vendors may have different testing methodologies.
• All power consumption values are taken from external data sheets and hardware system guides using maximum power consumption.

Continued Industry Recognition for Fortinet and FortiGate

The exceptional performance and comprehensive security services of the FortiGate 3200F and 900G extend to the entire FortiGate NGFW family. Fortinet has been recognized by a number of analysts, including as a Leader in the 2022 Gartner^?Magic Quadrant? for Network Firewalls and as a Leader in the 2022 The Forrester Wave?: Enterprise Firewalls report.

Additionally, FortiGate NGFWs earned a "Recommended" rating from CyberRatings.org, an independent technology testing firm, in its latest 2023 Enterprise Firewalls report. FortiGate earned AAA ratings across all testing categories, along with a security effectiveness score of 99.88%. The report shows that FortiGate also offers the highest ROI among all major firewall vendors, a testament to the innovative engineering and performance benefits of our products.

A New Way to Protect Hybrid IT

In an era when organizations face increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats, the FortiGate 3200F and 900G emerge as the unrivaled choice for securing network infrastructure at the data center and beyond. With centralized and unified management in a hybrid mesh firewall solution, robust FortiGuard AI-Powered Security Services, and unmatched performance and energy efficiency, both appliances empower organizations to proactively protect their valuable assets while ensuring uninterrupted operations.

Learn more about FortiGate NGFWs for the data center.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's Research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

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1 Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Network Firewalls, Rajpreet Kaur, Adam Hils, Tom Lintemuth, 19 December 2022.

2 Gartner, Top Strategic Technology Trends for 2023: Sustainable Technology, David Groombridge, 17 October 2022