Fortinet vs. Other Firewalls: Which One Is For You?

I’ve been doing networking and cybersecurity since the dial-up days. Network admin—1993, when routers were CLI only and firewalls were, ahem, much simpler. I am the one who survived the Slammer worm, burning the midnight oil to fix multiplexers for voice and data over PSTN, and now at PJ Networks we help businesses fortify their cyber defenses. Only last month, we put three banks on a true zero-trust architecture.

And after hundreds of deployments, countless hours in data centers, and endless coffee-fueled troubleshooting sessions, one fact has become abundantly clear: Not all firewalls are created equal.

Fortinet or something else, then? Let’s talk about it.

Key Firewall Brands

If you’re in the market for an enterprise-grade firewall, you’re likely to see all the usual suspects:

• Fortinet (FortiGate) — The all-in-one security powerhouse
• Security-first approach & Deep packet inspection — Palo Alto Networks
• Cisco Firepower – Helpful if you’re burrowed deep in Cisco’s ecosystem
• Check Point – Legacy player; strong on threat prevention
• Sophos XG — UTM-centered (Unified Threat Management), robust in SMEs
• WatchGuard – Good SMB product, but not up to par with the big players

I’ve used all of these — and each has its appropriate venue. If you need a firewall that doesn’t just sit there but actively protects your network without becoming a hassle, Fortinet is tough to beat. Let’s get into why.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Fortinet (FortiGate)

• Flexible – Suitable for SMB, enterprise, and data center.
• Security Fabric Integration – Integrates seamlessly with FortiMail, FortiAnalyzer, and other tools in the Fortinet ecosystem.
• Hardware Acceleration – FortiASIC chips lead to higher speeds of deep-packet inspection than software-based firewalls.
• Cost effective – You get much more for your buck than Palo Alto or Cisco.
• Interface Comes With a Learning Curve – FortiOS is a different beast; Some admin struggled with it.

Palo Alto Networks

• Excellent for Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) – Signature-based job detection at layer 7.
• Great User & App Control – Identity-based security is very effective here.
• Good Support (If You Pay for It) – Do you need Tier 1 support? That wallet better be deep.
• $$$$ – Most costly firewall solution.
• Potential Overkill for SMBs — Probably better for large enterprises with intricate requirements.

Cisco Firepower

• Seamless Integration with Cisco Networks – If you already run Cisco, it makes a lot of sense.
• Good Threat Intelligence — All thanks to Talos, their research group.
• Configuration Complexity – No joke, even the most seasoned of engineers has been frustrated by Firepower’s policies.
• Pricey License Model – Cisco is a fan of subscription revenue.

Check Point

• Long Experience in Cybersecurity — They are aware of their things.
• Strong Threat Prevention & Sandboxing – Good for enterprises that need a high level of security.
• Costly & Complicated – Complicated setups usually mean full-time engineers.
• UI Feels Outdated – Not the most user-friendly.

Sophos XG & WatchGuard

• Easy to Use — Great if your IT staff is lightweight.
• Cost-effective for SMBs – Less expensive than Cisco/Palo Alto in terms of cost.
• Enterprise Unfriendly – Not suitable for large networks.
• Not as Advanced as Fortinet/Palo Alto – does not have some enterprise features.

Why Fortinet Stands Out

So here’s the catch – when a client asks me which firewall they should use, 8 out of 10 times, I say Fortinet. Not because I’m a reseller (though yes, PJ Networks deploys them regularly), but because they just work without breaking your budget.

Speed Matters

Inspection of traffic by most firewall brands relies entirely on the CPU. Fortinet? Using a set of dedicated security processors (FortiASICs). That translates to better performance even with full SSL inspection, DPI, and threat detection turned on.

Price-to-Performance Ratio Getting Better

Want enterprise-grade security but not the six-figure contract? Fortinet provides next-gen firewall (NGFW) capabilities for pennies on the dollar compared to Palo Alto or Cisco.

Simplified Zero Trust

I just upgraded three banks running zero-trust security, and you know what? Fortinet’s ZTNA (Zero-Trust Network Access) also simplified user lockdown and a reduction of attack surfaces.

Easy Branch Deployments

For this reason, FortiGate firewalls are well-tailored for rolling out SD-WAN at multiple branch locations without cracking the network.

Unified Protection = Security Fabric

Firewall? ✅

Endpoint Protection? ✅

Email Security? ✅

SIEM Integration? ✅

Most vendors want you to purchase their disjoint products and find it challenging to connect the dots. With Fortinet’s Security Fabric approach, your firewall, endpoint security, and email protection all speak to each other natively.

The Fortinet Expertise of PJ Networks

At PJ Networks, we’ve assisted banks, producers, and enterprises in deploying Fortinet firewalls — and upgrading away from ancient, inflated cost solutions (we’re taking a gander at you, Cisco).

Real Examples

• Banking Sector (Zero Trust Upgrade) – Implementing FortiGate with ZTNA reduced lateral movement risk by 90%.
• Manufacturing (Ransomware Prevention) – FortiAnalyzer & FortiClient device set-up for real-time threat mitigation.
• Healthcare (HIPAA Compliance) – Optimized FortiGate policies to protect sensitive patient data while maintaining network performance.

We don’t just resell Fortinet — we also tune it to your organization.

Quick Take

• Fortinet FortiGate – The best blend of security, performance & cost for most companies.
• Palo Alto Networks – Best scenario for you is if you’re an enterprise up to your eyeballs in advanced security requirements (but you’re going to pay through the nose for it).
• Cisco Firepower – If you’re locked into Cisco’s ecosystem [but clunky to manage].
• Check Point – Solid, but pricey & best for heavy hands-on security org.
• (EXEMPT FOR SMB PHONES) Sophos & WatchGuard – Perfect for SMBs but not qualified for long-term scaling.

If cost is not an issue and you require enterprise-grade security on a large scale, Palo Alto is your solution.

If you are heavily invested in the Cisco ecosystem and won’t leave, Cisco Firepower makes sense (though you will pay more).

But if you need:

• True zero-trust security
• DPI accelerated by hardware performance
• A management-friendly yet powerful firewall
• Reasonable price-to-performance ratios

Fortinet is what you want then.

—And if you need expert guidance on deploying Fortinet without the headaches, you can count on PJ Networks.