Just wrapped up a 90-day pilot of FortiSASE for our mid-sized team, and I wanted to share some real-world impressions. Overall, it's been a reliable workhorse for the core SASE promise: secure remote access with solid ZTNA and solid SD-WAN integration, especially if you're already in the Fortinet ecosystem. The transition from our on-prem FortiGate was smoother than I expected.
Where it really shines is providing that consistent security posture for remote users. The FortiClient integration is straightforward, and the performance for basic web filtering and threat protection has been good. For teams needing a simple, unified way to extend their existing Fortinet security to remote workers, it's a compelling choice.
However, the "but" is significant: the CASB features feel like an afterthought. They're there, but they're shallow. For example, trying to get detailed visibility into SaaS app usage (like who's sharing what in Box or the specific risky actions in O365) was frustrating. The controls are more about blocking/allow-listing than the deep, granular, risk-based policies you might need for serious shadow IT management. If your primary driver is a robust, feature-rich CASB, you'll likely be disappointed.
So, my takeaway? Solid B+ for core secure access, especially for Fortinet shops. But if your project's success hinges on advanced CASB capabilities, I'd recommend looking at more specialized players or platforms where CASB is a first-class citizen. Happy to answer any specific questions based on our rollout!