The shift to hybrid work and multi-cloud architectures has dissolved the traditional network perimeter, creating a complex and fragmented security landscape. As users, devices, and applications become more distributed, organisations struggle to enforce consistent security policies and maintain visibility across their entire environment. Juggling disparate security solutions for on-premises, remote, and cloud users is inefficient, costly, and leaves dangerous security gaps.
Fortinet addresses this challenge by extending its Security Fabric with a powerful, integrated solution. By combining the capabilities of Fortinet FortiSASE with existing investments in FortiGate next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) and the universal FortiClient agent, organisations can create a single, unified security framework. This integration simplifies management, enhances visibility, and ensures that every user and device is protected by consistent, enterprise-grade security, regardless of their location.
This article examines how this tight integration operates, the key benefits it provides, and practical use cases that enable modern enterprises to secure their hybrid workforce effectively.
What is the Fortinet Security Fabric?
Before diving into the integration, it is crucial to understand the foundation upon which it is built: the Fortinet Security Fabric. The Security Fabric is an architectural approach that enables broad, integrated, and automated security across an organisation’s entire digital attack surface. It is designed to break down security silos, allowing different security products to communicate, share threat intelligence, and coordinate responses in real-time.
FortiGate NGFWs serve as the backbone of this fabric for on-premises and data centre security, while FortiClient provides endpoint protection and secure access. FortiSASE extends this fabric to the cloud, ensuring that users outside the traditional network perimeter receive the same level of security.
The Power of Integration: FortiSASE, FortiGate, and FortiClient
The true strength of Fortinet’s solution lies in how these three components work together. It is not just a collection of separate products but a deeply integrated system designed for seamless operation.
FortiSASE and FortiGate: A Hybrid Security Model
Many organisations are not ready to move all their security functions to the cloud. They have significant investments in FortiGate appliances that protect their data centres and campus networks. The integration between FortiGate and FortiSASE allows for a flexible, hybrid security model that leverages both on-premises and cloud-delivered security.
When a user is in the office, their traffic is inspected and secured by the local FortiGate. When that same user works from home or a coffee shop, their traffic is automatically steered to the nearest FortiSASE Point of Presence (PoP) for inspection. This is made possible through the FortiClient agent, which intelligently routes traffic based on the user’s location.
The key benefit here is consistency. The security policies—web filtering, application control, intrusion prevention—are managed from a unified console (FortiManager) and are synchronised between FortiGate and FortiSASE. This means the user is protected by the same security rules, regardless of their location, eliminating policy gaps and simplifying administration.
FortiClient: The Universal Agent for Secure Access
FortiClient is the linchpin that connects the user to the Security Fabric. It is a single, lightweight agent that provides a wide range of functions, including:
- Endpoint Protection (EPP/EDR): Protects the device from malware, ransomware, and other endpoint-based threats.
- ZTNA and VPN: Provides secure remote access to private applications.
- Traffic Steering: Intelligently directs user traffic to either the local FortiGate or the nearest FortiSASE PoP.
This universal agent approach eliminates the need to deploy and manage multiple agents for different security tasks. For IT teams, this means a simplified deployment and less software to maintain on each endpoint. For users, it means a seamless and consistent experience. FortiClient works in the background to ensure they are always connected securely without requiring manual intervention.
Key Benefits of a Unified Security Fabric
Integrating FortiSASE with FortiGate and FortiClient delivers tangible benefits that directly address the challenges of modern network security.
1. Consistent Security Posture Everywhere
The most significant advantage is the ability to enforce a single, consistent security policy across all users and locations. A rule created to block access to high-risk websites applies equally to an employee in the head office (protected by FortiGate) and a remote worker in another country (protected by FortiSASE). This eliminates the risk of security gaps that arise from managing separate, inconsistent policy sets.
2. Simplified Management and Operations
Managing security for a hybrid workforce can be a major operational burden. This integrated solution provides a single pane of glass for management. With FortiManager, administrators can configure, deploy, and monitor policies across their entire infrastructure—from on-premises FortiGates to the cloud-delivered FortiSASE service. This centralisation drastically reduces administrative overhead and minimises the chance of human error.
3. Enhanced Visibility and Control
A fragmented security architecture leads to blind spots. The Fortinet Security Fabric provides complete visibility into all network activity, regardless of its origin. Security teams can monitor traffic, detect threats, and investigate incidents from a single console. This holistic view is essential for rapid threat response and for understanding the organisation’s overall risk posture.
4. Leverage Existing Investments
For the thousands of organisations that already rely on FortiGate and FortiClient, adding FortiSASE is a natural extension of their existing security infrastructure. It allows them to leverage their current investments and the expertise of their security teams. There is no need to rip and replace existing solutions; instead, they can extend their trusted security fabric to the cloud.
Practical Use Cases for Integrated Security
Let’s look at how this unified fabric solves real-world security challenges.
- Secure Remote Work: A remote employee powers on their laptop. The FortiClient agent immediately secures the endpoint and establishes a connection to the FortiSASE cloud. All internet-bound traffic is inspected for threats, and access to SaaS applications like Microsoft 365 is secured via integrated CASB. When the user needs to access an application in the corporate data centre, FortiSASE’s ZTNA function provides a secure, one-to-one connection, but only after verifying the user’s identity and device posture.
- Seamless Zero Trust Implementation: An organisation wants to adopt a Zero Trust security model. With the integrated solution, they can implement least-privilege access across the board. ZTNA policies, managed through FortiManager, are enforced for both on-premises and remote users. Micro-segmentation rules on the FortiGate prevent lateral movement within the data centre, while FortiSASE ensures that remote users can only access the specific applications they are authorised to use.
- Streamlined Threat Response: The FortiSASE service detects a new malware variant on a remote user’s device attempting to communicate with a command-and-control server. This threat intelligence is instantly shared across the entire Security Fabric. The FortiGate at the head office is automatically updated to block this threat, protecting all on-premises users. The FortiClient agent on the infected device quarantines the malware, and the security team is alerted through a single, unified dashboard.
Conclusion: Security That Moves with Your Business
The future of work is hybrid, and business-critical applications will continue to migrate to the cloud. In this new reality, a perimeter-based security model is no longer sufficient. Securing a distributed enterprise requires a platform that is as agile and flexible as the business it protects.
The integration of FortiSASE with FortiGate and FortiClient creates a powerful, unified Security Fabric that delivers consistent protection everywhere. By simplifying management, providing complete visibility, and enabling a seamless transition to a Zero Trust architecture, Fortinet empowers organisations to secure their data, users, and applications without compromising on performance or user experience. This integrated approach turns a complex security challenge into a strategic advantage, providing a foundation for secure digital innovation.
