Fortigate Vm Sizing Azure Work File
When evaluating Azure VM sizes for FortiGate, do not size solely based on the total internet bandwidth entering your organization. You must evaluate specific traffic types and architectural constraints. Throughput vs. Inspection Types
Maximum processing power per vCPU core, yielding the highest NGFW throughput metrics. The High-Memory Choice: Ev4 / Esv4 Series
Includes Antivirus and Sandbox. This is the most resource-intensive and can drop performance significantly.
FortiGate VM Sizing on Microsoft Azure: Strategic Overview Selecting the correct Azure virtual machine (VM) instance for a FortiGate-VM deployment requires balancing compute power (vCPUs), memory, and—crucially for networking—the maximum number of network interface cards (NICs) supported by the Azure instance. 1. Fundamental Sizing Metrics fortigate vm sizing azure
While actual performance varies based on configuration, the following general guidelines apply for sizing: Usage Scenario Recommended Azure VM Size (Example) Key Considerations F2s_v2, D2s_v3 Low-medium throughput, fewer security profiles. Medium Enterprise F4s_v2, D4s_v3, D4s_v4 Medium throughput, moderate threat protection. Large/Datacenter F8s_v2, D8s_v3, E8s_v3 High throughput, intensive security features. High Performance F16s_v2, E16s_v3 or higher Very high throughput, full security inspection. 4. High Availability (HA) Sizing For enterprise-grade security, HA is often necessary.
The balances compute resources and memory. It is highly resilient and serves as an excellent all-rounder for mid-tier enterprise architectures.
Standard_D4s_v5 or Standard_F4s_v2 (4 vCPUs, 8-16 GB RAM, Max 4 NICs). When evaluating Azure VM sizes for FortiGate, do
Remember three non-negotiables:
Throughput varies significantly based on the Azure instance series and whether is enabled. FortiGate Model Azure Instance Shape vCPU (Min/Max) Azure Expected Bandwidth VM-02 VM-04 VM-08 VM-16 VM-32 16,000 Mbps Source: FortiGate VM on Azure Data Sheet Critical Sizing Factors
Azure vCPUs are not equal to physical cores. A D8s_v3 offers 8 vCPUs (Hyper-threaded on Intel Xeon Platinum 8171M). FortiGate performance is bursty; ensure you understand the baseline performance of your chosen Azure series. Inspection Types Maximum processing power per vCPU core,
Deep packet inspection (SSL/TLS decryption), antivirus, sandboxing, and web filtering. This is the most resource-intensive tier, often reducing raw firewall throughput by 70% to 80%. Memory-to-vCPU Ratios
Moderate CPU impact. Packets are reassembled to match signatures.
: Fortinet recommends at least 4 GB of RAM for proper operation, especially if you enable Unified Threat Management (UTM), ZTNA, or proxy features.