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Career & Job Readiness

FortiGate Masterclass: Fortinet Firewall Administration Course (Batch 02)

intermediate25 sections271 lessons

Unlock the full potential of FortiGate with our comprehensive "FortiGate Masterclass: Fortinet Firewall Administration Course." This course is meticulously designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to expertly manage and secure your network infrastructure using FortiGate's powerful firewall and VPN capabilities.

Course Overview:

Dive deep into the world of network security with hands-on labs and detailed instruction on FortiGate's features. This course covers the essentials of configuring, managing, and troubleshooting FortiGate firewalls, alongside advanced topics such as VPN setup and optimization. You will explore FortiOS, the operating system behind FortiGate, learning how to harness its robust features to protect your network against threats and ensure secure communications.

Key Learning Outcomes:

  • Understand FortiGate Architecture: Gain a solid understanding of FortiGate's architecture and how it integrates into network environments to provide security and connectivity.

  • Firewall Configuration & Management: Learn how to configure firewall policies, NAT, and other essential components to protect your network effectively.

  • Advanced Security Features: Explore advanced security features such as Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS), antivirus, and web filtering to enhance your network's defenses.

  • VPN Implementation: Master the setup and management of both site-to-site and remote access VPNs to facilitate secure communications across your network.

  • Troubleshooting & Optimization: Develop troubleshooting skills to diagnose and resolve common issues, and learn best practices for optimizing FortiGate performance.

  • Hands-On Lab Exercises: Apply what you've learned in real-world scenarios with practical lab exercises designed to reinforce your skills and understanding.

Target Audience:

This course is ideal for intermediate to advanced IT professionals, network administrators, and security specialists looking to deepen their expertise in FortiGate firewalls and VPNs. Whether you are responsible for managing a FortiGate environment or preparing for a Fortinet certification exam, this course will provide the insights and hands-on experience needed to excel in your role.

Embrace the challenge of mastering FortiGate and take your network security skills to new heights with this dynamic and interactive course. Enroll now to secure your spot and start building your path to becoming a FortiGate expert!

Curriculum

Day 0: Introduction to FortiGate and Network Security

This kickoff explains how the course is built around real-world FortiGate firewall operations, mapped to the NSE 4 blueprint but focused on practical, job-ready skills for students and new grads moving into cybersecurity. We’ll set expectations and outcomes, confirm hands-on lab access, and show how each exercise feeds your exam prep—certification is the bonus; competence on live gear is the goal.

9 lessons

Day 1: Initial Setup & Management Plane

This day covers the foundational steps of bringing a FortiGate firewall online, from a factory reset state to having management access via both CLI and GUI, including setting up initial IP connectivity for management.

10 lessons
  • FortiGate Introduction and Prerequisites
  • Factory Reset of FortiGate devices
  • Accessing the CLI (Console, SSH) and GUI (HTTPS)
  • Initial Configuration Wizard
  • Management Interface Configuration (IP address, administrative access: PING, SSH, HTTPS)
  • Default Route for Management Access
  • Feature Visibility for GUI Customization
  • Lab 1.1: FortiGate Factory Reset and Management Access
  • Day 1 – Quiz 1: Initial Setup & Management Plane
  • Day 1: Initial Setup & Management Plane | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 2: Data Plane Fundamentals & Zones

This day focuses on preparing the FortiGate to handle user traffic by configuring its network interfaces, organizing them into security zones, and setting up DHCP services for connected clients.

9 lessons
  • Data Plane Concepts: User traffic forwarding through the firewall
  • Configuring Physical and VLAN Interfaces
  • Zone-Based Security: Creating and assigning interfaces to zones (LAN, WAN, DMZ).
  • FortiGate as a DHCP Server: Configuration of DHCP services, IP ranges, default gateway, DNS servers, and options.
  • Monitoring DHCP clients and leases.
  • LAB 02.1 - Configure Data Plane Interfaces, Zones, and DHCP Server 
  • Day 2 Quiz 1: Data Plane and Zones
  • Day 2 Quiz 2: DHCP Services
  • Day 2: Data Plane Fundamentals & Zones | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 3: Network Address Translation (NAT)

This day delves into the essential NAT capabilities of FortiGate, covering how to translate source and destination IP addresses and ports for various network access scenarios.

11 lessons
  • NAT Fundamentals: Understanding Network Address Translation (NAT) and Port Address Translation (PAT)
  • Centralized Source NAT Policy: Using the outbound interface IP address (PAT).
  • Dynamic IP Pools: Configuring a range of public IP addresses for one-to-one mapping.
  • Virtual IPs (VIPs): Mapping external IP addresses/ports to internal servers
  • Port Forwarding: Translating specific ports to different internal ports (e.g., external 8080 to internal 80)
  • NAT with and without Zones.
  • LAB 03.1 - Source NAT (SNAT) with PAT and Dynamic IP Pools
  • LAB 03.2: Destination NAT (DNAT) with Virtual IPs (VIPs)
  • Day 3 Quiz 1: NAT Fundamentals
  • Day 3 Quiz 2: Advanced NAT Configuration
  • Day 3: Network Address Translation (NAT) | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 4: Firewall Policies Basics

This day establishes a strong understanding of FortiGate firewall policies, their essential components, and how they determine what traffic is allowed or blocked.

13 lessons
  • Firewall Policy Fundamentals: Core component of FortiGate, controlling traffic flow.
  • Incoming and Outgoing Interfaces/Zones
  • Source and Destination Address Objects (IP addresses, subnets, FQDN, geographic-based ISDB)
  • Service Definitions (HTTP, HTTPS, ICMP, ALL)
  • Schedules for time-based policy enforcement
  • Policy Processing Order: Top-to-bottom evaluation, implicit deny
  • Action Types: Accept (Permit) vs. Deny (Drop)
  • Logging: Logging all sessions vs. security events.
  • LAB 04.1 - Basic Firewall Policy Configuration & Logging
  • LAB 04.2 - Blocking ICMP Traffic to a Specific Destination
  • Day 4 Quiz 1: Firewall Policy Fundamentals
  • Day 4 Quiz 2: Advanced Firewall Policy Concepts
  • Day 4: Firewall Policies Basics | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 5: Static Routing, Failover, ECMP & Policy Routes

This day covers how FortiGate makes routing decisions, focusing on static routes, how to implement redundancy with failover, and how to distribute traffic using ECMP. Also we discuss how Policy routes works and traffic is routed according to the policies.

16 lessons
  • What is IP Routing? FortiGate as an IP router, forwarding packets, local-out traffic
  • Routing Table (RIB & FIB): Components (Network, Gateway IP, Interface, Distance, Metric, Priority)
  • Route Lookup Process
  • Static Routes: Configuring default routes (0.0.0.0/0), next-hop, and outgoing interface
  • Administrative Distance: Tie-breaker for different route sources, preference (lower is better)
  • Static Route Failover: Using administrative distance and priority to create primary and backup routes
  • Equal Cost Multi-Path (ECMP): Load balancing traffic across multiple equal-cost paths (same destination, distance, metric, priority).
  • ECMP Load Balancing Algorithms (Source IP, Source-Destination IP, Weighted)
  • Understanding and Configuring Policy Routes in FortiGate
  • LAB 05.1 - Static Routing Between Networks – Initial Build
  • LAB 05.2 - Floating Static Routes (Default Route Failover)
  • LAB 05.3 - Equal Cost Multi-Path (ECMP) Load Balancing
  • LAB 05.4 - Policy Based Routing (PBR)
  • Day 5 Quiz 1: Static Routing Fundamentals
  • Day 5 Quiz 2: Advanced Static Routing & Failover
  • Day 5: Static Routing, Failover, ECMP & Policy Routes | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 6: Dynamic Routing Protocols (RIP, OSPF, BGP)

This day introduces dynamic routing protocols, explaining their purpose and providing hands-on experience with configuring RIP, OSPF, and BGP on FortiGate firewalls.

12 lessons
  • Introduction to Dynamic Routing: Automating routing table updates for large networks
  • Routing Information Protocol (RIP): Simple distance-vector protocol, configuration on FortiGate
  • Open Shortest Path First (OSPF): Link-state protocol, concept of areas (Area 0 Backbone), router ID, configuring interfaces in areas
  • Border Gateway Protocol (BGP): Inter-Autonomous System routing, local AS, neighbors, network advertisements
  • Administrative distance values for RIP (120), OSPF (110), BGP (200 for external, 20 for internal).
  • LAB 06.1 - Routing Information Protocol (RIP)
  • LAB 06.2 - Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)
  • LAB 06.3 - Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)
  • LAB 06.4 - Border Gateway Protocol (iBGP)
  • Day 6 Quiz 1: Dynamic Routing Protocols (RIP, OSPF, BGP)
  • Day 6 Quiz 2: Dynamic Routing Protocols (RIP, OSPF, BGP)
  • Day 6: Dynamic Routing Protocols (RIP, OSPF, BGP) | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 7: Digital Certificates & SSL/TLS Inspection Fundamentals

This day lays the groundwork for SSL/TLS inspection by reviewing digital certificate concepts, their management on FortiGate, and the underlying principles of decrypting and inspecting encrypted traffic.

13 lessons
  • Digital Certificates: Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), Certificate Authorities (CAs), X.509 standard, Public/Private Key pairs, self-signed certificates
  • Encryption Basics: Symmetric vs. Asymmetric encryption, hashing, digital signatures
  • Certificate Management on FortiGate: Importing trusted CAs, generating CSRs, importing signed certificates, generating local certificates
  • SSL/TLS Inspection Fundamentals: Why inspect encrypted traffic, concepts of Full SSL Inspection (Deep Packet Inspection, Application Layer Visibility), Certificate Inspection
  • Role of certificates in SSL/TLS inspection (FortiGate acts as a transparent proxy).
  • LAB 07.1 - Digital Certificates – Importing CA Certificate into FortiGate
  • LAB 07.2 - Digital Certificates – Generating CSR and Installing Signed Certificate
  • LAB 07.3 - Digital Certificates – SCEP (NDES) Configuration on FortiGate
  • LAB 07.4 - Digital Certificates – Self-Signed Certificate Generation
  • LAB 07.5 - CRL (Certificate Revocation List) – Using Online Server (DTKCA-LAB-DC01)
  • Day 7 Quiz 01: Digital Certificates & SSL/TLS Inspection Fundamentals
  • Day 7 Quiz 02: Digital Certificates & SSL/TLS Inspection Fundamentals
  • Day 7: Digital Certificates & SSL/TLS Inspection Fundamentals | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 8: Outbound SSL/TLS Inspection Configuration

This day focuses on configuring FortiGate to decrypt and inspect outbound encrypted traffic originating from internal clients, ensuring they trust the FortiGate's re-signed certificates.

10 lessons
  • Outbound SSL Inspection Profile Creation: Deep Inspection profile, choosing a signing certificate (FortiGate's own CA or an imported one)
  • Attaching the SSL Inspection Profile to a Firewall Policy
  • Client Trust Requirements: Endpoints must trust the FortiGate's signing CA
  • SSL Exemptions: Exempting specific web categories (e.g., Finance, Health) or FQDNs from inspection
  • Troubleshooting outbound SSL inspection (missing security profiles, untrusted CA)
  • LAB 08.1 - Outbound SSL/TLS Inspection Configuration – Profile Creation
  • Day 8 Quiz 01: Outbound SSL Inspection Basics
  • Day 8 Quiz 02: SSL Inspection Configuration & Troubleshooting
  • Day 8: Outbound SSL/TLS Inspection Configuration | Class Recording 🔴🎥
  • Day 8: Outbound SSL/TLS Inspection Configuration | Class Recording 🔴🎥 (B1 Recording)

Day 9: Inbound SSL/TLS Inspection Configuration

This day covers the configuration of inbound SSL inspection to protect internal web servers by allowing the FortiGate to decrypt and inspect incoming encrypted traffic.

10 lessons
  • Inbound SSL Inspection Concept: Protecting internal servers from encrypted threats
  • Exporting Web Server Certificates with Private Keys: Process for IIS servers (PFX format)
  • Importing Certificate and Private Key to FortiGate
  • Configuring Inbound SSL Inspection Profile: Using the web server's certificate
  • Attaching to a firewall policy for traffic to the DMZ server
  • Troubleshooting inbound SSL inspection (file filtering issues, inspection not enabled)
  • LAB 09.1 - Inbound SSL/TLS Inspection – Configuration for DMZ Web Server
  • Day 9 Quiz 01: Inbound SSL/TLS Inspection Basics
  • Day 9 Quiz 02: Inbound SSL Inspection Configuration & Troubleshooting
  • Day 9: Inbound SSL/TLS Inspection Configuration | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 10: Antivirus Configuration

This day focuses on FortiGate's antivirus features, exploring different scanning modes, advanced detection techniques, and how to configure antivirus profiles.

10 lessons
  • FortiGate Antivirus Capabilities: Stopping viruses and malware
  • Antivirus Components: Signature databases (FortiGuard AV service), AI scan, Grayware scan
  • Antivirus Scanning Modes: Flow-based inspection (optimizes performance)
  • Antivirus Scanning Modes: Proxy-based inspection (more features, thorough, requires >2GB RAM)
  • Advanced AV Features: Virus outbreak prevention (VOS), External Malware Blocklist, EMS Threat Feed, Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR)
  • Configuring Protocol Options for AV inspection.
  • LAB 10.1 - Antivirus Configuration – New Antivirus Profile Setup
  • Day 10 Quiz 01: Antivirus Protection & Components
  • Day 10 Quiz 02: Antivirus Features & Configuration
  • Day 10: Antivirus Configuration | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 11: Web Filtering Configuration

This day covers the comprehensive web filtering capabilities of FortiGate, allowing granular control over web access based on categories, URLs, and user actions.

11 lessons
  • Web Filtering Overview: Controlling web traffic (URL filtering, web content filtering, FortiGuard Web Filtering service)
  • FortiGuard Categories: Websites categorized, actions (Allow, Block, Warn, Authenticate, Quotas)
  • Creating Web Filter Profiles: Flow-based vs. Proxy-based
  • URL Filtering: Blocking/exempting specific URLs (static URL filters, wildcards, regular expressions)
  • Safe Search enforcement
  • Troubleshooting web filtering (FortiGuard connection status, log analysis).
  • LAB 11.1 - Web Filtering Configuration – FortiGuard Category-Based Filtering
  • LAB 11.2 - Web Filtering – Custom URL Filtering (Static URL Block List)
  • Day 11 Quiz 01: Web Filtering Basics & Components
  • Day 11 Quiz 02: Web Filtering Profiles & Troubleshooting
  • Day 11: Web Filtering Configuration | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 12: DNS Filtering

This day explores FortiGate's DNS filtering capabilities, demonstrating how to prevent access to malicious and inappropriate websites at the DNS resolution stage.

10 lessons
  • DNS Filtering for Security: Protecting against malicious domains, botnet, and command & control (C2) servers
  • FortiGuard Category-Based DNS Filtering: Blocking domains based on FortiGuard categories
  • Static Domain Filters: Blocking or redirecting specific domain names (wildcards, regular expressions, exact strings)
  • External IP Blocklists: Importing lists of known malicious IP addresses for DNS filtering
  • Monitoring DNS filter logs and botnet activity widgets
  • Troubleshooting DNS filtering issues.
  • LAB 12.1 - DNS Filtering Configuration – Security Profile Setup
  • Day 12 Quiz 01: DNS Filtering Basics & Components
  • Day 12 Quiz 02: DNS Filtering Configuration & Troubleshooting
  • Day 12: DNS Filtering | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 13: Application Control

This day introduces the core concepts of application control, explaining how FortiGate achieves deep visibility into network applications and the various ways to classify and act upon them.

10 lessons
  • Application Control Overview: Identifying and controlling applications beyond ports and protocols
  • Uses the IPS Engine: Flow-based scanning for application detection
  • Application Categories: FortiGuard-defined application categories
  • Application Signatures: Detection based on application-specific patterns
  • Vendor-based Control: Matching applications based on their vendor (e.g., Meta/Facebook)
  • Action Types: Monitor, Block, Allow, Quarantine
  • LAB 13.1 - Application Control Configuration – Application Filtering Profile
  • Day 13 Quiz 01: Application Control Basics & Categories
  • Day 13 Quiz 02: Application Control Features & Configuration
  • Day 13: Application Control | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 14: Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

This day covers the Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) on FortiGate, demonstrating how to deploy sensors to protect against a wide range of network attacks and exploits.

12 lessons
  • IPS Overview: Detecting and preventing network attacks, protecting against exploits
  • IPS Components: IPS signature databases, protocol decoders, IPS engine
  • IPS Sensors: Collections of IPS signatures and filters, severity levels
  • Action Types: Block, Reset, Monitor, Quarantine for specific signatures
  • Blocking Malicious URLs/Command and Control (C2) traffic
  • Vulnerability Types: SQL Injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), Buffer Overflows, Path Traversal, Code Injection
  • Monitoring IPS logs and security dashboard
  • LAB 14.1 - Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) – Profile Configuration and Deployment
  • Day 14 Quiz 01: IPS Overview & Components
  • Day 14 Quiz 02: IPS Action Types & Vulnerabilities
  • Day 14: Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) | Class Recording 🔴🎥
  • Day 14: Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) Part II (Practical) | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 15: DoS Prevention

This day focuses on FortiGate's Denial of Service (DoS) prevention mechanisms, covering how to configure policies to detect and mitigate various flood and scanning attacks.

12 lessons
  • Denial of Service (DoS) Prevention Overview: Protecting network resources from flood attacks
  • DoS Policy Configuration: Defining source/destination, service, and anomaly thresholds
  • ICMP Flood Protection: Detecting and blocking excessive ICMP packets to a destination
  • TCP SYN Flood Protection: Mitigating SYN flood attacks by setting thresholds for TCP SYN requests
  • ICMP Sweep Detection: Identifying attackers scanning multiple IPs with ICMP
  • TCP Port Scan Detection: Blocking clients attempting to scan ports on internal servers
  • Quarantine Action for Attackers (CLI): Blocking source IP for a period (e.g., 5 minutes)
  • Monitoring DoS anomaly logs
  • LAB 15.1 - Denial of Service (DoS) Prevention – Policy Configuration
  • Day 15 Quiz 01: DoS Prevention Overview & Policy Configuration
  • Day 15 Quiz 02: DoS Protection Techniques & Troubleshooting
  • Day 15: DoS Prevention | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 16: Site-to-Site IPsec VPN

This day provides a deep dive into Site-to-Site IPsec VPNs, covering both wizard-based and manual configuration, and ensuring proper routing and firewall policies for secure inter-network communication.

12 lessons
  • IPsec VPN Basics: Benefits (secure remote access), encapsulation (tunnel mode), negotiation, authentication
  • IKE Phase 1 & Phase 2: Understanding the two phases of tunnel establishment, proposals (encryption, hashing, DH groups), selectors (encryption domain)
  • IPsec Wizard: Simplifying configuration for site-to-site VPNs
  • Manual IPsec Configuration: Configuring Phase 1 (Network, Authentication, Proposals, XAUTH) and Phase 2 (Selectors, Proposals) settings
  • Route-Based IPsec VPNs: Using virtual tunnel interfaces
  • Firewall Policies for IPsec Traffic: Allowing traffic through the VPN tunnel
  • Troubleshooting IPsec VPNs (Phase 1/2 mismatches, routing, permissions)
  • LAB 16.1 - Site-to-Site IPsec VPN – Wizard and Custom Configuration
  • LAB 16.2 - Site-to-Site IPsec VPN – Certificate-Based Authentication
  • Day 16 Quiz 01: IPsec VPN Overview & Configuration
  • Day 16 Quiz 02: IPSec Configuration & Troubleshooting
  • Day 16: Site-to-Site IPsec VPN | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 17: SSL VPN (Remote Access)

This day focuses on configuring SSL VPN for remote access, including portal and IP pool setup, split tunneling, and integrating with firewall policies for secure client connectivity.

13 lessons
  • SSL VPN Overview: Providing remote users secure access to the internal network
  • SSL VPN Deployment Modes: Focusing on Tunnel Mode using FortiClient (virtual adapter)
  • SSL VPN Portals: Configuring portal settings, split tunneling (policy-based destination), enabling/disabling web mode
  • IP Pools: Defining IP address ranges for SSL VPN clients
  • SSL VPN Settings: Defining listeners (interface, port), authentication realms
  • Firewall Policies for SSL VPN: Allowing access from SSL VPN interface to internal resources
  • FortiClient Usage: Connecting to SSL VPN
  • Troubleshooting SSL VPN (routing, permissions, portal settings)
  • LAB 17.1 - SSL VPN (Remote Access) – FortiGate Server Configuration
  • LAB 17.2 - IPsec VPN (Remote Access) – FortiClient Configuration
  • Day 17 Quiz 01: SSL VPN Overview & Configuration
  • Day 17 Quiz 02: SSL VPN Portal & Troubleshooting
  • Day 17: SSL VPN (Remote Access) | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 18: User Authentication & Two-Factor Authentication

This day teaches how FortiGate controls user access to the network, not administrators. Learners configure identity-based firewall rules and secure users with authentication and 2FA.

12 lessons
  • User Authentication: Why User Authentication is Needed
  • Local Accounts: Creating and managing local user accounts
  • Remote Server Accounts: Integrating with external authentication servers (LDAP, RADIUS) for user and administrator authentication
  • Authentication Policies: Enforcing authentication for traffic flows (Active/Passive)
  • Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enhancing security for admin and user access
  • FortiToken: Generating One-Time Passwords (OTPs), time-based, FortiToken Mobile, Push Notifications
  • NTP server importance for 2FA synchronization
  • LAB 18.1 - User Authentication – Local & LDAP Integration
  • LAB 18.2 - Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) – Email-Based OTP
  • Day 18 Quiz 01: Administrator Access Control & Authentication
  • Day 18 Quiz 02: Two-Factor Authentication & FortiToken
  • Day 18: User Authentication & 2FA | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 19: FortiGate Administrator Authentication & 2FA

This day focuses on protecting the FortiGate itself. Learners secure administrator access using strong authentication, role-based access, local-in policies, and two-factor authentication.

8 lessons
  • Administrator Accounts on FortiGate
  • Admin Access Profiles
  • Securing Admin Login with Trusted Hosts
  • Local-In Policies (Management Traffic Control)
  • Administrator Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
  • LAB 19.1 - FortiGate Administrator Authentication & Two-Factor Authentication
  • LAB 19.2 - FortiGate Administrator Authentication using LDAP (AD Integration)
  • Day 19: FortiGate Administrator Authentication & 2FA | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 20: High Availability (HA)

This day covers the critical High Availability feature, explaining how FortiGate devices can be clustered to provide redundancy and continuous operation in case of hardware or link failures.

11 lessons
  • HA Overview: Enhanced reliability and increased performance using multiple FortiGate devices
  • HA Requirements: Same model, firmware, licensing, hard drive configuration, operating mode
  • HA Operation Modes: Active-Passive (Primary/Secondary tasks), Active-Active (session distribution)
  • HA Cluster Synchronization: Configuration, FIB entries, DHCP leases, ARP table, FortiGuard definitions, IPSec tunnel SAs
  • HA Failover Types: Detecting failures, virtual MAC addresses
  • Monitoring HA Status (GUI widget, CLI commands)
  • LAB 20.1 - High Availability (HA) – Active-Passive Configuration
  • LAB 20.2 - High Availability (HA) – Active-Active Configuration
  • Day 20 Quiz 01: High Availability (HA) Overview & Configuration
  • Day 20 Quiz 02: HA Operation Modes & Troubleshooting
  • Day 20: High Availability (HA) | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 21: SD-WAN Configuration

This day introduces FortiGate's SD-WAN capabilities, covering how to configure zones, add interfaces as members, and create rules to intelligently steer traffic across multiple WAN links.

9 lessons
  • SD-WAN Overview: Software-defined approach to steer WAN traffic, use cases (DIA, site-to-site)
  • SD-WAN Components: Members (physical/logical interfaces), Zones (logical grouping of members)
  • SD-WAN Rules: Defining traffic steering policies based on criteria (source/destination, internet service, application)
  • Traffic Steering Strategies: Manual (interface preference), Best Quality (based on SLA measurements like latency, jitter, packet loss), Lowest Cost
  • Monitoring SD-WAN (traffic logs, link usage, quality status)
  • LAB 21.1 - SD-WAN Configuration – Traffic Steering through DTKCA-FGT-2
  • Day 21 Quiz 01: SD-WAN Overview & Core Components
  • Day 21 Quiz 02 : SD-WAN Rules & Monitoring
  • Day 21: SD-WAN Configuration | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 22: Fortinet Security Fabric

This day covers the Fortinet Security Fabric, a powerful integration of Fortinet products for unified visibility, management, and automated threat response across the network.

12 lessons
  • Fortinet Security Fabric Definition: Holistic network security solution, centralized management, automated defense
  • Participating Devices: FortiGate (root/downstream), FortiAnalyzer, FortiSandbox, FortiManager, FortiClient, etc
  • Benefits: Consistent objects, centralized logging (FortiAnalyzer/Cloud), automated actions, improved security posture
  • Deploying the Security Fabric: Adding FortiGates as downstream devices
  • Global Address Objects: Synchronizing address objects across fabric members
  • Automation Stitches: Triggers (e.g., virus logs), Actions (e.g., email notification, quarantine)
  • Security Rating: Identifying security gaps and prioritizing tasks
  • LAB 22.1 - Connecting FortiGate to FortiAnalyzer
  • LAB 22.2 - Connecting FortiGate to FortiManager
  • Day 22 Quiz 01: Security Fabric Overview & Components
  • Day 22 Quiz 02: Security Fabric Configuration & Monitoring
  • Day 22: Fortinet Security Fabric | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 23: Diagnostics & Troubleshooting

This day provides a deep dive into FortiGate's diagnostic tools and a structured approach to troubleshooting common network and security issues.

9 lessons
  • Troubleshooting Methodology: The RAP acronym (Routing, Address Translation, Permissions) as a guiding principle
  • General Diagnosis: Monitoring abnormal behavior, traffic spikes, physical/network layer issues
  • Packet Sniffer: Capturing traffic on interfaces, filtering options, saving as PCAP
  • Debug Flow: Real-time analysis of packet processing through FortiGate kernel
  • diagnose sys session list: Viewing active sessions, filtering by source/destination
  • execute ping, execute traceroute: Basic connectivity and path analysis
  • Log Analysis: Forward traffic logs, security event logs (AV, Web Filter, IPS, App Control)
  • CPU and Memory Diagnosis: diagnose sys top, process monitor, conserve mode, high CPU/memory troubleshooting
  • Day 23: Diagnostics & Troubleshooting | Class Recording 🔴🎥

Day 24: Course Review & Exam Preparation

This final day is dedicated to reinforcing learning, consolidating knowledge, and preparing learners for the FortiGate Administrator certification exam.

7 lessons
  • Comprehensive Review: Revisit key concepts from all modules (Fundamentals, Policies, Security Profiles, VPNs, HA, SD-WAN, Security Fabric, Troubleshooting)
  • Key Configuration Steps: Summarize essential configurations for each feature
  • Common Troubleshooting Scenarios: Review previous troubleshooting assignments and discuss best practices
  • FortiGuard Services: Recap their role and importance across different security features
  • FortiGate Study Guide Navigation: How to use the official documentation for further study
  • Exam Tips and Strategies: Approach to different question types, time management
  • Day 24: Course Review & Exam Preparation | Class Recording 🔴🎥