Network security appliances manufacturer Fortinet is touting its latest Secure Wireless LAN solution, this one designed for distributed SMBs.
The Fortinet Secure WLAN integrates wireless and wired access, security, authentication, switching, and management in a system that enables system-wide policy enforcement. With it, administrators gain a unified solution that provides unmatched protection, superior TCO, and granular control through user authentication and device visibility across the entire network.
“Because of the explosive growth of mobile devices and applications in the workplace, networks need to be re-architected for low latency, increased throughput, and of course strong security,” says Rohit Mehra, IDC’s vice president of network infrastructure. “Solutions such as Fortinet’s new Secure WLAN solution address the major pain points that distributed enterprises face today, securely accommodating the exponential grown of BYOD for both employee and guest access, identifying and mitigating security issues, and reducing costs and complexities associated with provisioning and managing overlay wireless networks.”†
Features of Secure WLAN
Fortinet’s Secure WLAN solution integrates security into the fabric of the network to help SMBs address enterprise mobility. Key features of the product include:
- Integrated Security—This gives administrators a streamlined, single-pane-of-glass to manage users and devices as well as unified policy enforcement across wired and wireless networks.
- Low Total Cost of Ownership—No need to purchase separate WLAN controllers and no per AP and cloud management licensing fees.
- Device Visibility—This enables organizations to define and enforce policies based on device types. Mobile device access (iPhone, Android, etc.) is configured by on-boarding the device via user and device authentication and applying a per device and user policy.
- Authentication—Integrated authentication with single sign-on and policy enforcement across access points, security appliances, and switched devices.
- Scalability—Supports both centralized, mesh, and distributed controller-less access point deployments, with a variety of indoor, outdoor and remote APs.†
Other Product Releases
As part of the solution, Fortinet unveiled new wired and wireless products: the FortiSwitch-28C and FortiSwitch-348B Ethernet switches and FortiAP-14C and FortiAP-28C wireless access points.
The FortiSwitches provide integration of various Fortinet technologies. Furthermore, this enables power delivery to FortiVoice IP phones, FortiCam IP surveillance cameras, and other devices, like retail PoS devices. The new FortiAPs are small, plug-and-play 802.11n wireless access points that enable organizations to securely extend wireless access to branch and home offices while retaining centralized management and policy control.
Switch and AP management, as well as user and device policy enforcement, is powered by Fortinet FortiGate security appliances, which integrate advanced firewall protection, VPN connectivity, endpoint, and application control, Web filtering, antimalware, and data loss prevention.
Additionally, for SMBs that require two-factor authentication, the Fortinet Secure WLAN solution seamlessly supports FortiAuthenticator series of authentication appliances that deliver both hardware token and soft token-based two-factor authentication to any third-party device.
“No other vendor provides such a complete, highly secure end-to-end, wired and wireless solution for the distributed enterprise,” said John Maddison, vice president of marketing at Fortinet.
Availability
The FortiSwitch-28C and FortiSwitch-348B secure Ethernet switches and the FortiAP-14C and FortiAP-28C access points are available now from authorized resellers around the world.
