Technical Tip: How to register and activate a FortiCloud account

Description

This article provides the basic steps to register for a FortiCloud account. Additional information may be found in the FortiCloud FAQ, which is available in the documentation: FortiCloud.

Scope

FortiCloud Registration.

Solution

Step 1: Select 'Activate' from Dashboard -> Status to begin the activation process.

Step 2: Create a new FortiCloud account by selecting 'Create Account'. Enter credentials and select 'Create'. If a FortiCloud account already exists, simply select the 'Login' option.

The FortiCloud activation password should use only alphanumeric characters and not contain any special characters (For example: Fortinet123). FortiOS does not support special characters when activating the FortiCloud. This applies to FortiOS on pre-v5.6.x versions.

Step 3: Verify the email account that has been specified for confirmation of the account creation.
Step 4: Log in to the FortiCloud Portal: FortiCloud.

Step 5: After login, a dashboard similar to the one shown below should be displayed.

Step 6: Return to Dashboard -> Status to verify that the FortiCloud account information is now displayed.

FortiGate Cloud activation if the appliances are in HA:

Error that is shown when registering a FortiGate in HA:

There are two ways to register FortiGate appliances to FortiGate Cloud if they are in HA. It is required that both FortiGates in HA (a-p) are registered. The devices should be registered one-by-one. There are two ways to do this.

1. Shut down one appliance at a time and register it to the FortiGate Cloud.

Or:

2. Break the HA cluster to make the devices independent, register them, and then reform the cluster.

The steps to disconnect the cluster:

1. Under the FortiGate Web GUI -> System -> HA, select the icon 'Disconnect from cluster' for a FortiGate.

2. Choose the interface input IP, and select OK.

3. Connect to the IP input during step B to activate FortiGate Cloud.

4. Repeat the above step to activate FortiGate Cloud in all FortiGates in the HA.

5. Go to FortiGate -> Dashboard -> HA Status and select the Configure button to reform the HA.

Once the procedure is completed, make sure both appliances are showing up on the FortiCloud portal. Either turn on both appliances or join the cluster again

In some cases, the procedure above is unsuccessful. Contact Support for further assistance. 

Note: If all of the settings above are checked and the logs are still not received on the FortiGate Cloud, make sure that FortiGate is running the latest firmware if using a Free Subscription with FortiGate Cloud.

Starting from February 28th, 2025, a FortiGate without an active FortiGate Cloud subscription is required to upgrade to the latest firmware patch within 7 days of a new GA patch release, or FortiGate Cloud services will be paused for that device.

This will affect the cloud retention service, where logs will not be forwarded to FortiCloud until the device is updated to the latest firmware patch if a Free FortiGate Cloud account is in use. 
See the following article: Technical Tip: Cannot connect to FortiCloud (Security enforcement change for FortiGates provisioned to FortiGate Cloud without active subscriptions).