Unreliable SSL VPN Performance and Poor Support Experience
We've been using Fortinet for a long time and renewing their premium support contracts every year, expecting reliable help for business needs like SSL VPN. However, our recent experience has been very disappointing, and I wanted to share this to see if others have faced similar issues.
We raised a ticket about an SSL VPN problem where the VPN connects initially, but after a few minutes, we lose access to LAN services and the internet, even though the VPN still shows as 'connected.' Despite providing all the necessary details - configuration files, logs, and background information, support didn't attempt any troubleshooting. Instead, their first response focused on licensing, suggesting we might need FortiClient/EMS licenses before they could help. This makes no sense since SSL VPN is a built-in feature of Fortigate, and we're using the free FortiClient from Fortinet's website.
The support process was frustrating and unprofessional. We received repeated reminders stating that support hadn't heard from us, even though we had already provided updates and attached the requested files. Additionally, they claimed to have tried calling us, but no calls were ever received on our end. To make matters worse, the ticket was eventually closed without the issue being resolved, with the reasoning that no updates were provided from our side.
This has left us questioning whether renewing the premium support contract with Fortinet is worth it. If Fortinet is only selling the hardware box and providing firmware updates as the core benefit of their premium support, they should clearly state that upfront. Right now, the quality of support feels no better than what you'd get from a community forum for open-source solutions.
Has anyone else experienced similar issues with Fortinet SSL VPN or their support recently? Do you think their support quality has declined? We hope Fortinet starts addressing these concerns soon, as it feels like customer satisfaction and proper issue resolution are no longer a priority.