Description | This article describes how to fix issues while registering an HA cluster of FortiGates VMs on FortiManager after changing the FortiGates' licenses. |
Scope | FortiGate, FortiManager. |
Solution |
If the license of a FortiGate changes due to any reason:
The FortiGate will reboot to validate the new license against FortiGuard. During this process, it will rebuild the self-sign certificates since the serial number of the FortiGate-VM will change. These certificates include the 'Fortinet_Factory' certificate: the one used for the FortiGate to negotiate the TLS connection with the FortiManager.
If the FortiGate is part of an HA CLUSTER with default settings, it could end in the following error:
At the end of the process, both devices will have the wrong certificates since it would have the old serial number on it, and both units have different serial numbers after activating the licenses.
It is important to mention that the 'Fortinet_Factory' CERTIFICATE cannot be forced to regenerate through the CLI.
Run the following CLI debug commands on both sides:
Debug on FortiGate:
diag debug reset diag debug application fgfm 255 diag debug console time enable diag debug enable
Debug on FortiManager:
diag debug reset diag debug application fgfmsd 255 <deviceName> diag debug time enable diag debug enable
This will show that FortiManager is ending the TLS connection due to 'write fatal alert: unknown CA'.
FGFMs: issuer matching...try next if not match... local_issuer(support), remote_CA_subject(support)
Since the actual serial numbers does not match with the serial number received on the certificate, the FortiManager will be considered to be a 'man-in-the-middle' (MITM) attack and the TLS communication will end.
To solve this issue:
Option 1: Upload licenses in both instances at the same time. Both will reboot and both will regenerate certificates.
Option 2 (recommended): Change HA settings on both devices to use 'overwrite enable' and set a higher priority only on the unit that will upload the new license first. When it rejoins the HA cluster, it will take the role of the primary unit and it will not sync previous certificates.
On the primary:
config system ha set override enable set priority 255 end
On the secondary:
config system ha set override enable end
Related article: Technical Tip: How to Enable/Disable HA Override without a failover |
The Fortinet Security Fabric brings together the concepts of convergence and consolidation to provide comprehensive cybersecurity protection for all users, devices, and applications and across all network edges.
Copyright 2025 Fortinet, Inc. All Rights Reserved.