Fortigate Licenses : non comercial use

[Gilles_FTG]

Hi there,

I'm new on this forum, so i apologies in advance if my post isn't in the right place or if my language isn't appropriate enough (isn't my mother tongue). It isn't a proper technical question but I'm a bit lost about how i can contact fortinet.

So, I'm finishing my degree in Belgium and for my  last work as a student in the school, i will work in virtualized environment.

I read lightly the EULA of fortinet but i couldn’t get / find the intel i need.

Does fortinet allow users to use fortigate 60D/E without licenses ? In a legal way ?

I don't need all the functionality that come with the license and my financial pocket are pretty low but my work will be official and public so i have to be sure that everything i do and all i use is in the respect of the law and licenses.

Currently i work on a virtual fortigate who shut down every 10 - 15 days then i automatically import last configuration every time.

This works for me but I'm afraid to be fairway of the "fair use" ^^. Thank's you in advance to everone who coud help me on that,

[emnoc]

Okay if you want to use a vm-instance you can get a demo license but that would have a time limit. It's also know as trial license

2nd a hardware component can be operated without a license ( subscription ) , you can find user gear via reseller or ebay.

3rd you can do a PAYGO on host of cloud-compute if you wanted to stroke a instance and test features and need longer than  the 15 day trial license

4th you can download the ova from support and operate a trial-license good for up to 15 days

last you if you want to look at any fortinet stuff a demo site exist RO for just about everything that FTNT has out

Ken Felix Security Blog: FTNT fortinet demos (socpuppet.blogspot.com)

Ken Felix

[Yurisk]

There is no such thing "illegal" hardware D/E series firewall - when reseller/partner buys a Fortigate for end customer, once it leaves the Fortinet premises/logistics it is being, first auto registered to the reseller account on the Fortinet site, and second its Support/Updates subscription being auto started as activated on first Internet connection or 90 days (?) after shipping.  

So, even if you buy 2nd hand Forti, which is registered to its original owner as Fortinet sees it, it does not make this Fortigate "illegal", you just can't renew its Support/Subscription contracts, but firewall will continue working just fine (although w/o updates).  This is how I see this, if you mean to get lawyer's input on this I doubt you will find them on this forum.

You are not giving enough of your OPSEC to be more specific (what are your threat model?), so on a practical side of things - no, Fortinet have no way of recording whether you spun just once your downloaded FGT VM with embedded 15 days license or 15 times.  I can hardly imagine, not to say cite, a situation where ANY vendor would be financially interested/motivated to go after fair or not fair demo/learning usage of their gear, especially given that they have no means of tracking this ...

[PeroLok]

Congrats on that big step! Let u know how it goes

[markphillips324]

Hi! For student projects, Fortinet typically requires a valid Law license for even non-commercial use on physical devices like FortiGate 60D/E. They do offer trial versions with limited features for virtualized environments, but the device shutdown suggests it’s an unlicensed setup. You might want to reach out to Fortinet directly to discuss possible student or educational discounts.

[itshankwillsays]

hi! Fortinet typically requires a valid license for these devices, even in non-commercial contexts. Users can utilize trial licenses available online, which provide limited features for a short period, usually around 15 days. Although hardware can function without a subscription, it will not receive updates or support, and second-hand purchases may not be eligible for renewal of support contracts

[itshankwillsays]

I'm excited to join this forum and learn more about Fortinet's licensing policies, especially regarding non-commercial use. As a student working on a project that involves a virtualized environment, I'm trying to navigate the complexities of using FortiGate 60D/E devices legally. I've read some of the EULA, but I still have questions about whether I can utilize these devices without a license for my educational purposes. I've encountered issues with my current virtual setup shutting down every 10-15 days, which has made me concerned about compliance and fair use. If anyone has insights or experiences to share regarding demo license or student discounts, I would greatly appreciate your guidance! Thank you!

[itshankwillsays]

I'm thrilled to be part of this forum and eager to learn more about Fortinet's licensing policies, particularly in relation to non-commercial use. As a student working on a project that involves a virtualized environment & atm machine, I'm trying to understand the legalities of using FortiGate 60D/E devices. While I've reviewed some of the EULA, I still have questions about whether I can use these devices without a license for educational purposes. I've been facing issues with my current virtual setup shutting down every 10-15 days, raising concerns about compliance and fair use.

If anyone has insights or experiences regarding demo licenses or student discounts, I would greatly appreciate your guidance!

Thank you!