Fortiswitch questions

[frizoeing]

Hello everyone.

I have around 20 Cisco sg500x switches that I would like to slowly move over to 248E-FPOE and 248E-POE. Right now the sg500Xs are doing L3. I plan to move L3 to my two FG100Es.

Here are my questions:

1. The "Advanced licensing feature" is only needed if I want to use dynamic routing, right? Is it a perpetual license or is it a subscription?

2. Do I need to buy any other licensing or support for the switches or are they covered under the Fortigate's UTM bundle?

3. If I have the switches connected to the gate with fortilink, can I still manage the individual switches with Web or CLI if needed?

4. With fortilink, can I daisy chain switches together? Like Gate -> switch -> another switch and still manage both switches from the Gate?

5. If a switch is first set up in standalone mode, does adding it to the Gate wipe its config?

Are there any gotchas I should prepare for or anything else I should be planning for?

Thanks for reading.

[Christian_89]

It seems like you're planning to replace your Cisco SG500X switches with Fortinet FortiSwitches (248E-FPOE and 248E-POE) and integrate them with your FortiGate firewall. Let's address your questions one by one:

1. **Advanced Licensing Feature**:
- Yes, the "Advanced licensing feature" is typically required for dynamic routing (such as OSPF or BGP) on FortiSwitches.
- Licensing for FortiSwitches can vary depending on the specific model and the licensing model offered by Fortinet. You would need to check with Fortinet or your authorized reseller to determine whether it's a perpetual license or subscription-based.

2. **Licensing and Support**:
- FortiSwitches usually require their own licensing separate from FortiGate. The FortiGate's UTM bundle typically covers security features on the firewall itself.
- Licensing and support details may change over time, so it's essential to check with Fortinet or your reseller for the most up-to-date information.

3. **Management with FortiLink**:
- When you connect FortiSwitches to the FortiGate using FortiLink, you can manage them centrally through the FortiGate's interface.
- You can also manage individual switches using the FortiGate's GUI or CLI as needed.

4. **Daisy Chaining Switches**:
- Yes, you can daisy chain FortiSwitches together through FortiLink. When properly configured, you can manage all connected switches through the FortiGate.
- This allows for easy scalability and management of multiple switches in your network.

5. **Adding a Switch to FortiGate**:
- Adding a FortiSwitch to the FortiGate through FortiLink typically does not wipe its configuration. However, it's always a good practice to back up the switch's configuration before making any changes to ensure that no data is lost during the integration process.

6. **Considerations and Planning**:
- Ensure that the FortiSwitch models you select match your network's requirements in terms of ports, PoE capabilities, and any specific features you need.
- Plan for a staged migration to minimize network disruption. This could involve moving switches one at a time or in small groups.
- Double-check compatibility and firmware requirements between your FortiGate and FortiSwitch models.
- Document your existing network configuration thoroughly before making any changes to facilitate troubleshooting if any issues arise during the migration.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding licensing, support, and specific configuration steps for your FortiSwitch models, it's recommended to reach out to Fortinet's support or your authorized Fortinet reseller. They can provide you with guidance tailored to your specific hardware and licensing needs.

[ebilcari]

in addition to point 5.

The local SW configuration will be saved in the switch and in case it is removed from FortiLink mode it will be reverted to this old configuration.
When the SW is added to the FGT the current configuration of the switch is not merged in FGT, it will appear with its default configurations.