Fortinet announces secure SD-WAN appliances for operational technology environments

Fortinet announced the FortiGate Rugged 60F and FortiGate Rugged 60F with built-in LTE next-generation firewalls, secure SD-WAN appliances certified to perform in operational technology (OT) environments. Built for non-environmentally controlled sites, these new ruggedized versions of the FortiGate platform enable the easy deployment of Fortinet’s industry leading Secure SD-WAN solution in locations never before possible for OT organizations in industries such as utilities and energy, manufacturing, and transportation, said a statement from the company.

“The convergence of OT and IT is changing the way many organizations do business and is also opening up new security risks. It is essential that OT organizations implement security-driven networking solutions that deliver secure, reliable connectivity even in remote and harsh environments. The FortiGate Rugged 60F platform delivers Secure SD-WAN to enable OT system owners to confidently embrace digital innovation while sustaining safe and continuous operations. This news continues Fortinet’s commitment to making Secure SD-WAN available for all network edges and verticals,” said Rajesh Maurya, regional vice president, India and SAARC, Fortinet

OT networks require specialized solutions

Fundamental shifts are occurring in the way operational environments generate and collect data. In industries like manufacturing, power and utilities, oil and gas and other critical infrastructure, their distributed locations have traditionally relied on expensive leased lines or MPLS circuits to provide secure, reliable communications. SD-WAN has emerged as a modern solution for OT organizations to realize better user experience, simplified management and lower total cost of ownership, but adopting this technology requires a solution that meets the specific needs of OT environments, including space, power, security, and environmental requirements.

To address the unique concerns of OT organizations, Fortinet is releasing the FortiGate Rugged 60F and FortiGate Rugged 60F with built-in LTE, ruggedized versions of the FortiGate 60 series – the fastest, most powerful desktop Secure SD-WAN appliance and best-selling next-generation firewall with over 1.65 million units sold worldwide. The FortiGate Rugged 60F platform is a first-of-its-kind appliance that delivers the following features to support OT environments in safely and securely deploying SD-WAN:

• Small Footprint
• Flexible Mounting and Power
• Built Tough
• Built-in LTE connectivity

Fortinet Delivers Industry Leading Performance for OT

Fortinet delivers a Security-driven Networking approach to SD-WAN, converging networking and security into a unified Secure SD-WAN solution with centralized orchestration. Combined with the Fortinet Security Fabric, this gives customers one solution that covers the entire converged IT-OT network to close OT security gaps, deliver full visibility, and provide simplified management. The entire FortiGate product line delivers cybersecurity control and visibility into OT networks, with today’s announcement of a ruggedized version extending these capabilities to allow deployments on oil rigs, electrical substations, assembly lines, maritime cargos, and other harsh environmental conditions, adds the company.