FortiFlex

What is FortiFlex?

FortiFlex is Fortinet’s usage-based licensing solution that transforms how organizations consume and manage Fortinet security services. Instead of traditional fixed licenses, FortiFlex provides:

• Pay-as-you-use billing based on actual consumption
• API-driven automation for instant provisioning
• Flexible scaling to match business demands
• Simplified management through centralized control

Core Components

1. FortiFlex Configurations

Purpose: Templates that define the type and parameters of Fortinet products you want to deploy.

Key Features:

• Product selection (FortiGate, FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer, etc.)
• VM sizing and specifications
• Geographic region settings
• Usage parameters and limits

Example Use Cases:

• Standard FortiGate configuration for branch offices
• High-performance setup for data centers
• Development/testing environments

2. Entitlements

Purpose: Individual instances of deployed Fortinet products that consume FortiFlex points.

Key Features:

• Unique serial numbers for each deployment
• Real-time usage tracking
• Dynamic scaling capabilities
• License lifecycle management

Billing Model:

• Charged by points per hour of operation
• Different VM sizes consume different point rates
• Automatic billing integration with Fortinet accounts

3. FortiFlex WebUI

Access: https://support.fortinet.com → FortiFlex section

Key Features:

• Configuration management dashboard
• Real-time usage monitoring
• Entitlement lifecycle operations
• Cost tracking and reporting
• User access management

Navigation Overview:

FortiFlex Dashboard
├── Configurations
│   ├── Create New Configuration
│   ├── Manage Existing Configurations
│   └── Configuration Templates
├── Entitlements
│   ├── Active Entitlements
│   ├── Create New Entitlement
│   └── Entitlement History
├── Usage & Billing
│   ├── Current Usage
│   ├── Billing History
│   └── Cost Projections
└── Administration
    ├── User Management
    ├── API Keys
    └── Notifications

4. FortiFlex API

API Documentation: FNDN

Base URL: `https://support.fortinet.com/ES/api/fortiflex/v2/'

Authentication: API key-based authentication

API Benefits:

• Programmatic control over all FortiFlex operations
• Integration with CI/CD pipelines
• Automated scaling based on metrics
• Custom billing and reporting solutions

Useful Resources

Documentation

• FortiFlex Docs
• API Documentation

Tools & Integrations

• FortiFlex Calculator: Estimate your FortiFlex costs
• Code: Ansible, Terraform, Python, and Postman
• Terraform Provider: Infrastructure-as-code integration
• Ansible Module: https://galaxy.ansible.com/ui/repo/published/fortinet/fortiflexvm/

Now that you understand the FortiFlex components, let’s get hands-on experience with the platform.