Do we need to replace our existing internet connections?

No. SD-WAN sits on top of your existing connections — NBN, ethernet, 4G — and manages them intelligently. You can also add new connections as needed.

How is this different from a VPN?

SD-WAN does everything a VPN does but adds application-aware routing, automatic failover, QoS, and centralised management. Plus, Fortinet SD-WAN includes a full next-gen firewall at every site.

What happens during deployment — is there downtime?

Zero-touch provisioning means the FortiGate arrives preconfigured. Cutover is planned outside business hours and typically takes minutes per site.

Can SD-WAN replace our MPLS?

Yes. Most businesses achieve 40-60% cost savings by replacing MPLS with broadband + SD-WAN while maintaining or improving application performance.

What if we only have two sites?

SD-WAN scales from two sites to hundreds. Even a two-site deployment benefits from automatic failover, application optimisation, and integrated security.

Is the security really as good as a standalone firewall?

FortiGate is consistently rated a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for both SD-WAN and network firewalls. You get enterprise-grade security built into every appliance.

Who manages the SD-WAN day to day?

PCONNECT provides fully managed SD-WAN including 24/7 SOC monitoring, firmware updates, policy changes, and capacity management. Your IT team gets dashboard access without the management burden.

Fortinet-Powered SD-WAN

Managed SD-WAN

Fortinet-powered SD-WAN with integrated next-gen security. Replace expensive MPLS, simplify multi-site networking, and get 24/7 managed SOC — all from PCONNECT.

FortiManager

Branch 1

Branch 2

Remote

FortiManager

Branch 1

Branch 2

Remote

Get an SD-WAN Assessment 1300 049 211

MPLS Cost Reduction

Minutes to Deploy

Uptime SLA

0/7

Managed SOC

Why SD-WAN

Traditional WAN vs Fortinet SD-WAN

See how managed SD-WAN compares to traditional MPLS and hub-and-spoke networking.

Traditional WAN / MPLS

Expensive MPLS circuits with long lead times

Rigid hub-and-spoke topology — all traffic backhauled through HQ

No integrated security — separate firewall appliances needed

Manual configuration changes for each site

Limited visibility into application performance

Months to provision a new branch office

Fortinet SD-WAN

Up to 60% cost reduction by replacing MPLS with broadband + SD-WAN

Dynamic mesh topology with direct cloud breakout

NGFW, IPS, and threat detection built into every FortiGate

Centralised policy management via FortiManager

Real-time application and link performance analytics

Zero-touch provisioning — new sites in minutes, not months

Fortinet Fabric

The Fortinet SD-WAN Stack

Four integrated components working together for secure, optimised, and manageable SD-WAN.

FortiGate SD-WAN

Application-aware routing across all links
Multi-path optimisation with real-time SLA monitoring
Quality of Service (QoS) for voice, video, and critical apps
Encrypted overlay tunnels between all sites

FortiManager

Centralised orchestration of all SD-WAN policies
Zero-touch provisioning for new sites
Policy templates for rapid deployment
Role-based access control for IT teams

FortiAnalyzer

Security analytics and SIEM integration
Compliance reporting — Essential 8, PCI DSS
Network and application performance insights
Historical trend analysis and capacity planning

Cloud Orchestrator

Azure and AWS direct connect acceleration
Microsoft 365 traffic optimisation
SaaS application performance monitoring
Multi-cloud fabric with dynamic path selection

Security-First

Integrated Security at Every Edge

Unlike bolt-on security solutions, Fortinet SD-WAN includes next-gen firewall, IPS, and threat detection at every branch.

Next-Gen Firewall

Full NGFW inspection at every branch — not just the data centre

Intrusion Prevention

IPS with AI-powered threat detection across all SD-WAN traffic

Malware Protection

Inline sandboxing and antivirus powered by FortiGuard Labs

Encrypted Inspection

SSL/TLS deep inspection without performance degradation

Web Filtering

URL and content filtering to enforce acceptable use policies

Managed SOC

24/7 security operations centre monitoring all FortiGate appliances

Cloud

Cloud Application Acceleration

Optimise traffic to cloud and SaaS applications with intelligent path selection and direct breakout.

Microsoft 365

Direct breakout for Teams, SharePoint, and Outlook — bypassing backhaul to reduce latency by up to 40%

Amazon Web Services

FortiGate VM in AWS VPC with SD-WAN overlay for consistent security policy from branch to cloud

Microsoft Azure

Azure Virtual WAN integration with FortiGate NVA for secure, optimised cloud connectivity

Deployment

SD-WAN Deployment Process

From assessment to optimisation, our managed deployment ensures zero disruption to your business.

Step 1

Assessment

We audit your current WAN, applications, and bandwidth requirements across all sites.

Step 2

Design

Solution architecture including FortiGate sizing, link selection, and security policy design.

Step 3

Zero-Touch Deploy

FortiGate appliances ship to site and auto-configure via FortiManager — no on-site IT needed.

Step 4

Monitor

FortiAnalyzer provides real-time visibility into link health, security events, and application performance.

Step 5

Optimise

Ongoing policy tuning, firmware management, and capacity planning by our managed services team.

Assessment

We audit your current WAN, applications, and bandwidth requirements across all sites.

Design

Solution architecture including FortiGate sizing, link selection, and security policy design.

Zero-Touch Deploy

FortiGate appliances ship to site and auto-configure via FortiManager — no on-site IT needed.

Monitor

FortiAnalyzer provides real-time visibility into link health, security events, and application performance.

Optimise

Ongoing policy tuning, firmware management, and capacity planning by our managed services team.

Capabilities

SD-WAN Key Capabilities

Everything you need for secure, optimised, and manageable multi-site networking.

Application-Aware Routing

Route traffic based on application type, not just destination IP

Multi-Path Optimisation

Aggregate NBN, 4G, and dedicated fibre into a single WAN fabric

Zero-Touch Provisioning

Ship FortiGate to site — it configures itself automatically

Integrated NGFW

Full next-gen firewall at every branch, not just the perimeter

Compliance Reporting

Essential 8, PCI DSS, and SOC 2 compliance dashboards

AI Threat Detection

FortiGuard AI-powered threat intelligence across all traffic

SaaS Optimisation

Direct breakout for M365, Teams, Salesforce, and other SaaS apps

Centralised Management

Single pane of glass for all sites, policies, and security events

Encrypted Overlay

IPSec tunnels between all sites with AES-256 encryption

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Get an SD-WAN Assessment

Tell us about your sites, applications, and current WAN setup. We will design a Fortinet SD-WAN solution with pricing.

Get in Touch 1300 049 211