5G is making WAN technologies ultra-fast, accelerating the ability for organizations to become more distributed. Advanced cellular technology makes Wireless WAN not only a useful, but downright sensible. Especially when compared to conventional WAN infrastructure options. And as the common ‘work from anywhere’ business culture becomes the new normal, the need for reliable, high-performance WAN that can reach out to anywhere will only continue. Enter the FortiExtender 511F.
FortiExtenders are truly plug-and-play. Once connected to the FortiGate, they simply show up in FortiOS, providing single pane of glass management.
The FortiExtender 511F connects to the FortiGate using a standard Ethernet cable. They can be physically separated from the FortiGate, which allows for installation near a window or outdoors to optimize signal strength.
Security – The cost of 5G Connectivity?
The cause for this massive shift toward 5G adoption is the urgent need for high-performance wireless connectivity. Connectivity across an ever-expanding edge, whether it’s remote workers, applications, systems, or Point of Sale solutions. For example, retailers today depend on WWAN more than ever to maintain inventory, manage pricing, and empower real-time customer service. But connectivity is not enough. Building out a 5G strategy must integrate both networking and security.
Enter Fortinet
5G offers up to ten times the speed of conventional LTE. This rigorous connectivity makes industrial systems, hyperconnected city networks, and multi-site retail locations possible that simply weren’t with LTE cellular connectivity. However, scaling operations outward with 5G demands that security keep pace. This is a huge challenge, because most security systems simply can’t sustain support for true 5G performance. And worse, most solution providers today provide either 5G connectivity or network security, not both.
But at Fortinet, we see networking and security as inseparable.
Here’s FortiExtender 511F – 5G for SD-WAN
FortiExtender has long been a key part of Fortinet’s Security-driven networking. It gives you secure and resilient LTE connectivity for any ecosystem. However, with the introduction of FortiExtender 511F, you can now leverage the power of Fortinet’s enterprise-grade security at the ultra-fast speed of 5G.
In addition to the pure performance that 5G offers, the FEX-511F also provides unique integration capabilities through Fortinet’s Secure SD-WAN. This enables deep application identification, including for encrypted traffic. It also features advanced application and networking capabilities like dynamic multi-path steering and self-healing connections. This means you can quickly and easily access business-critical applications everywhere.
Fortinet is the only vendor to provide integrated SD-WAN, NGFW, and 5G controller operating through a common operating system, FortiOS.
FEX-511F: Flexible LAN/WAN Connectivity
Overall, the FEX-511F is similar to the FEX-211E in form, and port arrangement. It 511F offers four LAN Ethernet ports. These enable multiple connections to the LTE connection. Each connected FortiGate can be directly connected to the FortiExtender. It also has an SFP port, and a 5G Sub-6 internal modem.
FortiExtender offers wireless connectivity for nearly any network. Whether mobile sites, vehicle fleets, field forces, or OT and IoT environments, a FortiExtender exists to help you gain resilient, high-performance connectivity. Anywhere.
And Corporate Armor is here to help you make the very best decision for your networking and security needs, and we are happy to answer all of your questions. So email us, or call 877-449-0458. Thanks for reading!