Fortigate Vm Sizing Azure _verified_ May 2026

For sizing a FortiGate-VM on Microsoft Azure, the most critical factor is aligning your vCPU count with your Fortinet license (BYOL) or choosing an Azure instance family that maximizes throughput and network interface (NIC) support . Core Sizing Recommendations

For environments above 2 Gbps, consider FortiGate-VM with vSRX or native Azure Firewall Premium for cost comparison – FGT-VM often wins on features but not always on raw Azure throughput. fortigate vm sizing azure

Key Takeaway: If you purchase a VM04 license but deploy a 32-vCPU Azure instance, your throughput will cap at 5 Gbps (Firewall). Conversely, if you purchase a VMXL license but deploy a small instance, you are limited by the instance's hardware. For sizing a FortiGate-VM on Microsoft Azure ,

Compute Optimized (F-Series / Fs-Series): Best for high-performance security processing where CPU speed is critical . [ ] Production expected throughput (clean traffic) measured

The "Series" you choose in Azure dictates the underlying hardware and network bandwidth.

9. Sizing Checklist for Azure Deployment

[ ] Production expected throughput (clean traffic) measured
[ ] SSL inspection required? (Y/N → +vCPUs)
[ ] Number of IPsec tunnels (<50 / 50-200 / >200)
[ ] Azure region selected – some regions have different VM availability
[ ] License SKU matches or exceeds VM size throughput
[ ] VM family = D-series v3/v4 or E-series
[ ] Data disk = Premium SSD (minimum 128 GB)
[ ] HA planned – two identical VMs + Azure LB
[ ] Tested with expected traffic profile using iPerf3 from Azure test VMs

Recommended Families (Best to Good)

| Family | Example Size | vCPUs | Memory | Best For | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | D-Series v5 (Dsv5) | Standard_D2s_v5 | 2 | 8 GB | General purpose – ideal for most. High CPU perf, fair price. | | D-Series v4 (Dsv4) | Standard_D4s_v4 | 4 | 16 GB | Mature, widely available, good for mid-range. | | F-Series (Fsv2) | Standard_F4s_v2 | 4 | 8 GB | CPU-optimized – excellent for IPsec VPN termination. | | E-Series (Esv5) | Standard_E4s_v5 | 4 | 32 GB | Memory-heavy – only needed for huge session tables (>2M). | | B-Series (Burstable) | Standard_B2s | 2 | 4 GB | NOT recommended for production – CPU credits run out quickly. |