Cyber security provider Fortinet has announced new product and service additions to its FortiFlex partner program, which it says will provide customers with further flexible licensing options.
The FortiFlex program provides partners with a complete suite of virtualized solutions for protecting cloud and virtual data center deployments.
With its latest expansion, the initiative now offers usage-based licensing for a range of solutions across cloud, hybrid cloud, and on-premises.
This licensing model features a points system that has been designed to make it easier to understand available balance, usage trends, and total spend, with organizations charged in 24-hour periods to help IT teams tailor their daily deployments.
Points can be used to deploy any mix of cloud and virtual machine offerings and services for on-premises deployments, while customers can also leverage the budget committed to cloud service providers to purchase points.
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The program also allows MSSPs to use a single FortiFlex account to pool licenses across their entire customer base to efficiently migrate and reassign without overbuying.
Fortinet said these changes will enable businesses to reduce excessive procurement cycles for new security solutions, simplify deployment of new services through its APIs, as well as optimize cloud spend and return on investment (ROI).
“The solutions organizations deploy today are becoming more flexible to support highly distributed users and applications,” said John Maddison, EVP products and CMO at Fortinet. “Licensing models should be just as flexible.
“That’s why we’re excited to expand our FortiFlex program to give customers more licensing options to utilize Fortinet solutions and services according to their evolving needs.”
Hybrid mesh firewall support
Fortinet has also bolstered its partner program with FortiGuard AI-powered Security Services and FortiCare technical support for multiple entry and mid-range physical FortiGate next-generation firewalls (NGFWs).
Backed by the FortiOS operating system and the Forti Manager unified management console, all FortiGate NGFWs support hybrid mesh firewall technology, which protects multiple areas of enterprise IT through the coordination of threat intelligence and security policies across firewalls.
With the expanded licensing, Fortinet says customers now have more options to build and implement a hybrid mesh firewall architecture.
AWS Marketplace
Additionally, Fortinet also revealed that FortiFlex is now available as a private offer in AWS Marketplace to support customers using the AWS Enterprise Discount Program (EDP).
AWS EDP offers high-volume AWS account owners a discount in exchange for a minimum spending threshold.
FortiFlex will help these users reduce their minimum threshold and spending liability by converting portions to FortiFlex points – an option that Fortinet says will ultimately help customers secure the best price for AWS as well as leverage its networking products and services.
