Bank Consolidates Network and Security Capabilities through Seamless Integration of Fortinet Secure SD-WAN and FortiSASE Cloud-Delivered Security

Customer Perspectives

Around the world, retail banks face a stark choice: digitize or lose to innovative challenger banks and fintechs. One large cooperative bank is tackling this challenge head-on through a comprehensive digital transformation program spanning its data centers and 200-plus branch locations. Now two years into its transformation journey, the bank is reinventing its digital and customer experiences through compelling new services while empowering its remote workers to access private applications securely and efficiently.

Converging Networking and Security with Fortinet

The bank’s network is fundamental to realizing its goals. However, its legacy local area and wide area networks (LAN/WAN) lacked the breadth and depth of capabilities required for a digital- and cloud-first world. The company, therefore launched a search for a new partner to help prepare its network for the digital age.

Following a competitive request for proposal process, the bank selected Fortinet because of its globally recognized and trusted brand, strong existing relationship, ability to deliver highly integrated network and security solutions, and innovative vision.

Today, the bank deploys a fully converged FortiSASE secure access service edge and Fortinet Secure SD-WAN software-defined wide area network solution for comprehensive security in the cloud and on-premises. Delivered from the cloud, FortiSASE combines Firewall-as-a-Service, secure web gateway, zero-trust network access, cloud access security broker (CASB), and SD-WAN integration to extend network security functions beyond the internal network to any location for the bank’s 5,000 remote users.

The bank is also deploying a hybrid mesh firewall (HMF) solution to unify Fortinet product solutions. This includes FortiGate Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs) installed in branches and the data center, FortiManager for centralized management, and FortiGuard Security Services for AI-powered threat detection and prevention to create a seamless security and management system controlled by the FortiOS operating system.

The Benefits of Convergence

Convergence lies at the heart of this solution. Thanks to the integrated FortiSASE and Fortinet Secure SD-WAN solution, the bank will benefit from the highest levels of protection in its data center, across its branch offices, and the cloud, helping it transform into a digital- and cloud-first operation. By delivering networking and security convergence, FortiSASE will enable secure access to the web, cloud, and applications for the bank’s employees while delivering enterprise-grade security.

As a result, the bank will be able to realize its vision for consistent, secure access to its network and private applications, regardless of whether employees are working from home or the office. Significantly, with FortiSASE, remote workers can access corporate applications securely with comprehensive security inspection and an improved user experience, helping drive both productivity and employee satisfaction.

The FortiSASE and Fortinet Secure SD-WAN solutions will help the bank streamline its security stacks at each branch for increased efficiency and lower costs. In addition, by leveraging FortiManager and FortiOS along with its FortiSASE and data center FortiGate NGFW deployments, the bank will also benefit from a converged HMF architecture.

The HMF approach means that all virtual and physical FortiGate devices can be managed centrally through FortiManager, increasing visibility and dramatically simplifying network management. Combining AI-powered FortiGuard Security Services and all FortiGate instances in a converged system, the HMF architecture is ideally suited to securing the bank’s geographically distributed operations.

The Fortinet Difference

The bank also recognizes the benefits of Fortinet’s customizable security processing units, which power FortiGate NGFWs. The industry-leading SPUs will maintain performance within the bank’s data center even as security controls are enhanced through comprehensive protection.

During the selection process, the bank recognized that Fortinet is actively investing in the continuing improvement and innovation of its single-vendor SASE solution. This includes recent updates to the FortiSASE CASB offering and expanded integration capabilities between FortiSASE secure private access and the Fortinet Secure SD-WAN. With FortiSASE, the bank will benefit from a future-proof solution that will only improve over time.

Overall, Fortinet’s secure networking vision and portfolio align perfectly with the bank’s understanding of evolving networking and security trends. As a result, the bank has deployed the ideal converged network and security solution to help it realize its plans around hybrid working and cloud migration and achieve its digital transformation. In an increasingly competitive sector, that makes a big difference.

Learn how FortiSASE brings together the best visibility, security, and orchestrated policy control for secure internet access to users anywhere, regardless of their location.

Take a secure networking approach to improve user experience and simplify operations at the WAN edge with Fortinet Secure SD-WAN.