Fortigate Vm License Trial Install _top_ May 2026
Getting Started with the FortiGate VM Permanent Trial: A 2026 Guide
Setting up a lab or testing environment with FortiGate has changed significantly in recent years. If you are looking for the old 15-day built-in trial, you won't find it in modern versions. Since FortiOS 7.2.1, Fortinet has transitioned to a permanent evaluation license.
This "permanent" status means your trial won't expire after two weeks, but it does come with specific resource caps that you need to know before you start your build. 1. Key Limitations of the Trial License
While the license is permanent, the resources it can manage are restricted to ensure it is used for evaluation and labbing rather than production: Compute Resources: Limited to 1 vCPU and 2 GB of RAM. fortigate vm license trial install
Network & Policy: Limited to 3 interfaces, 3 firewall policies, and 3 routes.
Security & Features: Supports low encryption only (no HTTPS for management) and does not include FortiGuard or FortiCare support.
Connectivity: Requires consistent internet access to validate the license with FortiCloud servers. 2. Pre-Installation Requirements Getting Started with the FortiGate VM Permanent Trial:
Before you deploy the VM, ensure you have the following ready:
FortiCloud Account: You must have a free account on the Fortinet Customer Service & Support portal.
VM Image: Download the correct deployment package for your hypervisor (VMware, KVM, Hyper-V, etc.) from the Fortinet VM Images section. What You Get (and Don’t Get) with the Trial
External Connectivity: The VM must be able to reach the internet to "phone home" and activate its license. 3. Step-by-Step Installation & Activation
This process applies to major hypervisors: VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, KVM, and VirtualBox.
What You Get (and Don’t Get) with the Trial
- ✅ Full UTM features (IPS, AV, Web Filtering, Anti-Spam) for 15 days.
- ✅ SD-WAN, VPN (SSL & IPsec), Routing (BGP/OSPF).
- ✅ Up to 500 Mbps throughput (software-limited).
- ❌ No technical support from Fortinet (use community forums).
- ❌ No firmware upgrades during trial.
- ⚠️ Expires in 15 days – but you can redeploy a new VM for another trial.
Via CLI (SSH/Console):
execute restore license tftp <filename.lic> <tftp-server-ip>
Or if file is on local PC via SCP:
execute scp admin@<your-pc-ip>:<path>/<file.lic> flash:/
execute license import flash:/<file.lic>
Part 1: Understanding the FortiGate VM Trial License
5. Common Issues and Troubleshooting
Hardware Requirements (Minimum for Trial)
| Resource | Minimum | Recommended for Feature Testing | |----------|---------|--------------------------------| | vCPU | 1 | 2 | | RAM | 2 GB | 4 GB | | Disk | 32 GB (thin provisioned) | 32 GB | | Network Interfaces | 2 (management + data) | 2 or more for HA testing |