This typically occurs if the VM has insufficient resources. Double-check that you have allocated exactly 2 vCPUs and at least 2048 MB of RAM in the VirtualBox settings. Conclusion
Running a on Oracle VM VirtualBox is a popular choice for network engineers and students who want to build a security lab without expensive hardware . While Fortinet doesn't provide a native "VirtualBox" image, you can successfully deploy it by using the KVM or VMware versions and making a few specific configuration tweaks. Prerequisites & Preparation
: Ensure "Enable EFI" is unchecked (unless the specific version requires it) and that PAE/NX is enabled under the Processor tab. 3. Initial Configuration via CLI
FortiGate is a popular network security appliance that provides a wide range of security features, including firewall, intrusion prevention, and threat protection. In addition to its hardware appliances, Fortinet also offers a virtual version of FortiGate, known as FortiGate VM, which can be deployed on various virtualization platforms, including VirtualBox. In this article, we will walk through the process of deploying FortiGate VM on VirtualBox. fortigate vm virtualbox
To make your VirtualBox lab fully functional, perform these three tasks:
Because FortiGate is a security appliance, it requires manual virtual machine creation to properly align storage and network interfaces. General Configuration Open VirtualBox and click . Set the following parameters: Name: FortiGate-VM Type: Linux Version: Linux 2.6 / 3.x / 4.x / 5.x (64-bit) Click Next . Hardware Allocation
config system dns set primary 8.8.8.8 set secondary 1.1.1.1 end Use code with caution. This typically occurs if the VM has insufficient resources
To keep memory usage minimal, disable unused heavy graphical features within the FortiGate GUI by navigating to > Feature Visibility and turning off modules you do not plan to test, such as advanced load balancing or explicit proxy components.
Set Base Memory to 2048 MB (2 GB) and Processors to 1 vCPU . (Exceeding this on a free trial will cause FortiOS to disable its interfaces).
Click on the or Controller: SATA (if empty, add a SATA Controller). Click the Add Hard Disk icon next to the controller. While Fortinet doesn't provide a native "VirtualBox" image,
Log in to the Fortinet Customer Support Portal and navigate to Support > Firmware Download . Select FortiGate as the product and KVM as the platform. Why KVM? Fortinet does not officially package a ready-to-use VirtualBox image. The KVM .qcow2 image is the most versatile format to convert for VirtualBox.
Go to the Fortinet website and download the FortiGate VM image (OVA file) for VirtualBox. You'll need to create an account or log in to your existing account to access the download page. Choose the correct version and platform (e.g., FortiGate 7.0.1 VM for VirtualBox).
Open a terminal/command prompt on the client VM and type ping 10.0.1.1 . If successful, your client VM is communicating with the FortiGate firewall. Troubleshooting Common Issues
Extract the downloaded ZIP file to a permanent folder on your local drive. You will see several files, including fortios.qcow2 or fortios.vmdk . Step 2: Create the VirtualBox Virtual Machine