FortiGate Firewall Lab
Designed a segmented enterprise-style lab using FortiGate firewall, multiple security zones, VLAN-based subnets, and WAN redundancy to simulate real-world network protection.
Goal
Simulate real-world firewall protection with segmented security zones.
Network Design
Built Server, DMZ, UAT, and User zones with VLAN-based subnets.
Security Focus
Validated traffic flow, WAN redundancy, and switch redundancy.
Project Overview
Designed a segmented enterprise-style lab using FortiGate firewall, multiple security zones, VLAN-based subnets, and WAN redundancy to simulate real-world network protection.
Problem / Objective
Reproduce a realistic firewall-protected enterprise in a lab so that zone-based segmentation, WAN failover, and inter-zone policy can be designed and validated safely.
Network Architecture
The FortiGate defines separate security zones, each backed by a VLAN-based subnet and gateway, with dual WAN for connectivity redundancy and port-channels between switches.
- Separate zones for Server, DMZ, UAT, and User networks
- VLAN-based subnets and gateway design
- Dual WAN and backup uplink for connectivity redundancy
- Switches connected through port-channels for redundancy
Verification & Testing
Traffic flow and segmentation between zones were validated to confirm the policy design behaves as intended.
- Validated traffic flow and segmentation between zones
Results
The lab delivered a segmented, firewall-protected enterprise design with WAN redundancy and validated inter-zone traffic control.
Lessons Learned
Highlighted how clear zone boundaries and redundancy planning make security policy easier to reason about and test.
Technical Highlights
- Built separate zones for Server, DMZ, UAT, and User networks
- Configured VLAN-based subnets and gateway design
- Used dual WAN and backup uplink for connectivity design
- Connected switches through port-channels for redundancy
- Validated traffic flow and segmentation between zones
Tools And Topics
This case study highlights firewall zoning, VLAN subnet design, WAN failover planning, switch redundancy, and traffic validation.
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