In the world of modern network administration, organization and clarity are critical—especially in environments with multiple FortiGate firewalls deployed across various branches, cloud infrastructures, or datacenter locations. One key aspect that often goes overlooked is how FortiGate devices are named within the network.

While it may seem minor, assigning meaningful, standardized, and consistent names to FortiGate devices can drastically improve network visibility, manageability, troubleshooting, and security policy implementation.

This article explores the importance of custom FortiGate naming, how to create a naming strategy, and real-world examples of effective naming conventions.

Why Custom Naming of FortiGate Devices Matters

Custom naming refers to assigning a unique, descriptive, and structured name to a FortiGate firewall within your organization. Rather than relying on default names or vague identifiers like FGT-1 or Firewall-Branch, administrators implement a naming convention that instantly communicates key information about the device.

1. Improved Network Clarity

In large-scale deployments, especially in distributed enterprises or cloud-based environments, you may have dozens or hundreds of FortiGate firewalls. A clear and standardized name lets you immediately identify:

• The physical or logical location of the firewall
• Its function or role (e.g., edge, internal, DMZ)
• Its redundancy status (e.g., primary or secondary in HA)
• The region or country it supports

This clarity reduces the time needed to manage devices or debug problems.

2. Simplified Management

Tools like FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer, or even centralized log collectors benefit from clearly labeled devices. When devices are named inconsistently or arbitrarily, administrators spend more time deciphering where a log came from or which policy applies to what.

With smart naming, searching, reporting, auditing, and provisioning become much more efficient.

3. Enhanced Automation and Scripting

For environments leveraging Fortinet APIs or scripts to automate configuration backups, reporting, or updates, having a structured naming system enables scripts to reference devices intelligently—helping avoid errors and ensuring consistent behavior.

What Makes a Good FortiGate Device Name?

A good device name should be:

• Descriptive: Reveals key details (e.g., region, location, role)
• Consistent: Follows the same format across all devices
• Short yet Informative: Concise enough for dashboards but still meaningful
• Unique: No duplicates across the infrastructure
• Easily sortable or filterable: Useful in reports or logs

Common Elements in a Naming Convention

Here’s a breakdown of what a FortiGate name might include:

Example Naming Convention Formats

1. Simple Branch Format: rCopierModifierNA-NYC-BR-EDGE-FG60F
   • North America, New York City, Branch, Edge firewall, FortiGate 60F
2. High Availability Setup: CopierModifierEU-LDN-DC-CORE-FG100F-PRIM EU-LDN-DC-CORE-FG100F-SEC
   • London Data Center, Core firewall pair, FortiGate 100F, Primary and Secondary
3. Cloud Environments: CopierModifierAWS-USW-VPC1-EDGE-VM AZURE-EUN-VNET2-DMZ-VM
   • AWS US West region, VPC1, Edge Firewall VM

Implementing Custom Names in FortiGate

Changing a FortiGate’s hostname is simple but requires administrative rights:

Steps via GUI:

1. Log in to FortiGate’s web interface.
2. Go to System > Settings
3. In the System Information widget, click the Edit icon next to the hostname.
4. Enter your custom name (e.g., NA-NYC-BR-EDGE-FG60F)
5. Click OK

Steps via CLI:

bashCopierModifierconfig system global
set hostname NA-NYC-BR-EDGE-FG60F
end

After saving, the new name will appear in the CLI prompt, logs, and FortiManager/FortiAnalyzer dashboards.

Best Practices for Naming FortiGate Devices

1. Document the Convention: Create a written standard and share it with your network team. Ensure everyone follows the same structure.
2. Use Standard Codes for Regions and Sites: Stick with common airport codes or ISO region codes (e.g., NYC, LAX, DE, IN).
3. Incorporate into Onboarding Process: Whenever a new firewall is deployed, enforce naming as part of the setup checklist.
4. Avoid Special Characters: Stick to dashes (-) or underscores (_). Avoid slashes or spaces which may cause script or logging issues.
5. Consider Device Management Platforms: Align your naming with how devices will appear in FortiManager, FortiCloud, or other tools for consistency.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Overly Long Names: Can be truncated in logs or dashboards.
• Ambiguous Abbreviations: Not everyone may understand internal codes without documentation.
• Changing Hostnames Post-Deployment: This can break log associations or API references. Choose wisely at deployment.

Conclusion

Custom naming of FortiGate devices might seem like a small detail, but in complex environments, it plays a vital role in ensuring clarity, consistency, and operational efficiency. A thoughtful naming convention can speed up troubleshooting, enhance reporting, and make automation far easier to manage.

Network administrators should invest time upfront in creating a flexible and scalable naming convention—and enforce it rigorously. As FortiGate firewalls continue to expand across hybrid infrastructures, a clear and consistent naming strategy becomes not just useful, but essential.