Fortinet

At Fortinet, we have created an innovative approach to web filtering that combines the advantages of cloud-based services with a layered response caching option – our FortiGuard web filtering services.

FortiGuard data centers around the world contain a massive URL categorization database. These data centers receive rating requests from FortiGate units, typically, through browser-based URL requests. In combination with local profile configurations, the appropriate action – allow, deny, and monitoring -  the FortiGate unit determines how to respond to the request.

Each FortiGate unit ships with a set of the most frequently requested filtering profiles, including adult content, proxy avoidance, racism and hate, file sharing and many more.

Avoiding Cloud Latency
With such a large URL database and continuous requests for ratings, one wonders if there is any latency encountered. A URL lookup request is no slower than a simple DNS lookup. The end user would hardly, if at all, even notice any lag time.

To ensure a seamless response, a FortiGate unit is continually monitoring the FortiGuard  service to ensure the next request is sent to the fastest FortiGuard server. This optimized is determined by an algorithm based on the geographic location (of the FortiGate unit and FortiGuard servers), time zone, server load and real-time responses to test queries. This constant monitoring ensures minimum latency is always achieved.

Rating responses are also cached locally so that frequently used sites, such as Google.com, remain on the local FortiGate database, reducing continual requests to the FortiGuard network.

Configuration
Configuring the FortiGate unit is as simple as selecting which categories to block and allow, and if desired, log URL access to monitor the browsing habits of your employees. But what if you have your own set of web sites you want included, or excluded? FortiOS enables you to create your own web filtering profiles, where you can select the specific combination of allowed, blocked and monitored categories, and apply them to specific firewall policies.

This combination of low-latency cloud-based web filtering services and local customization and configuration create a powerful, high-performance and flexible web filtering solution that only Fortinet can provide.

Read Part II: Web Filtering: Controlling The Flow