Fortinet launches FortiLink SASE for microbranches

Fortinet has launched FortiLink SASE, extending its unified SASE offering to small branches, remote facilities and other distributed locations.

The service is aimed at organisations that need to secure local wired and wireless networks without installing a dedicated firewall on site. It connects local networks to FortiSASE through supported Wi-Fi access points and Ethernet switches, with traffic inspection, policy enforcement and management delivered through the cloud.

The move targets what Fortinet describes as microbranch environments, including small offices, temporary sites and remote facilities with limited IT support. These locations often have a mix of employee devices, printers, cameras and internet-connected equipment, some of which cannot run endpoint security software.

The service allows customers to secure both wired and wireless devices and manage networking and security policies from a single console. The approach is designed to reduce the need for separate security appliances at each site and avoid installing software agents on every device.

Distributed operations have become a growing focus for networking and security suppliers as companies spread staff, devices and business functions across smaller sites. That has increased demand for tools that can apply common policies across multiple locations while reducing the operational burden on central IT teams.

Under Fortinet's model, supported networking hardware links a remote site's local area network to FortiSASE. This extends inspection and controls beyond individual user devices to broader local environments where unmanaged or specialist devices may also sit on the network.

Anthony James, Executive Vice President of Marketing at Fortinet, said the product is intended for places where traditional approaches are difficult to deploy.

"Organisations need flexibility in how they secure distributed locations, particularly where dedicated security infrastructure or agents may not be practical. By extending FortiSASE to local networks, we're giving organisations a simpler way to protect users and devices while maintaining consistent security and centralised control," James said.

Microbranch focus

Fortinet positioned the service as part of a broader push to combine networking and security management. In practice, that means administrators can oversee supported switches, access points and security policies from one interface rather than split those tasks across separate systems.

For smaller sites, this may help address a common gap between headquarters-level security controls and the realities of field locations. Businesses often struggle to justify the cost and maintenance demands of a full firewall deployment at every branch, especially when some sites are temporary or lightly staffed.

The service is built on Fortinet's unified networking and security architecture. It is intended to provide a more scalable way to secure distributed operations by covering devices that cannot run FortiClient as well as standard endpoints.

Cloud delivery

The launch also reflects continued competition in secure access service edge, or SASE, as suppliers try to combine branch connectivity, user access controls and network security in cloud-managed platforms. The segment has drawn interest from companies looking to support hybrid working, remote access and a broader mix of connected devices without expanding hardware estates at every location.

Fortinet's emphasis in this launch is on protecting local networks at the edge rather than focusing only on roaming users or individual endpoints. That distinction matters for sites that rely on operational technology, cameras, printers or other connected systems that still require policy control but may not support conventional software-based protection.

Key uses include securing more devices across local area networks, simplifying deployment in thin-edge environments and centralising administration across distributed estates. The service is designed to cover entire LAN environments through cloud-delivered security rather than device-by-device installation.

With FortiLink SASE, Fortinet is extending its SASE portfolio further into branch and microbranch networking, where customers are looking for fewer on-site systems and greater central oversight. The service provides a way to secure supported wired and wireless devices across distributed locations through a single console.