Subject Matter Expert - Fortinet SDWAN
First seen by Alion on Nov 13, 2026. Orange scores A on the Alion truth index.
Role Overview :
Responsible for the end-to-end design, architecture, deployment, migration, integration, optimization and L3 operations of Fortinet SD-WAN and SASE solutions across enterprise environments.
The SME will act as the technical authority for Fortinet Secure SD-WAN, FortiGate, FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer, FortiSASE/SSE, secure internet access, ZTNA and cloud-delivered security services, working across network, security, cloud and operations teams.
Architecture & Solution Design :
Fortinet SD-WAN :
- Design enterprise Fortinet Secure SD-WAN architectures.
- Design hub-and-spoke, regional hub and hybrid SD-WAN architectures.
- Design underlay/overlay connectivity using : MPLS, Internet, Broadband, DIA, 4G/5G, IPsec.
- Design routing using BGP, OSPF and static routing.
- Design SD-WAN policies based on application and business requirements.
- Define SLA-based path selection using : Latency, jitter, Packet loss, Availability, Bandwidth.
- Design local and centralized internet breakout.
- Design FortiGate HA and site resiliency.
Fortinet SASE :
- Design Fortinet SASE architecture integrating SD-WAN with cloud-delivered security.
- Design secure access for : Remote users, Branch users, Mobile users, Contractors.
- Design ZTNA solutions based on user, device, application and security context.
- Design secure web/internet access and cloud security controls.
- Define security policies for web, SaaS and internet traffic.
- Design integration between FortiGate SD-WAN and Fortinet SASE services.
- Develop SASE adoption and migration roadmaps.
Deployment & Implementation :
SD-WAN :
- Lead FortiGate SD-WAN deployments from design through production.
- Configure : SD-WAN zones and members, Performance SLA, SD-WAN rules, IPsec tunnels, Routing, Firewall policies, NAT, Security profiles.
- Deploy and manage FortiGate through FortiManager.
- Develop standardized templates and configuration packages.
- Execute site onboarding and zero-touch deployment where applicable.
- Perform post-deployment validation.
SASE :
- Deploy and configure Fortinet SASE services.
- Onboard users, devices, applications and locations.
- Implement ZTNA policies.
- Configure secure internet/web access.
- Implement security policies and access controls.
- Integrate identity providers and enterprise authentication.
- Integrate endpoint/device posture information where applicable.
- Validate user-to-application and branch-to-cloud connectivity.
L3 Operations & Troubleshooting :
- Provide SME-level troubleshooting for : SD-WAN, IPsec tunnel failures, SLA violations, Incorrect path selection, Application steering issues, Routing problems, BGP/OSPF issues, Packet loss, Latency/jitter, Asymmetric routing, NAT/firewall issues, Internet breakout issues, FortiGate HA, FortiManager synchronization.
- Provide SME-level troubleshooting for : SASE, User authentication issues, ZTNA access failures, Application connectivity, Policy enforcement, Secure web access, Remote-user connectivity, Identity integration, Device posture issues, Performance/latency issues, Cloud security policy issues.
- Perform packet-level troubleshooting using FortiGate diagnostics, logs, packet captures and flow analysis.
Technical & Functional Skills & Certifications :
- Accredited SD-WAN Professional (AASP), Certified SD-WAN Deployment Professional (ACSDP), Certified SD-WAN Deployment Expert (ACSDX).
- CCNP/CCIE Enterprise.
Education, Qualifications, and Certifications :
- BE / B. Tech. / B. Sc. in EXTC/ Computer Science / Information Technology.
- Fortinet SD-WAN training/certification.
- Fortinet SASE training /certification.
- CCNP/CCIE Enterprise or Security.
- Equivalent SD-WAN/SASE certifications.
Experience :
- 8 - 12 years in enterprise networking/security.
- 5+ years in SD-WAN/network security, with strong hands-on Fortinet experience.
- Experience with large-scale enterprise SD-WAN/SASE deployments, multi-region environments, migrations and managed services is preferred.
Expertise :
- Strong hands-on experience with Fortinet SDWAN-SASE.
- Strong understanding of : SD-WAN overlays, Underlay routing, Application steering, QoS, WAN optimisation, Segmentation, HA deployments, Service insertion.
Routing & Switching :
- Advanced knowledge of : BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, VRF, VLANs, STP, Multicast, NAT, Policy-based routing.
- Strong understanding of enterprise WAN and LAN architectures.
Security Knowledge :
- Understanding of : IPsec VPN, PKI/certificates, SASE/SSE concepts, Firewall integrations, Secure segmentation, Zero Trust concepts.
Cloud & Virtualization :
- Experience with : AWS, Azure, GCP, VMware ESXi, KVM, Virtual EdgeConnect deployments.
Automation & Tools :
- Exposure to : REST APIs, Python scripting, Ansible, Terraform, Git/Jenkins pipelines. Knowledge of monitoring and observability tools is preferred.
- Experience in large enterprise or managed services environments.
- Experience handling multi-site/global deployments.
- Exposure to migration and transformation projects.
Skills
Network Component, FortiManager, CCIE, CCNP, Network Security, SDWAN, Fortigate Firewall, Network Architecture, Routing & Switching, IT Security Strategy, Solution Design