Fortinet FortiGate 81E-POE SD-WAN Underlay Monitoring, 1-Year (FC-10-0081E-288-02-12)

Branch sites running SD-WAN on the FortiGate 81E-POE already make path-selection decisions from latency, jitter, and packet-loss data, but those measurements are only as good as the probe coverage. The SD-WAN Underlay Bandwidth and Quality Monitoring service (FC-10-0081E-288-02-12) extends that visibility to ISP-reported metrics, giving the 81E-POE a fuller picture of each underlay link before it commits traffic to a path.

What the service covers

This one-year subscription enables FortiOS to collect and report real-time bandwidth and quality metrics for each WAN underlay link on the 81E-POE. Data feeds directly into the SD-WAN performance SLA engine, helping the firewall make more accurate path selections when link conditions change. Metrics are accessible through FortiView and exportable via syslog or FortiGate Cloud.

Who needs it

Organizations using the FortiGate 81E-POE as the branch SD-WAN device with two or more WAN links — cable, LTE, DSL, or MPLS — benefit most. Without underlay monitoring, path switching relies on probes to destination hosts, which can miss ISP-side congestion. With it, you get a direct view of each link’s capacity and health before a problem affects users. It’s a practical add-on for branch IT teams and MSPs managing multiple sites.

Activation and delivery

Purchase registers as an electronic license key delivered to the email address on file within 0–1 business days. Activation is completed through the FortiCare support portal or directly in the FortiGate 81E-POE web interface under System > FortiGuard. No hardware changes or reboot required. The license term begins on the activation date.

Single service vs. a bundle

The UTP and Enterprise subscription bundles for the 81E-POE include threat protection, IPS, AV, and application control, but SD-WAN underlay monitoring is sold separately because it serves the WAN performance role rather than the threat-intelligence role. If your team also needs the full security stack, review the FortiGate 81E-POE UTP (FC-10-0081E-950-02-12) or Enterprise (FC-10-0081E-809-02-12) bundles, which cover the security services in one SKU.

Buying from DataCenter360.ca

DataCenter360.ca is an authorized Fortinet Select Partner serving customers across Canada and worldwide. We stock Fortinet licenses with same-day processing on business-day orders. Questions on compatibility with your firmware version or renewal timing? Contact us before checkout and we’ll confirm the right part number.