Fortinet FortiSwitch 224E FortiCare Essential Support for FortiSwitch, 3-Year (FC-10-W0300-314-02-36)

One procurement event, three years of FortiCare coverage: FC-10-W0300-314-02-36 eliminates two renewal cycles for teams that have settled on the FortiSwitch 224E as their standard non-PoE access switch and want to reduce annual admin overhead without changing their service tier.

What it covers

FortiCare Essential on an FS-224E maintains firmware entitlement across the full 3-year term, keeping the switch eligible for FortiSwitch OS updates as Fortinet releases them. The contract includes access to the FortiCare asset management portal and Fortinet’s online knowledge base. Return-and-replace RMA covers hardware failure during the coverage period: Fortinet issues a replacement after the defective unit is received. Critical-issue response is next business day. The FS-224E is the non-PoE, 24-port GE access switch in the 224-series (4 SFP uplinks); this renewal applies to that specific model and not the FS-224E-FPOE variant.

Who needs it

Organizations that have standardized on the FS-224E for wiring closets, office wings, or campus access layers where Power over Ethernet is not a requirement find the 3-year term practical for aligning switch coverage to their typical hardware refresh window. IT teams that currently process renewals annually and want to cut that workload on this equipment class by handling three years in one order are a direct fit. FortiLink-managed deployments where the FortiGate handles policy distribution benefit from keeping firmware entitlement aligned across a consistent multi-year window.

Activation & delivery

Fortinet delivers the license key by email after the order is confirmed. No physical item is shipped; the contract is electronic and valid worldwide. Activate via FortiCloud (support.fortinet.com) by locating the FS-224E by serial number and entering the key. If the switch is FortiLink-managed, the entitlement appears in the FortiGate management interface after registration. The 3-year coverage period begins on the activation date.

One service vs the bundle

FortiCare Essential provides firmware access, the online knowledge base, asset portal visibility, and return-and-replace RMA. For an FS-224E in a low-criticality access role, those four elements cover the common support scenarios across three full years without the cost of Premium or Elite. If your deployment requires same-day hardware replacement or direct telephone access to Fortinet engineers, FortiCare Premium adds advanced replacement RMA and a 1-hour critical-issue response SLA.

Buying from DataCenter360.ca

DataCenter360.ca is an authorized Fortinet Select Partner. A 3-year renewal processed here covers the FS-224E through three full years in a single order, reducing the procurement and renewal touchpoints that stacking annual contracts would require. The license key delivers by email from Fortinet; electronic delivery is available worldwide. Contact DataCenter360.ca before ordering if you are renewing multiple FS-224E units and want consolidated pricing.

Frequently asked questions