Fortinet FortiSwitch 224E Secured Access Switch (FS-224E)

Twenty-four gigabit access ports in a 1 RU fanless chassis sounds simple — and that simplicity is exactly the point. The FortiSwitch 224E fits quietly into a branch closet, draws under 20 watts, and becomes a logical extension of the FortiGate firewall the moment FortiLink is enabled. There is no separate switch management console to learn, no additional licensing required for core forwarding, and no fan noise to worry about in open office environments.

Hardware at a Glance

Where the 224E Fits Best

The FS-224E is built for sites where 24 access ports covers the workload and fan noise is unacceptable. A law office, retail back-office, medical clinic reception area, or a school computer lab are all natural fits. With sub-microsecond latency and 56 Gbps of non-blocking capacity, it handles any mix of workstation and VoIP traffic without throttling. The four GE SFP uplinks provide flexibility to run fibre to an IDF or to connect a second switch via aggregated links.

FortiLink integration means the FortiGate treats the 224E as a managed port group. VLANs, NAC policies, quarantine rules, and firmware updates all flow from the FortiGate controller. Dynamic port profiles automatically apply the right policy when a device connects — no manual VLAN assignment per port.

Hardware Only vs. Adding a Service Bundle

The FS-224E is hardware only. Fortinet does not require a subscription for basic switching functions, so this unit ships ready to forward traffic and accept FortiLink control. For organizations that want Fortinet TAC support, advance hardware replacement, or firmware entitlement beyond the standard period, a FortiCare Premium support contract (FC-10-W0300-247-02-12) is available separately and pairs cleanly with this hardware.

Who Typically Deploys It

IT generalists managing a handful of sites find the 224E easy to roll out and maintain. MSPs provisioning SMB customers appreciate FortiLink’s zero-touch deployment: authorize the switch from the FortiGate, and port profiles populate automatically. Network engineers consolidating aging unmanaged switches gain VLAN segmentation, 802.1X port security, and DHCP snooping with no added cost for those L2/L3 features.

Moving Up: The FS-424E

When a site grows past 24 ports or requires 10GE SFP+ uplinks, the FortiSwitch 424E (Campus series) is the logical next step. The 424E maintains the same FortiLink management model while adding faster 10GE uplinks and the full Campus-tier feature set. DataCenter360.ca stocks the FS-424E and can quote it alongside the 224E for mixed deployments.

Buying from DataCenter360.ca

DataCenter360.ca is an authorized Fortinet Select Partner and MSSP in Canada, stocking the FS-224E for same-day or next-business-day dispatch. Orders ship free across Canada, and Fortinet-certified staff are available to help with sizing, FortiLink configuration guidance, or pairing the switch with the right FortiGate model for your site. The unit is brand new with a Fortinet limited lifetime warranty.