Description

The FML-VM00 is a virtualized edition of Fortinet FortiMail, designed to provide email-security functionality within a supported virtual infrastructure.

Rather than deploying a physical FortiMail appliance, organizations can deploy FortiMail-VM as a virtual machine, allowing email-security services to run on existing virtualization infrastructure.

This approach can provide greater deployment flexibility for organizations operating:

• Virtualized data centers
• Private-cloud environments
• Test and development environments
• Branch infrastructure
• Consolidated security platforms
• Cloud-based infrastructure

Fortinet’s documentation lists VM00 as the trial edition, with a maximum of 1 virtual CPU, up to 2 GB memory, and up to 1 TB virtual storage.

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Key Features

• Brand: Fortinet
• Product Family: FortiMail
• Product: FortiMail-VM
• SKU: FML-VM00
• Product Type: Virtual Email Security Appliance
• Deployment: Virtual Machine
• Maximum vCPU: 1
• Maximum Virtual Memory: 2 GB
• Maximum Virtual Storage: 1 TB
• Virtual NICs: 1–4
• Trial Period: 15 days
• Supported Platforms: Supported FortiMail-VM virtualization platforms
• Email Security: Supported
• Antispam: Available in the full licensed product; VM00 trial does not receive antispam signature updates
• Antivirus: Available in the full licensed product; VM00 trial does not receive antivirus signature updates

Fortinet’s current documentation confirms these VM00 resource limits and explains that the VM00 version is a 15-day trial.

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Virtualized Email Security

FortiMail-VM delivers the functionality of FortiMail through a software-based virtual appliance.

This allows organizations to integrate email security into an existing virtual infrastructure rather than purchasing a dedicated physical appliance.

A virtual deployment can be useful where organizations need:

• Flexible resource allocation
• Rapid deployment
• Virtual infrastructure consolidation
• Easy testing
• Simplified hardware procurement
• Integration with existing virtualization platforms

The FortiMail VM image can be deployed and configured as a virtual machine, after which the appropriate license can be installed.

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1 vCPU Configuration

The FML-VM00 supports a maximum of 1 virtual CPU.

Fortinet’s resource table lists the following VM00 limits:

These are maximum supported resources for the VM00 edition and should not be confused with the resource limits of larger FortiMail-VM licenses.

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FortiMail-VM Licensing

An important distinction for online-store listings is that FML-VM00 is the VM00/trial edition, rather than the full 1-CPU production license.

Fortinet documentation states that FortiMail VM includes a 15-day trial (VM00). The trial provides FortiMail VM functionality but does not receive antispam and antivirus signature updates or FortiGuard Antispam queries.

For production use, Fortinet provides separate full licenses, including:

• VM01 – 1 CPU
• VM02 – 2 CPUs
• VM04 – 4 CPUs
• VM08 – 8 CPUs
• VM16 – 16 CPUs
• VM32 – 32 CPUs

The appropriate license unlocks the corresponding virtual resources and full product functionality.

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Email Security Platform

FortiMail is designed to protect organizational email infrastructure against a broad range of email-based threats.

Depending on the installed license and FortiGuard services, FortiMail can provide capabilities including:

• Antispam
• Antivirus
• Phishing protection
• Email threat detection
• Email filtering
• Email authentication
• Data-loss prevention
• Email quarantine
• Email archiving
• Email routing
• Advanced threat protection

Important: The availability of specific security services and updates depends on the FortiMail license and FortiGuard subscription associated with the deployment.

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Antispam Protection

FortiMail provides antispam functionality in its fully licensed deployment.

Antispam capabilities can help identify and filter unwanted email before it reaches users’ mailboxes.

Protection can be applied against:

• Bulk spam
• Unwanted commercial email
• Known spam sources
• Suspicious senders
• Malicious email campaigns

However, Fortinet specifically notes that the VM00 trial does not receive antispam signature updates or FortiGuard Antispam queries.

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Antivirus Protection

FortiMail also provides antivirus capabilities as part of the full product.

Email content and attachments can be inspected for known malicious content.

This can help protect organizations from malware delivered through:

• Email attachments
• Malicious files
• Embedded content
• Compromised messages

Again, Fortinet specifies that VM00 does not receive antivirus signature updates during the trial.

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Flexible Virtual Network Connectivity

FML-VM00 supports between 1 and 4 virtual network interfaces according to Fortinet’s resource documentation.

This allows the virtual appliance to be integrated into different virtual network designs.

Potential interfaces can be used for connections to:

• Internal mail servers
• External networks
• DMZ networks
• Management networks
• Security zones

The actual interface configuration depends on the selected hypervisor and deployment architecture.

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Virtual Storage

FML-VM00 supports up to 1 TB of virtual machine storage.

Fortinet lists a default supported range of 50 GB to 1 TB for VM00.

Storage requirements depend on the organization’s deployment and the FortiMail functions being used.

Storage may be used for:

• System files
• Email-security data
• Logs
• Quarantine
• Configuration information
• Other FortiMail data

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Virtual Memory

The VM00 edition supports between 1 GB and 2 GB of virtual memory.

The amount of memory allocated to the virtual appliance should follow Fortinet’s deployment requirements for the particular FortiMail version being installed.

Larger FortiMail-VM licenses provide substantially higher memory limits.

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Supported Virtual Appliance Platforms

Fortinet provides FortiMail-VM deployment packages for supported virtualization platforms.

The exact list of supported hypervisors and cloud platforms can vary by FortiMail software release, so compatibility should be checked against the documentation for the version being deployed.

Fortinet’s installation documentation provides deployment guidance for supported virtual environments, including virtual appliance installation and configuration.

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Deployment Flexibility

One of the key advantages of FortiMail-VM is that it separates the email-security software from dedicated physical hardware.

Organizations can therefore deploy FortiMail within an existing virtual infrastructure.

Typical Deployment Scenarios

Testing & Evaluation
VM00 is particularly useful for evaluating FortiMail functionality before purchasing a production license.

Development Environments
Security teams can test email-security configurations in an isolated virtual environment.

Virtual Data Centers
Organizations can deploy email security alongside existing virtualized infrastructure.

Cloud Environments
FortiMail-VM can be deployed on supported virtual infrastructure according to Fortinet’s compatibility requirements.

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15-Day Trial

The FML-VM00 edition is documented by Fortinet as a 15-day trial.

The trial period begins when FortiMail VM is first started. If a valid full license is not installed before the trial expires, or if an installed license expires, Fortinet states that configuration changes can no longer be made.

This makes VM00 particularly appropriate for:

• Product evaluation
• Proof-of-concept deployments
• Testing
• Demonstrations
• Lab environments

For a production deployment requiring continuously updated security services, a full FortiMail-VM license and applicable FortiGuard services should be used.

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License Activation

After purchasing a FortiMail-VM license, Fortinet provides a registration number that can be registered through FortiCare to obtain the required license file (.lic).

The license file is then installed on FortiMail-VM to activate the licensed functionality and unlock the appropriate CPU and memory resources.

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Security & Management

FortiMail provides centralized management of email-security policies and services through its management interface.

Depending on the licensed feature set, administrators can manage:

• Email policies
• Antispam settings
• Antivirus policies
• Authentication
• Email routing
• Quarantine
• Logging
• Security profiles
• User and domain settings

This allows organizations to centrally manage email-security controls from the virtual appliance.

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Ideal Applications

Evaluation & Proof of Concept

The VM00 edition is well suited to organizations that want to evaluate FortiMail before purchasing a production license.

Test Laboratories

Security and network teams can use the virtual appliance to test configurations and integrations.

Development Environments

Useful for testing email-security policies within isolated virtual infrastructure.

Virtualized Data Centers

Provides a path to deploying FortiMail without dedicated physical hardware.

Cloud-Based Infrastructure

Can be deployed in supported virtual environments where a software-based email-security solution is preferred.

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Key Benefits

Virtual Deployment

Provides FortiMail email-security functionality as a virtual appliance rather than dedicated hardware.

1 vCPU

Supports up to 1 virtual CPU, making VM00 suitable for evaluation and lightweight environments.

Flexible Networking

Supports 1–4 virtual network interfaces.

Up to 2 GB RAM

Supports up to 2 GB virtual memory.

Up to 1 TB Storage

Supports virtual storage up to 1 TB.

Easy Evaluation

Includes a 15-day trial for evaluating FortiMail-VM functionality.

Upgrade Path

Organizations can move from VM00 evaluation to a full licensed FortiMail-VM deployment using the appropriate VM01, VM02, VM04, VM08, VM16, or VM32 license.

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Technical Specifications

Specifications are based on Fortinet’s FortiMail VM documentation.

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What’s Included

The FML-VM00 product represents:

• FortiMail-VM virtual appliance
• VM00 configuration supporting up to 1 vCPU
• Virtual deployment capability for supported platforms
• VM00 trial functionality

No physical FortiMail appliance is included.

Important: FML-VM00 is the 15-day trial edition documented by Fortinet. For a production deployment with current antispam and antivirus updates, an appropriate full FortiMail-VM license and FortiGuard subscription should be purchased.

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Product Summary

Fortinet FML-VM00 FortiMail-VM is a flexible software-based email-security appliance designed for deployment on supported virtualization platforms. With support for 1 vCPU, up to 2 GB RAM, up to 1 TB virtual storage, and up to four virtual network interfaces, it provides a convenient platform for evaluating and testing FortiMail capabilities without requiring dedicated hardware.

As the VM00 trial edition, it provides a 15-day evaluation period. For production environments, organizations can upgrade to a full FortiMail-VM license such as VM01, VM02, VM04, VM08, VM16, or VM32, depending on required virtual resources and capacity.