Zero-trust tags are critical in implementing zero-trust network access (ZTNA) policies. Here are the two key advantages of using zero-trust tags:
* Access Control (Allow or Deny):
* Zero-trust tags can be used to define policies that either allow or deny access to specific network resources based on the tag associated with the user or device.
* This granular control ensures that only authorized users or devices with the appropriate tags can access sensitive resources, thereby enhancing security.
* Determining Security Posture:
* Zero-trust tags can be utilized to assess and determine the security posture of an endpoint.
* Based on the assigned tags, FortiSASE can evaluate the device's compliance with security policies, such as antivirus status, patch levels, and configuration settings.
* Devices that do not meet the required security posture can be restricted from accessing the network or given limited access.
References:
FortiOS 7.6 Administration Guide: Provides detailed information on configuring and using zero-trust tags for access control and security posture assessment.
FortiSASE 23.2 Documentation: Explains how zero-trust tags are implemented and used within the FortiSASE environment for enhancing security and compliance.

To enable the Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) feature on FortiSASE, the administrative framework must be established outside of the local SASE instance within the broader FortiCloud ecosystem.
* FortiCloud IAM Integration: The FortiSASE MSSP portal relies on FortiCloud Identity & Access Management (IAM) to define the scope of management for internal teams. Administrators do not create local "MSSP users" within the SASE portal itself; instead, they must use the FortiCloud IAM portal to assign specific Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to IAM users.
* Permissions and Scope: These RBAC settings determine which customer tenants (Organizational Units or OUs) an MSSP administrator can view, configure, or monitor. Without the proper role assignment in the IAM portal, the MSSP portal and its multi-tenant viewing capabilities will not be accessible to the user, even if the account has the necessary licenses.
* Hierarchical Management: Once RBAC is correctly assigned, the MSSP administrator can leverage the FortiCloud Organizations service to manage multiple customer accounts from a single pane of glass. This centralized approach ensures that security policies and configurations can be standardized across the entire customer base while maintaining strict data isolation between tenants.
According to the FortiSASE 25 Multitenant Deployment Guide, configuring the IAM portal is the primary prerequisite that grants an MSSP internal team the permissions necessary to perform operations on customer FortiSASE tenants.

For a customer looking to upgrade their legacy on-premises proxy to a cloud-based proxy for a hybrid network, the combination of Secure Web Gateway (SWG) and Inline Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) features in FortiSASE will provide the necessary capabilities.
* Secure Web Gateway (SWG):
* SWG provides comprehensive web security by inspecting and filtering web traffic to protect against web-based threats.
* It ensures that all web traffic, whether originating from on-premises or remote locations, is inspected and secured by the cloud-based proxy.
* Inline Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB):
* CASB enhances security by providing visibility and control over cloud applications and services.
* Inline CASB integrates with SWG to enforce security policies for cloud application usage, preventing unauthorized access and data leakage.
References:
FortiOS 7.6 Administration Guide: Details on SWG and CASB features.
FortiSASE 23.2 Documentation: Explains how SWG and inline-CASB are used in cloud-based proxy solutions.

IP Address Management (IPAM) in FortiSASE is responsible for automatically allocating subnets to various services, including VPN tunnels and Edge devices. When an administrator modifies the default IPAM configuration, they must adhere to specific architectural scaling requirements.
* Subnet Requirements per PoP: FortiSASE architecture requires a minimum amount of address space to be available for each provisioned Security Point of Presence (PoP) to handle internal routing and endpoint assignments. For the IPAM engine to function correctly and distribute unique subnets across the global infrastructure, the pool must provide at least one /20 subnet per security PoP. If the available space is smaller than this per-PoP requirement, the allocation logic may fail or produce unpredictable routing behavior.
* Impact of Excessive Exclusions: In the exhibit (image_578940.png), the customer has defined a large summary pool of 172.16.0.0/12. However, they have configured eight separate /15 excluded subnets:
172.16.0.0/15, 172.18.0.0/15, 172.20.0.0/15, 172.22.0.0/15, 172.24.0.0/15, 172.26.0.0/15, 172.28.0.0
/15, and 172.30.0.0/15.
* Calculating the Exhaustion: A /12 network contains exactly eight /15 blocks. By excluding all eight
/15 ranges listed in the exhibit, the customer has effectively excluded 100% of the available addresses from the primary 172.16.0.0/12 pool.
* Connectivity Problems: When the IPAM pool is exhausted or overly restricted, FortiSASE cannot assign valid, non-overlapping subnets to the PoPs. This leads to connectivity problems for remote users and can cause the system to "fall back" to ranges it believes are available, even if they were intended to be excluded, or simply fail to establish tunnels entirely.
To resolve this, the administrator must ensure that the excluded subnets do not consume the entire pool and that the remaining unexcluded space is large enough to provide a /20 block for every active PoP in their subscription.