FORTINET said the Secure AI Data Center solution offers a unified approach to securing GPU clusters. Photograph COURTESY OF Fortinet
TECHTALKS

Fortinet unveils data center security framework

ELI VILLAGONZALO

Fortinet has introduced a new security framework designed to protect artificial intelligence data centers, along with a high-performance firewall intended for AI-driven workloads. The Secure AI Data Center solution aims to secure the full AI stack, from infrastructure to applications and large language models.

The company said the framework delivers stronger threat defense while maintaining low latency for GPU-heavy environments. Fortinet also claimed the system reduces power consumption compared with traditional security approaches.

Central to the launch is the FortiGate 3800G, a data center firewall that uses Fortinet’s NP7 and SP5 processors and supports 400 GbE connectivity. The device is built to handle high throughput and protect large GPU clusters in real time.

Fortinet said the solution provides protection across the AI workflow, including network segmentation, encrypted traffic inspection, application defense, and safeguards for LLMs. The company said the system is intended to help organizations prevent data leakage, block malicious inputs, and comply with emerging AI security requirements.

The Secure AI Data Center framework includes tools geared toward segmenting networks at scale and reducing power use per gigabit processed. The firewalls are designed to support large clusters handling AI workloads while maintaining security and containing operating costs.

Model-level protections include guardrails intended to prevent prompt injection, misuse, and exposure of sensitive data. The framework also manages traffic flowing to and from models across local, hybrid and cloud deployments.

Fortinet said the system integrates with its Security Fabric platform, which unifies firewalling and application security under a single management interface for simplified compliance and operational oversight.

The company added that the framework uses post-quantum cryptography and quantum key distribution to strengthen confidentiality for data processed or generated by AI systems.

By combining these elements, Fortinet said the Secure AI Data Center solution offers a unified approach to securing GPU clusters, data pipelines and AI environments running mission-critical operations. The launch expands Fortinet’s data center portfolio and reflects the company’s focus on protecting increasingly complex AI deployments.

The FortiGate 3800G series is positioned against competing firewalls from Palo Alto Networks, Check Point and Cisco, with Fortinet citing higher throughput and more concurrent session capacity based on publicly available performance data.