All three share the same 8 GE RJ45 ports, 2 GE SFP uplinks, 20 Gbps switching capacity, and fanless enclosure. The base FS-108F carries no PoE output but accepts PoE power in on port 8, so it can run without a wall adapter where a PoE-capable upstream switch is already in place. The FS-108F-POE adds 65 watts of total PoE budget across all eight ports for 802.3af and 802.3at devices such as IP phones, cameras, and access points. The FS-108F-FPOE doubles that to 130 watts for sites that run higher-draw devices or need to power more units simultaneously.

No. All three 108F variants run fully standalone using the onboard web GUI, REST API, or command line. FortiLink integration with a FortiGate is supported and recommended for organizations already running Fortinet firewalls, because it gives you a single management pane for both the switch and the firewall without an additional controller license. But the switch works fine on its own, and you can add FortiLink later if you bring a FortiGate into the environment.

FortiLink is Fortinet's proprietary management protocol that lets any FortiGate firewall manage a FortiSwitch as a logical extension of the firewall itself. Once the FortiSwitch is connected via FortiLink, it appears inside the FortiGate interface and inherits the firewall's VLAN segmentation, port security policies, Security Fabric automation, and device visibility. This means you can isolate a compromised device at the switch port level directly from the FortiGate, without logging into the switch separately. No per-switch controller license is required for standard FortiLink management.

The FortiSwitch 108F ships as a desktop appliance. Fortinet offers the RM-FR-T17 rack mount kit as an optional accessory, which slides the desktop unit into a standard 19-inch rack and routes all connections to the front panel for clean cable management. The kit is designed specifically for the 108F form factor, so the fit is exact. If your site mounts everything in a rack, order the RM-FR-T17 alongside the switch.

Fortinet offers FortiCare Premium and FortiCare Elite support contracts for the FortiSwitch 108F. FortiCare Premium covers priority ticket handling, next-business-day hardware replacement, and firmware and general upgrades. FortiCare Elite adds faster ticket response and enhanced escalation paths. Contracts are sold in one-year terms. The switch also qualifies for FortiEdge Cloud Management, which bundles FortiCare Premium with cloud-based management for the entire 100F series. Contact our team for current pricing and to confirm which tier fits your support requirements.