Optimizing FortiClient VPN Performance in a Hybrid Workforce

The New Performance Challenge

The shift to hybrid work models has placed unprecedented demands on corporate networks. A high-performance VPN is no longer a "nice-to-have" but a critical component for business continuity and employee productivity. A slow or unreliable VPN connection can lead to frustration, decreased output, and even security risks as users seek workarounds. The FortiClient VPN is engineered for performance, but unlocking its full potential requires thoughtful configuration and an understanding of the factors that can impact its speed and stability. This guide provides actionable strategies for optimizing your Fortinet VPN, ensuring a seamless and productive experience for your hybrid workforce.

Strategic Use of Split Tunneling

One of the most effective techniques for optimizing VPN performance is the strategic implementation of split tunneling. In a traditional "full tunnel" configuration, all traffic from a remote user's device is routed through the corporate network. This is highly secure but can create significant bottlenecks. Activities like video streaming, cloud application access (e.g., Office 365, Salesforce), and general web browsing are forced to make a round trip through the corporate data centre, consuming valuable bandwidth and increasing latency.

Split tunneling resolves this by allowing administrators to define which traffic goes through the VPN tunnel and which can go directly to the internet. For example, traffic destined for internal servers and applications is routed securely through the FortiClient VPN, while traffic for trusted, high-bandwidth cloud services can be sent directly from the user's local internet connection. This significantly reduces the load on the corporate firewall and internet circuit, resulting in a faster, more responsive experience for both corporate and cloud applications. However, a successful split tunneling strategy requires a clear understanding of your application landscape and robust endpoint security, as the forticlient must be able to protect the device even when it is directly connected to the internet. Find out more with our fortinet vpn download guide.

Choosing the Right VPN Protocol

FortiClient's support for both IPsec and SSL VPNs provides administrators with another lever for performance optimization. While both are secure, they have different performance characteristics. IPsec generally offers lower overhead and higher throughput, as it operates at the network layer and is processed more efficiently by network hardware. This makes it an excellent choice for users who are primarily stationary, such as those in a permanent home office, and require the best possible performance for demanding applications.

SSL VPN, while slightly higher in overhead, offers unparalleled flexibility. Its ability to function over standard HTTPS ports makes it resilient to the network restrictions often found in public Wi-Fi environments. When a user is on the road, the reliability of establishing a connection with SSL VPN often outweighs the marginal performance difference. A best-practice approach is often to configure both, allowing the FortiClient VPN to automatically select the best protocol based on the user's network environment, or empowering users to choose the protocol that best suits their immediate needs. The Fortinet VPN provides the flexibility to tailor the solution to your specific requirements.

Quality of Service (QoS) and Traffic Shaping

Not all network traffic is created equal. Real-time applications like VoIP and video conferencing are highly sensitive to latency and jitter, while a large file transfer is more tolerant of slight delays. This is where Quality of Service (QoS) and traffic shaping become essential. Within the FortiGate, which serves as the VPN gateway, you can configure policies that prioritize critical, latency-sensitive traffic.

By classifying and prioritizing traffic from the FortiClient VPN, you can ensure that a user's video call remains smooth and clear, even if a large background sync operation is occurring simultaneously. Traffic shaping policies can also be used to limit the amount of bandwidth that non-essential applications can consume over the VPN, preserving resources for business-critical functions. Implementing QoS for your Fortinet VPN traffic is a proactive step to guarantee a high-quality user experience for the applications that matter most, making the forticlient an even more powerful tool for productivity.