The Brief
CTI Logistics, a long-term partner of CMTG, had worked with the team for several years on an ad hoc basis, primarily engaging for specific IT infrastructure purchases and support. As CTI’s operations expanded, their existing WAN and VPN setup could no longer meet the growing demands of the business. The infrastructure had become fragmented, inefficient, and increasingly difficult to manage. They approached CMTG to deliver a comprehensive, centralised and future-proof replacement for their existing WAN – one that could support 30+ branch sites, multiple data centres, and enable remote access with enterprise-grade security. Their goals were clear:
• Centralised firewall management across all locations
• Real-time, consolidated logging and reporting
• Scalable VPN solutions for remote users with layered protection
• High-availability datacentre failover
• Simplified, templated rollout across all branch sites
CMTG Approach
CMTG architected a robust, Fortinet-based solution tailored to CTI’s goals. The design included:
• Fortinet firewall clusters at both datacentres
• FortiManager for centralised firewall management
• FortiAnalyzer for logging and intelligent reporting
• FortiClient EMS for secure end point VPN and ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access)
• FortiConverter Service to migrate legacy Watchguard firewall configs, saving time and risk
• Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) and SDWAN overlays to streamline branch deployments
Working closely with the team, CMTG provided a three-phased implementation:
Phase 1 – Datacentres and remote access
CTI’s internal team self-deployed the initial firewall cluster at one datacentre using Fortinet’s intuitive high availability setup. CMTG then integrated the cluster into the broader management environment and began configuring remote access via FortiClient EMS. This gave CTI the ability to dynamically terminate VPN connections at either datacentre, increasing resilience in the eventof a failure.
Phase 2 – Branch
To replace aging Meraki equipment across 30+ sites, CMTG built a templated deployment model using:
• Uniform FortiGate hardware across all sites (secured through a Fortinet partner discount)
• SDWAN Overlay and CLI templates within FortiManager
• Automated BGP and IPsec configuration
• Custom failover routing with Bidirectional forwarding detection, eliminating downtime during failover scenarios
Each site could now be deployed in 15 minutes, requiring minimal input – just a hostname, SiteID, and credentials – while the rest of the config was auto-applied from the FortiManager templates.
The Results
CTI Logistics has successfully transitioned from a fragmented, manually managed network to a unified and scalable infrastructure with:
• Full visibility and control through a single management pane
• Seamless failover and SDWAN performance across sites and datacentres
• Highly secure and resilient VPN access for remote workers
• Rapid deployment of new sites using Zero Touch and templated configs
• Reliable vendor support and regular strategic input from CMTG
• Ongoing training and enablement from Fortinet, tailored to CTI’s setup
The project was delivered successfully by CMTG on the first try – building confidence in the partnership and reinforcing CMTG’s role as a strategic IT partner.
CTI is now independently rolling out the remaining branch deployments with minimal CMTG involvement, supported by comprehensive documentation and an intuitive deployment process.
With a monthly cadence of strategic check-ins and a roadmap to further consolidate vendors under Fortinet, CTI is firmly in control of its infrastructure – and equipped to scale.
