Fortios.qcow2 ((top)) May 2026

The "FortiOS.qcow2" file specifically contains the FortiOS operating system—Fortinet's proprietary security OS—tailored for virtual appliances (FortiGate-VM). Key Use Cases

The .qcow2 (QEMU Copy On Write) format is a drive image used by the hypervisor. Unlike raw images, QCOW2 files are thin-provisioned, meaning they only take up the physical disk space actually used by the virtual machine. fortios.qcow2

Map your virtual bridges to the FortiGate interfaces (Port1 is typically the management port). The "FortiOS

Obtain the deployment package from the Fortinet Support Portal under Download > VM Images . Select KVM as the platform. QCOW2 files are thin-provisioned

Understanding FortiOS.qcow2: Deploying FortiGate in Virtual Environments