How does FortiGate handle IPsec VPN tunneling?

FortiGate handles IPsec VPN tunneling primarily by encapsulating IP packets within IPsec protocols. This process is essential for establishing a secured communication channel between different networks or endpoints. When an IPsec VPN is implemented, original IP packets are taken and wrapped in a new packet that includes additional headers for security and identification purposes. This encapsulation ensures that the data being transferred is protected from unauthorized access and tampering as it traverses public or insecure networks.

Moreover, IPsec supports various features like encryption and authentication, which add an additional layer of security to the encapsulated data. The other aspects of the IPsec function—such as routing or limiting connections—are important but secondary to the fundamental process of encapsulating packets within the IPsec protocol, which is the core mechanism enabling secure tunneling in FortiGate devices.