CBTS and Fortinet Launch Fully Managed Secure Networking Service for Growing Mid-Market Organizations

New CBTS service brings networking and security into one platform, managed 24x7 for organizations with lean IT teams

News highlights

• CBTS brings firewalls, switching, wireless, and SD-WAN onto a single Fortinet platform that CBTS designs, deploys, and operates.
• The service is built for mid-market and multi-site organizations that need stronger networking and security capabilities, without adding specialized in-house staff.
• CBTS brings Fortinet-certified engineers, proven reference architectures, and 24x7 operations under one accountable team and one monthly subscription.

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CBTS, a leading North American technology services company, today launched CBTS Fortinet Managed Services. The new fully managed secure networking service helps mid-market and multi-site organizations modernize aging infrastructure, strengthen security, and support growth without adding network and security headcount.

The mid-market network and security gap

Mid-market organizations are caught between the sophistication of today’s threats and the resources available to defend against a growing attack surface. According to Forrester Research, security and risk leaders entering the 2027 planning cycle face persistent challenges, including platform sprawl, talent scarcity, rising costs, and growing pressure from AI-enabled threats. As adversaries gain access to more advanced AI capabilities, already-stretched security teams will face greater pressure to detect and respond to threats quickly.¹

Chris DeBrunner, CISO at CBTS, said: “For most mid-market organizations, hiring their way out of the problem is no longer realistic. CBTS gives them another option: bring networking and security together on a single platform, operated by certified CBTS engineers 24 hours a day.”

One platform, one partner, with one predictable cost

Aging switches, firewalls, and wireless infrastructure make that gap even harder to close. When those technologies sit across disconnected platforms, modernization can introduce even more tools, policies, and operational complexity.

CBTS addresses this by bringing Fortinet firewalls, switching, wireless, and SD-WAN onto a single platform, with CBTS responsible for assessment, design, deployment, and 24x7 operations. The common operating model gives organizations a more consistent network and security foundation as AI increases the speed and complexity of cyber threats. Clients receive the technology and ongoing management through one subscription, giving lean IT teams a single accountable partner for network performance and security.

The model is designed around three areas of simplification:

• One platform: Networking and security operate under a common architecture and policy model, reducing the gaps created by disconnected technologies.
• One partner: The same Fortinet-certified CBTS engineers that design the environment support its ongoing operations, reducing handoffs between resellers, integrators, and managed service providers.
• One predictable cost: Hardware, deployment, management, and ongoing refresh are combined into a predictable monthly operating cost with no upfront capital investment.

“Fortinet converges networking and security into a unified platform, and CBTS brings the engineering expertise and managed services capabilities to put that platform to work for clients,” said Michael O’Brien, US RVP of Carrier Services, Fortinet. “Together, we are giving mid-market organizations a simpler way to modernize their networks, with one team supporting the environment from design and deployment through ongoing operations.”

Built for mid-market, multi-site organizations

CBTS Fortinet Managed Services is designed for multi-site organizations across industries including healthcare, retail and food service, financial services, manufacturing, consumer packaged goods.

Centralized network and security management gives those organizations a more consistent way to open new locations, maintain policy across sites, and modernize infrastructure without building a larger internal engineering function. The subscription model also combines hardware refresh and ongoing management into a single predictable monthly cost rather than a series of separate technology investments.

Fortinet managed services proven at scale

CBTS has already put this model into practice for a quick-service restaurant chain with over 100 locations, replacing a mixed-vendor network with a single, fully managed Fortinet platform. The new environment brings firewall, wireless, switching, and SD-WAN under one managed service, reducing cost and complexity while creating room for future growth.

The client’s environment is managed through a dedicated dashboard, providing visibility into its network while maintaining separation from other managed environments.

Availability and additional resources

CBTS is a Fortinet Expert-tier partner with certified engineers who design, deploy, and manage Fortinet environments. CBTS Fortinet Managed Services is available across North America now.

Organizations do not need to be on Fortinet today to benefit. The CBTS service includes migration, with a dedicated project manager keeping the transition seamless. CBTS can also show how Fortinet integrates with their existing technology and third-party solutions.

• Learn more about CBTS Fortinet Managed Services.
• Register for the upcoming CBTS and Fortinet webinar.

About CBTS

CBTS is a leading technology services company that designs, builds, and operates resilient technology foundations for mid-market and enterprise organizations across North America. Offering expertise in AI, data, applications, platforms, and security, CBTS combines the technical depth of a large integrator with the flexibility and client focus of a specialized partner. Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, CBTS and its OnX Canada division serve more than 3,000 clients. CBTS has been named CRN Tech Elite 250 for seven consecutive years and ranks #49 on the CRN Solution Provider 500. Learn more at cbts.com.

About Fortinet

Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere our customers need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet's solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organizations from both the public and private sectors, including Computer Emergency Response Teams (“CERTS”), government entities, and academia, is a fundamental aspect of Fortinet’s commitment to enhance cyber resilience globally. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet’s elite threat intelligence and research organization, develops and utilizes leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at https://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, and FortiGuard Labs.

Citations
1. Forrester Research: “Budget Planning Guide 2027: Security and Risk Leaders Must Confront the AI Cost Explosion,” Jeff Pollard; Jul 8, 2026