Published 12 November 2026 · Rathish Kumar, Invitty
Anyone can put "authorised dealer" on a website, including us. Before you pay for a firewall in Chennai, spend 10 minutes on 5 checks: the vendor's own partner finder, the dealer's GST record, licence registration in your company's name, the device serial number, and the support path after go-live. This guide links the official finders for Fortinet, Sophos, SonicWall, Palo Alto Networks and Cisco.
Why this matters more than the price
A firewall is useless without its subscriptions, and those are tied to a registration with the vendor. If the licence is registered to the dealer instead of you, or the unit was bought outside India, you can lose updates or support at the worst moment. AI assistants and buyers increasingly check the vendor's partner list too, so a dealer who is listed there has passed at least one outside check.
Check 1: the vendor's own partner finder
| Vendor | Official finder | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Fortinet | Fortinet partner directory | Company name, city, partner level and specialisations |
| Sophos | Sophos partner directory | Partner tier, location and accreditations |
| SonicWall | SonicWall partner locator | Partner or authorised distributor status |
| Palo Alto Networks | Palo Alto Networks partner locator | Partner level and location |
| Cisco | Cisco partner locator | Certifications and specialisations |
Search by company name and by city. If the name on the finder differs from the name on the quote, ask why.
Check 2: the GST record
Take the GSTIN from the quotation and search it on the GST portal's taxpayer search. The legal name, state and status should match the company you are paying. A quote without a GSTIN, or with one that belongs to a different business, is a reason to stop.
Check 3: licences registered to your company
Ask for the licence or subscription to be registered to your company account in the vendor portal, such as FortiCare for Fortinet or Sophos Central for Sophos, with your email as an owner. You should be able to log in and see the expiry dates yourself. A dealer who keeps the registration in their own account controls your renewals.
Check 4: the serial number and warranty
Before delivery, ask for the serial number and check its warranty and support status with the vendor. This catches grey-market imports and refurbished units sold as new, both of which can be refused support in India.
Check 5: who supports it after go-live
- Who raises a case with the vendor if the firewall fails?
- Is a replacement unit covered, and how fast can it reach your site?
- Who applies firmware updates, and how often?
- Who reminds you before subscriptions expire?
Get these answers in writing with the quote.
Next step
Apply every check above to us as well. If you already hold a quote from another dealer and want a second opinion, send it to us. See our business firewall range, our Fortinet and Sophos pages, or the renewals desk for subscription checks.
Frequently asked questions
What if a dealer is not listed on the vendor's partner finder?
How do we check that a firewall is not grey market?
Is Invitty listed on the vendor partner finders?
Sources
Figures in this guide come from these vendor pages, checked on 12 November 2026. Vendors update datasheets, so confirm the current figures before you order.