A Strategic Shift in Semiconductor Manufacturing
Intel and cybersecurity giant Fortinet have unveiled a strategic partnership aimed at developing the Fortinet Security Processor 6 (SP6). This project marks a significant milestone for Intel's foundry business, as Fortinet becomes the first cybersecurity vendor to utilize Intel’s silicon services. The initiative will see Intel providing not only manufacturing capabilities but also specialized chip design and advanced packaging technologies.
Leveraging the Intel 4 Process
According to information provided to the industry, the SP6 processor is slated to be manufactured on Intel’s 4-nanometer node. This process, which utilizes Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, was previously reserved exclusively for Intel’s internal products, such as the compute tiles for Meteor Lake-based Core Ultra processors. This agreement establishes Fortinet as the inaugural external customer for the Intel 4 node.
While the specific production timeline remains undisclosed, the announcement aligns with the company's broader foundry roadmap, which projects significant customer commitments emerging between late 2026 and beyond.
Evolution of Fortinet’s Silicon Strategy
The SP6 processor represents a departure from Fortinet's current hardware architecture. While the existing SP5 is a monolithic 7nm Arm-based system-on-chip (SoC), the new collaboration is expected to utilize disaggregated semiconductor design. Ken Xie, founder and CEO of Fortinet, stated that this partnership is designed to
«accelerate and strengthen our ASIC strategy»by incorporating advanced packaging tailored for cost-sensitive and AI-optimized applications.
Broader Implications for Intel Foundry
The partnership highlights Intel's ongoing efforts to diversify its foundry client base. Previously, in early 2024, Microsoft committed to developing a custom chip on Intel’s 18A node, though specific technical details for that project have yet to be finalized. By securing Fortinet, a market leader in firewall appliance shipments with a significant 48% unit share as of 2023, Intel is demonstrating the industrial viability of its foundry services for high-volume, specialized networking hardware.
Although the current agreement is focused specifically on the SP6, both companies have indicated that this deal serves as a foundation for potential future collaboration regarding advanced chip manufacturing technologies.