What is a common use for virtual IP addresses in FortiGate?

Virtual IP addresses in FortiGate are primarily used to allow external access to internal servers while hiding their real IP addresses. This functionality is essential in scenarios where organizations want to provide access to specific services hosted on internal servers without exposing the servers' actual IP addresses to the public internet. By using virtual IPs, the FortiGate device can map the external IP address to the internal server's IP address, ensuring that traffic directed to the virtual IP is appropriately forwarded to the internal server while maintaining the server's anonymity.

The use of virtual IPs enhances security by obfuscating the real endpoints and helps in managing traffic in a way that can simplify network configurations. This method also enables the implementation of policies and monitoring on the FortiGate device while maintaining internal network integrity by preventing external entities from directly accessing internal resources.