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IBM WebSphere Application Server vs Windows Process Activation Services comparison

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Buyer's Guide
Application Infrastructure
April 2024
Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between IBM WebSphere Application Server and Windows Process Activation Services based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

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Featured Review
Anonymous User
Researched Windows Process Activation Services but chose IBM WebSphere Application Server: Bad documentation, does not scale well, and has a lot of complexities
Anonymous User
Central console enables us to see all of the activated and deactivated computers but it has poor alerts and frustrating technical support
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The only reason why we're currently using WebSphere is that the integration of the authentication with Azure is very quick. WebSphere has something that can immediately connect with Azure Active Directory.""IBM WebSphere Application Server is the best in terms of scalability and performance, as well as the support for managing distributed transactions.""The solution has good performance.""We needed this type of integration and WebShepere is the best tool for it.""It has good stability of the application server in the long term compared to other solutions.""The solution is very stable and robust.""The most valuable features are its user-friendliness and reliability in terms of application hosting.""One of the most valuable features might be the stability of the IBM WebSphere Application Server."

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"The most valuable aspect of the solution is the central console, that allows you to see all of the activated and deactivated computers."

More Windows Process Activation Services Pros →

Cons
"When compared with WebLogic, Weblogic is lighter and consumes less memory.""While WebSphere mostly supports IBM HTTP Server (IHS) as the web server plugin, I think it would be beneficial if it also supported Apache and NGINX web servers. That would give customers more flexibility in their choices.""It should be able to serve more concurrent requests like Oracle. Oracle has more powerful stability, availability, and real-time serving.""The availability of the solution needs improvement.""Initial setup is very simple. Just use the IBM Installation Manager and add the packages. The install wizard takes care of the rest. The only thing that can be difficult is to find the right packages on the IBM website, because of all the changes that IBM does on its website(s).""They should make the solution more lightweight and not bundle everything into a single product.""When we run into memory or locking issues, we resort to using third-party tools. However, it would be preferable to have native tools for debugging this type of problem.""The solution could improve the integration."

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"The stability of the solution needs improvement."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "IBM WAS base is part of the deal when you purchase IBM FileNet P8 Content Engine."
  • "Room for improvement would only be in the licensing. As with all IBM products the licensing can be complex and expensive. Bargain well and try to get as much discount as possible. Discounts of 85% are possible. Without the discount, I think the product is overrated."
  • "There is an Eclipse Plugin provided by IBM, so no need to buy IBM Rational Application Developer or Rational Software Architect tools."
  • "If your application is just a web app that does not need to scale big, you can obtain a single core license of WAS Express edition, which has almost the same features with limited processing cores. If you manage a very big application farm (i.e. need to run 10 or more WAS servers) it is better to get IBM WAS Hypervisor Edition."
  • "I don't remember the price, but there are no additional costs."
  • "We pay around $200,000 annually."
  • "The price of this product is higher than that of competitors."
  • "We used to pay about $100,000-$120,000 US or somewhere around there. That was a bit cost-prohibitive for us to continue."

    • More IBM WebSphere Application Server Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    What do you like most about IBM WebSphere Application Server?
    Top Answer:Network Deployment is the most useful feature for scalability. It has many features within the standard WebSphere Application Server edition.
    Read all 21 answers   →
    What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM WebSphere App...
    Top Answer:It's expensive. I'd rate the pricing nine out of ten, with one being inexpensive and ten being expensive.
    Read all 16 answers   →
    What needs improvement with IBM WebSphere Application Server?
    Top Answer:While WebSphere mostly supports IBM HTTP Server (IHS) as the web server plugin, I think it would be beneficial if it also supported Apache and NGINX web servers. That would give customers more… more »
    Read all 21 answers   →
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    Ranking
    5th
    out of 36 in Application Infrastructure
    Views
    4,346
    Comparisons
    3,003
    Reviews
    8
    Average Words per Review
    424
    Rating
    7.5
    23rd
    out of 36 in Application Infrastructure
    Views
    231
    Comparisons
    179
    Reviews
    0
    Average Words per Review
    0
    Rating
    N/A
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    WebSphere Application Server
    Learn More
    IBM
    Microsoft
    Overview

    IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) is a middleware platform developed by IBM. It provides a range of services and tools to help organizations develop, deploy, and manage Java-based applications. WAS is part of IBM's WebSphere product family and provides a secure, scalable, and highly available platform for developing and running web-based applications. WAS provides a secure, scalable, and highly available platform, making it an attractive solution for organizations looking to develop and deploy enterprise-grade applications.

    IBM WebSphere Application Server Features

    IBM WebSphere Application Server has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

    • Application deployment: IBM WAS enables organizations to deploy and manage applications in a secure and scalable environment.
    • Clustering: The clustering feature can help organizations ensure high availability and improve application performance.
    • Load balancing: The solution Includes load balancing capabilities to distribute application workloads and improve performance.
    • Security: IBM WAS offers a range of security features, including authentication, authorization, and encryption, to help organizations secure their applications and data.
    • Monitoring and management: The solution’s range of tools for monitoring and managing applications, including the IBM WebSphere Administrative Console allows organizations to optimize application performance and resolve issues easily.
    • Integration: IBM WAS integrates with a range of IBM and third-party products, including IBM WebSphere MQ, IBM DB2, and more, to provide a comprehensive platform for developing and running web-based applications.

    IBM WebSphere Application Server Benefits

    There are many benefits to implementing IBM WebSphere Application Server. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

    • Improved application performance: The IBM WAS platform offers a scalable and secure platform for deploying and managing applications, enabling organizations to improve application performance and reduce downtime.
    • High availability: IBM WAS provides clustering and load-balancing capabilities to help organizations ensure high availability.
    • Improved security: With a large range of security features, including authentication, authorization, and encryption, the solution helps organizations secure their applications and data.
    • Simplified management: IBM WAS is designed with a set of tools for monitoring and managing applications, enabling organizations to optimize performance and resolve issues efficiently.
    • Increased flexibility: The solution integrates with a range of IBM and third-party products, providing organizations with a flexible platform for developing and running web-based applications.
    • Improved developer productivity: It supports the latest Java EE specifications, allowing developers to use the latest technologies and development methodologies when building applications.
    • Better customer experience: Organizations can deliver faster and more reliable applications, improving the overall customer experience.
    • Scalability: IBM WAS provides a scalable and secure platform for deploying and managing applications, so organizations can quickly respond to changing business requirements.

    Reviews from Real Users

    IBM WebSphere Application Server is a solution that stands out when compared to many of its competitors. Some of its major advantages are that it is stable, supports many languages, and is resilient.

    Princewill O., Head Banking Application Customization and Reporting at a financial services firm, states, “[The solution is] very stable, supports many languages, and helpful for faster time to market.”

    "What's most valuable in IBM WebSphere Application Server is its resilience. When you use the solution, you know that after the communication has been done, there will be no doubt that the data has reached its destination,” says Nicolae C., System and Solutions Architect at Seidor.


    Another PeerSpot reviewer, an Enterprise Technical Leader at a tech services company mentions, “[It is an] enterprise-level product with extensive console capabilities, including the ability to control multiple JVM containers.”

    Windows Process Activation Service generalizes the Internet Information Services (IIS) process model, removing the dependency on HTTP. All the features of IIS that were previously available only to HTTP applications are now available to applications hosting Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) services, by using non-HTTP protocols. IIS 7.0 also uses Windows Process Activation Service for message-based activation over HTTP.
    Sample Customers
    TalkTalk, Property management group, E.SUN Bank, Ohio National Financial Services, Aviarc, Cincom Systems, FJA-US, D+H, Staples, Michigan Municipal League
    Bank Alfalah Ltd., Harris Farm Markets, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, John Keells Holdings, Green Prefab, 343 Industries, SM Prime, Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System Ltd.
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm30%
    Computer Software Company26%
    Government13%
    Insurance Company9%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Financial Services Firm29%
    Computer Software Company13%
    Insurance Company7%
    Government7%
    No Data Available
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business22%
    Midsize Enterprise9%
    Large Enterprise69%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business14%
    Midsize Enterprise11%
    Large Enterprise74%
    No Data Available
    Buyer's Guide
    Application Infrastructure
    April 2024
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    IBM WebSphere Application Server is ranked 5th in Application Infrastructure with 26 reviews while Windows Process Activation Services is ranked 23rd in Application Infrastructure. IBM WebSphere Application Server is rated 7.8, while Windows Process Activation Services is rated 4.0. The top reviewer of IBM WebSphere Application Server writes "Compatible, stable, and scalable". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Windows Process Activation Services writes "Central console enables us to see all of the activated and deactivated computers but it has poor alerts and frustrating technical support". IBM WebSphere Application Server is most compared with JBoss Enterprise Application Platform, JBoss, Tomcat, Oracle WebLogic Server and IBM BPM, whereas Windows Process Activation Services is most compared with Microsoft .NET Framework and IIS.

    See our list of best Application Infrastructure vendors.

    We monitor all Application Infrastructure reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.