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Oracle Solaris vs Windows Server comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
8.2
Oracle Solaris is praised for efficiency, integration, performance, and low maintenance, despite cost variability and complex ROI assessment.
Sentiment score
6.2
Windows Server enhances efficiency and cost-effectiveness with stability, reducing dependency, operating expenses, and time/resource usage by 10-20%.
In terms of ROI, there have been performance improvements because Oracle Solaris is lighter.
We're very competitive commercially and technically because of it.
We've seen value in Windows Server because the systems work smoothly without any problems.
Windows Server offers excellent value for money, particularly when compared to alternatives.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.0
Oracle Solaris customer service is available 24/7, reliable, knowledgeable, but sometimes slow; improvements in speed and expertise needed.
Sentiment score
6.4
Customers appreciate easy setup and positive support but note issues with response times and expertise for complex problems.
Our in-house team can also solve most issues.
If you go through a partner who sells or supports Windows, the support could be around seven out of ten, because Windows relies on these partners for assistance.
Microsoft's technical support for Windows Server has been lacking, with rare responses even with premium support.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.1
Oracle Solaris offers exceptional scalability and performance, especially with SPARC processors, supporting smooth hardware transitions and virtualization.
Sentiment score
7.9
Windows Server offers scalable expansion, supporting diverse user bases and enterprises, with integration capability for effective business adaptability.
Regarding vertical scalability, Oracle Solaris is probably one of the most scalable operating systems in the industry.
I've worked in companies with 20,000 to 100,000 users, and it scales beautifully without issues.
I rate its scalability a ten out of ten.
It's definitely scalable.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.3
Oracle Solaris is renowned for its unparalleled stability, minimal downtime, and solid performance, earning high praise from users.
Sentiment score
7.6
Windows Server is praised for stability and reliability, though some users report security concerns and occasional compatibility issues from updates.
We have experienced no blue screens or crashes and often achieved an uptime of 2,000 to 3,000 days without any issues whatsoever.
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
The tool is stable.
 

Room For Improvement

Oracle Solaris needs improvements in compatibility, user experience, training, marketing, and performance for better adoption and usability.
Windows Server needs better performance alignment, security enhancements, clearer documentation, integration, UI simplification, and improved technical support.
Oracle Solaris needs to improve its compatibility with office tools like Excel.
From a security perspective, sometimes, malware attacks and hackers take advantage of the tool's vulnerabilities.
Deploying antivirus and firewall software on the server is advisable, but having an external firewall adds an extra layer of security.
Windows Server needs to improve its speed and stability.
 

Setup Cost

Oracle Solaris offers performance and security, though licensing costs and complexities may be high compared to Linux alternatives.
Windows Server pricing is seen as complex and expensive, but offers flexible licensing options based on business needs.
I find the pricing of Oracle Solaris to be affordable compared to competitors like Windows.
It is quite expensive.
Previously, a Windows Server with two processors cost around two 154 euros annually, but now it is estimated to be around 3,000 to 4,000 euros for the same configuration.
On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the most expensive, I rate it ten out of ten.
 

Valuable Features

Oracle Solaris excels in virtualization, security, and stability, with robust features making it ideal for critical applications.
Windows Server excels in feature integration, performance, and ease of use, enhancing enterprise application management and interoperability.
The operating system is lightweight, which makes it easier to use on an average computer compared to systems like Windows.
Windows Server is a stable and scalable solution.
The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that every Microsoft product is scalable, flexible, secure, and available on a certain budget.
The IP directory is the most valuable feature.
 

Categories and Ranking

Oracle Solaris
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
10th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
51
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Windows Server
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
5th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
194
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Oracle Solaris is 2.0%, down from 3.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows Server is 9.6%, up from 8.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Peter Karlsson - PeerSpot reviewer
Advanced security and predictive features improve IT management capabilities
There can always be enhancements. The usability can be enhanced, and they need to enhance the web management. In Linux, you have the Cockpit that is fairly useful. The Oracle Solaris similar features are more cumbersome to use because they are designed for more advanced users, so the ease of use for novice system administrators might be something that should be improved. There are things with ZFS I would to see improved when it comes to device removal, the ability to shrink a Z-pool, and to be able to remove devices and restructure a Z-pool without having to rebuild it from scratch. There are other technical and feature functions that are a couple of layers deeper than what most people are looking for.
Jai Prakash Sharma - PeerSpot reviewer
Efficient Management Achieved with Internal Resources and Reliable Technical Support
Maintenance of Windows Server varies by organization, but for us, it's not very difficult as we have in-house resources managing these tasks. However, it can become a bit tricky when we want to see a collated view of our security posture. Regarding AI integrations with Windows Server, Copilot adoption is progressing, though I have only experienced it on endpoints and not on the server side. We operate significant workloads on AI, but we consume those primarily on Linux rather than Windows Server. I don't have much experience regarding integration capabilities in Windows Server for AI workloads, so I may not be the right person to provide insights on that. Overall, I am quite happy with my experience using Windows Server. I don't have many constraints or concerns, so I would rate it eight out of ten.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
12%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
University
10%
Computer Software Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Government
8%
University
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

How does Oracle Linux compare with Solaris?
When comparing Oracle Linux and Solaris, I believe that Linux is more secure and more flexible. It is also very suitable for enterprises that are already Oracle solution users. I found Linux to be ...
What do you like most about Oracle Solaris?
We use the solution as an internal operating system.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Oracle Solaris?
I find the pricing of Oracle Solaris to be affordable compared to competitors like Windows.
What needs improvement with Windows Server?
I don't have experience with Windows Server containers and Kubernetes for deploying cloud-native applications. I cannot provide specific improvements for Windows Server because I don't have extensi...
What is your primary use case for Windows Server?
At the office, the main use case for Windows Server involves different functions, for example, file server or firewall and the IIS server, Microsoft Internet Server, Internet Information Services. ...
 

Also Known As

Solaris 11, Solaris
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Siemens, IVV
Rakuten, Rackspace, Tyco
Find out what your peers are saying about Oracle Solaris vs. Windows Server and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
865,164 professionals have used our research since 2012.