Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users
System Administrator at Finlays
Real User
Reliable, commonly known and used, and scalable
Pros and Cons
  • "Windows Server is most commonly used and practiced."
  • "Often, we get updates that affect productivity."

What is our primary use case?

We upgraded to 2019 and use this as our operating system for our domain controller, for our file server, and for running our ERP. We're also run our ERP on  Microsoft Dynamics.

What is most valuable?

Windows Server is most commonly used and practiced. It is compatible with what we are running. You can run Dynamics on Linux or other operating systems, but our clients commonly use Windows Server, Microsoft products, and Office 365.

What needs improvement?

Often, we get updates that affect productivity. It's the way they do the updates.

After an update has been done, Microsoft notifies us that there is a problem.

It is not practical to have a test environment. There should be an easier process, as currently, it's a bit tedious. They should find a way of proving or revamping this procedure. It should be very fast.

When you are running Windows and Microsoft, you will see an error message regarding ransomware and suggest the security is up-to-date, but the update always affects the operating system. Most of the issues we have are when we apply security updates or critical updates, which will affect the operating system, the production environment, and your business.

It is recommended to have a test environment, run it on the test environment to make sure that it is working well then put it in the production environment. This is a tedious process. Most of the time, people just take a risk and just apply it without doing the test.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Windows Server for more than 10 years.

We are using Windows 2019, 2016, and 2012.

Buyer's Guide
Windows Server
August 2025
Learn what your peers think about Windows Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: August 2025.
866,561 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Windows Server is scalable.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We are also using Exchange version 2016, and Windows 10.

What other advice do I have?

With a proper deployment, Windows Server is good.

I would rate Windows Server an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1523223 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT at a financial services firm with 201-500 employees
Real User
Easy to use, stable and with good performance for the running of OS applications
Pros and Cons
  • "We like the ease of use, stability and performance of Windows Server."
  • "As I have already paid for a license, I should have the option of requesting the containerized functionality from the OS to reduce the Windows Server OS footprint."

What is our primary use case?

A couple of years ago we migrated from the 2008 to the 2012 version and we are currently in the process of trying to migrate our applications to that of 2019. We use Windows 10 for OS. We're researching z/OS, which is actually Linux based, to see how well it works with Windows applications. 

When it comes to the SQL server, we have separate application and database servers, the latter which is also on Windows Server 2012. This means that we have a couple of applications in which we hosted in IIS and Windows Server 2012. Consequently, we have quite a collection of Windows 2012 that are currently running in our data center. 

For the moment, we are not making use of the solution in our environment but looking into how we can have a license free OS that can both work with lower machines and function very well.

What is most valuable?

We like the ease of use, stability and performance of Windows Server. The reason I was skeptical when it comes to moving to Windows Server 2019, which is currently the latest version that the market has to offer, is because the solution is easy to use and stable, something typical of any OS. While we are currently inspecting the compatibility of applications that are running on Windows version 2019, we're still using the 2012 version and everything is working fine. We have encountered no problems with the OS being used to run the applications. 

What needs improvement?

What could help in improving the footprint is if Microsoft could come up with several flavors or start providing containerized solutions for server systems. 

Say, for example, that I wish to host a web server online. I would pose the question whether I would really need to have a Windows Server OS for me to be able to do that on IIS. At the moment, the use of Kubernetes or Docker present the only solution. As there is a steep learning curve for one's team to acquire the skill-set and obtain the capabilities associated with these solutions, a relevant Microsoft version would make life much easier. 

As I have already paid for a license, I should have the option of requesting the containerized functionality from the OS to reduce the Windows Server OS footprint. This will save me from having to make constant installations as a condition of running my servers on it. 

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using Windows Server for a couple of years, straight from the beginning. 

How are customer service and technical support?

We have had no issues with Windows Server that required technical support, although we did have to call the Microsoft team concerning something on which we were working and had issues around the MS Teams and certain things relating to Azure. I can connect you to my system's administrator if you wish, who may have more information. 

How was the initial setup?

The installation is pretty straightforward. 

What about the implementation team?

I can easily replicate what I want. My environment allows me to clone servers in a matter of mere minutes, as I already have a startup which contains all of my standards. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

One must pay for a license for the solution. 

What other advice do I have?

The number of users utilizing the solution averages slightly north of 500, since this is the application we use in running all our key activities. Each member of our organization's staff requires access to the solution for carrying out several functions, be it in respect of the application or of the need to log into the system as a consequence of this being where the employee management system is located. 

I would definitely recommend the solution to others. 

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Windows Server
August 2025
Learn what your peers think about Windows Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: August 2025.
866,561 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer1597158 - PeerSpot reviewer
Lead Solutions Architect - International Projects at a media company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Scalable, easy to install and best used for Microsoft applications
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is scalable."
  • "The solution is less stable than Linux."

What is our primary use case?

We have an asset management system from a vendor that requires Windows Server. That's where the old content of customers is being stored.

What is most valuable?

The solution is perfect for Microsoft applications.

The stability is okay.

The solution is scalable.

The installation process is easy.

What needs improvement?

I don't like it. However, I'm forced to use it, due to the applications, or the vendor supply, that need to run on it. Many of the applications only support Windows Server.

The solution is less stable than Linux.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've used the solution for a while. We use it constantly.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is pretty stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's pretty reliable. That said, Linux is even more reliable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution can scale. If a company needs to expand it, it can do so easily.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We also use Linux. We're 50% Linux, 50% Windows. 

How was the initial setup?

The installation process is very straightforward. It's very easy. It's not too complex. A company shouldn't have any problems handling the process.

What other advice do I have?

We use various versions of the solution, including 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2019.

We're a service provider. I have colleagues who are MSP-certified. They are the consultants to our customers.

I'd rate the solution at a seven out of ten. it's okay. However, it's not my first choice. I find Linux, for example, more stable. 

I would only recommend the solution to a user if they really needed to use it for specific applications. I would not advise it if you needed to install it. I'd only advise it if your application requires Windows. If that's the case, then, of course, you should use it.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Girish Kumar. - PeerSpot reviewer
Consultant at Botmantra
MSP
Top 20
Stable and user-friendly with good performance
Pros and Cons
  • "It's very easy and user-friendly compared to any other operating system."
  • "The scalability could be better."

What is our primary use case?

The solution is basically an operating system for business. We use it for business purposes. that's it.

What is most valuable?

The performance of the solution is good.

It's very easy and user-friendly compared to any other operating system.

The stability has been good.

What needs improvement?

The scalability could be better.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for the last five years or so. It's been a while at this point.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability has been good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable. Even if we ran into trouble, we know we can rely on Microsoft to help us very quickly.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is limited. They could make it easier to expand.

I'm working with a startup and I would say there are about 50 people or so on the solution at this time. We don't have a big setup.

Likely, we plan to increase it in the future. By how much, I can't say.

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support is responsive. We know if we run into issues, they will respond quickly in order to help us resolve the issue. We are quite satisfied with their level of attentiveness. They are helpful.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We did not use a different solution before setting up this product.

How was the initial setup?

I can't speak to the installation procedures. I've never participated in an initial setup and therefore cannot speak to the process or how easy or hard it was.

I can't speak to the maintenance requirements or how many people on staff look after the solution.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I'm not involved in the licensing aspect of the solution, I can't speak to the company's arrangement with Microsoft. I'm not sure how often we pay licensing fees or how much.

What other advice do I have?

We are end-users and customers. 

We use multiple deployment models, including cloud and on-premises. 

I'm using the latest version of the solution.

I'd rate the solution at an eight out of ten overall.

I'd recommend the solution to other users and companies. It's worked well for us so far.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1505493 - PeerSpot reviewer
Systems Engineer at a educational organization with 11-50 employees
Real User
Quick and easy to deploy and offers very good integration of Microsoft products
Pros and Cons
  • "Within 10 or 15 minutes, you can build a single Windows Server and put it on production."
  • "The solution needs to be more stable and secure."

What is our primary use case?

The solution is mainly used if you have a lot of solutions that integrate with Microsoft products. The usage varies. It depends on what you want to do with it. If you want to use it for integrating for web services or integrating for OS with some of your net applications, or your C-Sharp type of environments, then Windows is your go-to.

What is most valuable?

The product is very good for those that are integrating a lot of Microsoft products. It's great at integrating them.

The initial setup is pretty easy. The deployment is very fast.

What needs improvement?

The solution needs to be more stable and secure. Linux servers are much better in terms of stability and security and are better at thwarting any form of cyber attack. You stand a better chance if you're on a Linux box if you get hit. Not that they don't get attacked. However, Windows is a high-maintenance operating system. You have to keep it up to date almost all the time, and you also need to have a lab to test your updates as some of the updates could actually break the environment. There is a fine line between keeping it updated and breaking it.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for what feels like forever. It's easily been seven or eight years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability needs to be improved. You really need to have some sort of sandbox in order to test the updates. While it needs to be kept updated, you also run the risk of breaking your environment. It's a tricky balance. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

There are not so many users on the solution. Users are only using the applications, not so much the servers themselves, however, I would say, from our systems, we've got about five people that have to look after these servers.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup process has improved over the years. Now it's actually better than it was. I would say that at this point it's straightforward. Within 10 or 15 minutes, you can build a single Windows Server and put it on production.

What about the implementation team?

You can likely handle the implementation yourself. It's easy. I did it myself. I didn't need the assistance of any outside integrator or consultant. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

You do need to pay for a license. It's reasonably priced. Of course, if you are strapped for cash, you can set up a Linux type of server basically for free. It depends on what you need.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I am aware of Linux servers. You can set up an Unbuntu server for free if you want. With Microsoft, you do have to pay. I also find Linux to be more secure. You are less likely to suffer attacks.

What other advice do I have?

We use various versions of the product. Right now, for example, it's a mix between the 2015 and 2019 versions.

Users need to be aware that they need to manage the solution properly. It could be pretty unsafe if you don't manage it properly.

I wouldn't outright recommend the solution per se. It depends on what you want to achieve or if you have the knowledge of what you want to do. I would only recommend it if you have to integrate it with other Microsoft products. There are other server platform products that are much more secure and better than Windows. That said, if you are integrating into a Microsoft environment, yes, Windows is your best option.

In general, I would rate the solution at a seven out of ten. It's great for Microsoft-heavy environments, however, it could be more secure. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Global Head ICT (CITP & MIE) at The Aga Khan Academies
Real User
Good performance, easy to use, stable, and scalable
Pros and Cons
  • "It is easy to use, and its performance is good."
  • "When it comes to virtualization, VMware is a bit more advanced in terms of security. Hyper-V does provide facilities, but it probably has to do a bit more work in terms of encryption. People will normally go for VMware because of the features that it has as a server, particularly the virtualization feature."

What is our primary use case?

We are using this solution for all of our on-premise application servers. The latest version is Windows Server 2019, but we are using Windows Server 2016. We haven't felt the need to upgrade it.

What is most valuable?

It is easy to use, and its performance is good. 

What needs improvement?

When it comes to virtualization, VMware is a bit more advanced in terms of security. Hyper-V does provide facilities, but it probably has to do a bit more work in terms of encryption. People will normally go for VMware because of the features that it has as a server, particularly the virtualization feature.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable. In terms of its usage, the license that we currently have is good enough for us. We will increase its usage, but we don't need to purchase anything in the foreseeable future. We have enough. 

We are also doing a PoC for moving the server that we have at each location to the cloud. After that is done, we will look at the cost and think about migrating to the cloud.

How was the initial setup?

Its initial setup is very straightforward. The duration depends on how big the installation is in terms of the database and the domain you want to use. It can vary from about an hour to a couple of hours with updates, etc. It could be anywhere from 60 minutes to 3 hours.

What about the implementation team?

All of our people are adept at handling its installation.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to others. I would rate Windows Server an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
it_user1577142 - PeerSpot reviewer
Responsable TUIC at MISSION LAIQUE FRANCAISE
Real User
Easy to configure and offers good pricing to educational institutions, but needs to be more stable
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is very easy to configure."
  • "The solution is not easy to use."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for the domain controller.

How has it helped my organization?

The product has helped our company as it offers us a domain controller and the use of the domain service.

What is most valuable?

The solution is very easy to configure.

The solution has a lot of features.

The pricing is good. They offer special pricing to educational institutions that is less than what a typical organization might pay.

What needs improvement?

The solution is not easy to use.

The solution could be more stable. It's an aspect they could improve on in future versions.

The solution could be more scalable and flexible.

The solution needs to offer better documentation and more training to its users. This would help customers better understand how to use the product effectively.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution since 2015. It's been just over five years now. It's been a while.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution does not offer very good stability. It's something they need to improve upon.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is moderately flexible. I'd rate it at a 3 out of five. It could be better.

We have 100 users on the solution currently. We do have plans to increase the number of users to 200 in the future.

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support could be a bit better. they do have a lot of features and sometimes we need assistance with everything.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have some experience with Linux, however, I find it a bit more difficult to implement.

How was the initial setup?

The solution is not too difficult or complex to set up. It's easier to implement than other servers. For example, Linux is much more difficult.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing, for us, is reasonable. We are an educational institution and therefore we get special rates. Therefore, our pricing isn't too bad. However, an enterprise version of the solution is quite expensive.

What other advice do I have?

We are just a customer and an end-user of the solution. We don't have a business relationship with Microsoft.

We are currently using the 2016 version and have plans to upgrade to the 2019 version.

I would recommend the solution to other users and organizations.

I'd rate the solution at a seven out of ten. It's an okay product, however, there are many areas that could be improved.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1465254 - PeerSpot reviewer
Software Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Easy to use, simple to set up, and scales well
Pros and Cons
  • "The scalability it offers is great."
  • "Sometimes we face some overload on the server."

What is our primary use case?

We have the product that my team works on and we need to, for example, deploy the solution on running servers. That way, the client can access it and the QAs in our team could test it.

Also, we have some database servers other than the Windows Server. We use it for servers - indicators for better pages for better performance. We create the databases actually. 

What is most valuable?

The remote session is really helpful due to the fact that we are using Windows on our machines. You can access the remote session easily on that server. There's also the database management tool that we use to run queries and show a relational database check. If there is some problem with the data we can see it. 

It's good for performance testing on the actual app.

The scalability it offers is great. We can upgrade for the internal services. If we want to increase storage, or our clients do, the solution can accommodate that.

Overall it's really easy to use. It's like using Windows, yet with many other features.

The initial setup is very easy.

What needs improvement?

Sometimes we face some overload on servers. You need to request one of the IT to assist as there is no way that you can do a remote session on it. They need to intervene directly on the server. It has to be done manually. We also can't intervene ourselves as there is no way to log in remotely to the servers. That's why IT needs to get involved. It's a pain point for us as all you can really do is wait.

In a future release, it would be helpful if there were more tools to help us do some performance testing. The last time we needed to look for tools online and choose some third-party tools to analyze how the application is performing. If they could instead provide us with pre-installed tools, that would be better. There are some but they don't really give you the information that we are looking for. 

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using the solution for the last 12 months. We use it pretty much daily.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is good. It's extremely reliable. We are using it in both the development phase and in production whenever we have a release for a client. It doesn't crash or freeze. There are no bugs or glitches.
It also provides multiple metrics that help us supervise the overall performance of the server based on data collected over the lifetime.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

For my own team, from our own premise, there are more than a hundred users at any given time on the solution. Sometimes there could be multiple deployments on one server. 

We do have plans to increase usage. It comes with a variety of good features and it's quite useful to us. 

How are customer service and technical support?

I haven't personally worked with technical support in any capacity. However, I have colleagues that have opened tickets and they don't have any complaints. They are helpful and reliable when dealing with our team.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward. There are some requests from the clients to use HTTPS and therefore we needed to test some certificates. The documentation thing for Amazon or Microsoft is really detailed at the center. It's easy to find the details you need.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We do have a license from Microsoft.

I can't speak to how the subscription works however it's my understanding that it's paid yearly due to the fact that it's a large-scale scheme.

What other advice do I have?

We are just a customer and an end-user.

We have servers deployed within the company's headquarters right here in Tunis which we use for internal purposes. For other clients, it's deployed in other data centers, and they have access to them from our company.

I'd recommend this solution to other companies and users. There are some clients that require this particular server and there are some older solutions that require deployment on a Windows Server. That said, we've moved to .net code to support both Microsoft and Linux.

I'd rate the solution at an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Windows Server Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: August 2025
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Windows Server Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.