We are providing services to our clients using this solution.
Information Systems Computer System Controller at a insurance company with 11-50 employees
Reliable, easy installation, but quicker customer service needed
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is stable."
- "The only problem we have faced is when we are upgrading the solution it is complex."
What is our primary use case?
What needs improvement?
The only problem we have faced is when we are upgrading the solution it is complex.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for more than 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
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Windows Server
May 2025

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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
My whole company is using the solution and we plan to continue using it.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support could have a faster response.
How was the initial setup?
We have been installing the solution for years and it has always been straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is a license required for this solution.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Windows Server a six 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.

Owner at Networks srl
A stable solution for file sharing and centralized authentication
Pros and Cons
- "Compared to other solutions, the ease of administration is great."
- "If the service could be better integrated with the Azure Cloud, I think it would be a plus for Windows."
What is our primary use case?
We used Windows Server for file sharing and centralized authentication.
We stopped using Microsoft Server in 2012 due to hardware failure and licensing costs. For these reasons, we decided to move to open-source solutions.
What is most valuable?
Compared to other solutions, the ease of administration is great.
What needs improvement?
In regard to the next release, I would like to see a more scalable solution. I would also like to see any future developments on the market because there was a time when most companies would run away from centralized authentication systems, like Active Directory — they moved to cloud solutions. If the service could be better integrated with the Azure Cloud, I think it would be a plus for Windows.
For how long have I used the solution?
I used Windows Server from 2003 until 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Windows Server is absolutely stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I can't comment on the scalability as we were only using two to three servers and we never attempted to scale out any further.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support is okay. As I have a special relationship with them, It's quite easy for me to get a hold of them.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I started with FreeBSD, then moved to Solaris. Right now I am only using and recommending Linux.
How was the initial setup?
The installation was easy compared to other operating systems, but the documentation part took longer than usual because I typically specialize in Linux-based operations.
What about the implementation team?
I usually handle the implementation myself. If I encounter a specific issue then I may have to apply for a consultant.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, on a scale from one to ten, I would give this solution a rating of eight. If your environment requires it, I would absolutely recommend Windows Server.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Buyer's Guide
Windows Server
May 2025

Learn what your peers think about Windows Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2025.
857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Software Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
User-friendly, pleasant UI , and frequently updated
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is user-friendly, the UI looks good, and there are new versions every year. Each new version is very different, better, and cleaner."
- "We have not had an issue with the stability of this solution. However, there could be some improvements."
What is our primary use case?
I use this solution for running applications that my clients use.
What is most valuable?
The solution is user-friendly, the UI looks good, and there are new versions every year. Each new version is very different, better, and cleaner.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have not had an issue with the stability of this solution. However, there could be some improvements.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is good.
How are customer service and technical support?
I was satisfied with the technical support from Microsoft.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is very easy.
What about the implementation team?
I did the implementation of the solution.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Windows Server a nine 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.
IT Manager at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Scales well, and offers support for a variety of applications
Pros and Cons
- "This product works well for the applications that we have hosted on it."
- "Stability-wise, there is room for improvement."
What is our primary use case?
We use a variety of applications that are hosted on our Windows Server.
What is most valuable?
This product works well for the applications that we have hosted on it.
What needs improvement?
Stability-wise, there is room for improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been working with Windows Server since it was first released.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This is a scalable product. We have thousands of users.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have not been in contact with technical support.
What about the implementation team?
We have an in-house team responsible for deployment and maintenance.
What other advice do I have?
This is a product I can recommend and as far as I know, we plan to continue using Windows Server in the future.
I would rate this solution 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.
IT Production Engineer at a consultancy with 201-500 employees
Stable, easy to use, and effectively hosts our web pages and SQL database
Pros and Cons
- "This is a stable product."
- "We had some complaints about the initial setup."
What is our primary use case?
We use Windows Server for hosting web pages, our SQL databases, and other things.
What is most valuable?
The interface is easy to use.
What needs improvement?
We had some complaints about the initial setup.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Windows Server for a couple of years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have approximately 600 users and there are two engineers responsible for management.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have no direct experience with Microsoft technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We do not have any Linux-based systems.
How was the initial setup?
This is a normal installation and the initial setup is of average complexity.
It did not take too long to install, although we had some complaints while doing it.
What about the implementation team?
I installed it myself.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Licensing fees are paid on an annual basis, and the price could be improved.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, this is a good product and I recommend it.
I would rate this solution 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.
IT manager at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
A server operating system that's easy to set up and deploy
Pros and Cons
- "It's easy to set up and deploy."
- "It could be more secure. We don't like it because if you compare it to Linux, Linux is better."
What is most valuable?
It's easy to set up and deploy.
What needs improvement?
It could be more secure. We don't like it because if you compare it to Linux, Linux is better.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Windows Server for over 20 years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability depends on the project. We have more than 1,000 users in our organization.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
I don't install Windows Server by myself anymore. We have a full Department for that.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We pay for the license every month.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to potential users.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give Windows Server an eight.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Science Technician at a government with 201-500 employees
Vast training support, easy to use, but could be more secure
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features I have found to be the flexibility and wide range of support training available."
- "In the future, there should be better protection for this solution."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution as a server for our information at our company.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features I have found to be the flexibility and wide range of support training available.
What needs improvement?
In the future, there should be better protection for this solution.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for approximately 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable. However, you can receive a lot of cyberattacks. We need to invest more in security when we are using Windows. It tends to be the target of attacks and hacks compared to other operating systems, such as Linux.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have approximately 400 users using the solution in my organization.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used Ubuntu Linux previously.
How was the initial setup?
The installation of the solution is easy. The time depends on what you are going to configure on the server. The install itself can be done in approximately 10 minutes.
What about the implementation team?
We did the implementation ourselves and we use a team of two developers and three administrators for maintenance.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution. However, I would advise investing in more security measures. We plan to continue using the solution in the future.
I rate Windows Server a seven 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.
Information Systems Infrastructure Manager at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
User-friendly, easy to install, priced well, but the security should be improved
Pros and Cons
- "It's user-friendly."
- "The security is not good."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for business applications.
What is most valuable?
It's user-friendly.
What needs improvement?
The security is not good. Windows Server has never been secure. You have put firewalls in place and do other things such as installing anti-virus software to secure Windows, otherwise, it won't work well.
Windows will never be secure, but it should be.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for several years from 2008 to version 2015. We use it extensively.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is fair. It's okay.
How was the initial setup?
It is very easy to install.
It doesn't take very much time at all, it's very easy, just click until it's finished.
What about the implementation team?
I completed the installation myself.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is priced very well and we pay an annual license fee.
It's not very expensive when compared to Linux.
What other advice do I have?
We plan to continue to use this solution and would recommend it to others who are interested in using it.
I would rate Windows Server a seven out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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