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PeerSpot user
Cybersecurity & IT Operations Professional (VirtualCxO) at BrainWave Consulting Company, LLC
Consultant
The improvements in live migrations have been a plus in availability

What is most valuable?

Hyper-V and the updated PowerShell are among the best features that I have taken advantage of.

How has it helped my organization?

I have been able to support more VMs on Windows 2016 than on 2012 R2, using the same hardware. Additionally, the improvements in live migrations have been a plus in availability.

We plan to take advantage of the improved storage replication functionality in Q1 2018.

What needs improvement?

Some of the elements of the Windows Server UI from 2012 R2 are better than what is found in 2016, especially the patch management. While it is nice to have the configuration options more centralized than in earlier versions of Windows, the patch/update options in Windows Server 2016 are less flexible than those of earlier versions Windows, and downloads (from Microsoft Update or WSUS) can be more finicky.

For how long have I used the solution?

One year.

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.
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What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

None.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

No. The stability has been stellar.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

So far, scalability has not been a problem.

How are customer service and support?

Customer Service:

We have not needed to use Microsoft support, but have utilized online forums for support. (We do have Microsoft support available.)

Technical Support:

We have not needed to use Microsoft support, but have utilized online forums for support. (We do have Microsoft support available.)

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

Not applicable.

How was the initial setup?

Very straightforward deployment.

What about the implementation team?

In-house.

What was our ROI?

ROI was not calculated for this project.

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

Pay close attention to the licensing, as there is a focus on core licensing under Windows 2016.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

None.

What other advice do I have?

Windows 2016 continues the trend of solid, stable, high-performing Windows Server products from Microsoft.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Principle consultant at Active Data Consulting Services Pty Ltd
Real User
Top 20
I'm on a 16GB system with a 500GB SSD and I can run multiple VM's on VirtualBox, client sessions, multiple displays and so forth without any issues at all.

What is most valuable?

Speed and ease with integrating into Microsoft Azure AD environment, security, being able to log in the 'Hello' service.

How has it helped my organization?

In my small development environment, speed and security are important, we actually make use of the Microsoft's Edge browser -- which is getting better with each update. Simplified management of Windows 10 machines is also nice.

What needs improvement?

Intrusive 'You have updates' notification can be annoying -- as it blocks the middle of the screen, but this can be turned off.

When setting a new machine up, users should be given a bit more of information in regards to creating a Microsoft account vs a local account, as being unaware of this can cause a user some confusion down the track if they install an application that needs 'local' user credentials to function.

For how long have I used the solution?

Since it was released.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

No, Windows 10 has deployed onto legacy systems fine.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Very stable, Haven't had any issues with instability whatsoever.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Being a Desktop operating system, scalability is really a function of the resources of the desktop or VM it's running in.

I'm on a 16GB system with a 500GB SSD and I can run multiple VM's on VirtualBox, client sessions, multiple displays and so forth without any issues at all.

How are customer service and technical support?

Customer Service:

Very good, Microsoft makes it easy to get most things set up fairly easily.

Technical Support:

Very high, I had the need to contact Microsoft customer support on a matter, and their engineer was able to remotely assume control of the screen (with my permission and after following instructions) and in a few minutes had resolved the problem.

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

Windows 7, which had become old, bloated with patches and security updates, and was generally just getting slow.

How was the initial setup?

Very straightforward. So far, the installer has identified all of our hardware and everything is running.

What about the implementation team?

In-house.

What was our ROI?

Difficult to calculate, improved efficiency, less time to get things done, less downtime...can't put an exact dollar amount on it, but our environment is more efficient with Windows 10 installed.

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

I can't see any reason why anyone would want to downgrade a new machine (if that's even possible now) to Windows 7...

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We looked at Remaining on Windows 7, but decided we would make the move to Windows 10.

What other advice do I have?

TEST your applications, especially legacy applications. Most things work just fine on Windows 10, but very old applications that may have just worked under windows 7 may encounter problems.

If that's the case and there's an application you absolutely must have, then consider setting up a dedicated VM with Windows 7 on it just for that application or look at replacing the ancient software.

We only had one old 90's era application that wouldn't run on Windows 10, so we just replaced it and dealt with the change.

The benefits of moving to Windows 10 far outweigh the costs of replacing some old applications (that are probably no longer supported and may have serious security issues).

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
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.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.
PeerSpot user
Manager IT at a energy/utilities company with 51-200 employees
Vendor
Top 5
Work Folder Synchronization provides offline synchronization of users’ data whether it resides in a desktop, laptop or hand-held device.

What is most valuable?

Work Folder Synchronization: This feature provides offline synchronization of users’ data whether it resides in a desktop, laptop or hand-held device. It also facilitates the BYOD policy if implemented in the company. Its single point of access provides users access to files in online and offline mode with convenience. When the device is connected to the network, data is synched to the storage point as per policies set by the user. The procurement department uses this feature for their purchase-related documents that are shared within department.

Storage Tiering and Pinning: This feature is designed by keeping the data usage frequency in mind. Data that is accessed frequently is stored on a faster hard drive by the operating system. Suppose if you have SSD and SATA or other type of drives, the system will move frequently accessed data to SSD.

What needs improvement?

Performance-related defaults should be set according to role of the server. Windows 2012 provides a thumbnail view of different roles that a server is configured for. Click on any role, check the event, services and log data for quick review and solution of any issue. These thumbnails of installed roles are pre-configured and disturbing them is not recommended. If any issue with the installed role is detected, the affected part is highlighted with a red-colored font.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using it for about one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I have not encountered any stability issues at all.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I have not encountered any scalability issues at all.

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support is good.

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

We were using Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008. We were upgrading our hardware, so decided to upgrade the OS version as well.

How was the initial setup?

Initial setup went through very smoothly.

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

Licensing is a complex issue when it comes to Microsoft. Read all the detail and assess your requirements before finalizing any licensing option.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Before choosing this product, I did not evaluate other options.

What other advice do I have?

Plan according to your environment.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1126884 - PeerSpot reviewer
Principal Consultant at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
High performance, reliable, but simple implementation
Pros and Cons
  • "I have found Windows Server to be easy to use and the performance to be good."

    What is our primary use case?

    We are using Windows Server as a cloud server.

    What is most valuable?

    I have found Windows Server to be easy to use and the performance to be good.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using Windows Server for many years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The stability of the Windows Server has been good.

    We have been using the same Windows Server release for years, we haven't needed to buy another one.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    We use Windows Server primarily as a file server and as a mail server and has been working well with 20 users.

    How are customer service and support?

    We do our own technical support within the company.

    How was the initial setup?

    The implementation process for Windows Server was fine, we did not have any problems. It took us less than a day to complete the implementation.

    What about the implementation team?

    We have a team that handles the implementation.

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

    The price of the solution should be less expensive. There is an annual subscription to use the solution.

    What other advice do I have?

    The solution has fulfilled its requirements.

    There are many operating systems that people can use, such as Linux and Windows Server. They all work well for their purpose.

    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.
    PeerSpot user
    reviewer1693089 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Consulting and Pre-Sales Manage at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
    Reseller
    Highly scalable, reliable, and simple setup
    Pros and Cons
    • "The solution is invaluable, we need it for file and emails servers."
    • "The technical support could improve."

    What is our primary use case?

    Our primary use case for Windows Server is to support applications and distribute them to all the company users.

    What is most valuable?

    The solution is invaluable, we need it for file and emails servers.

    The solution has plenty of features.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using Windows Server 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The solution is highly stable.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    Windows Server is highly scalable.

    How are customer service and support?

    The technical support could improve.

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

    I have used Windows 10. If you compare Windows 10 to Windows Server they are very different. The Windows Server is supporting all the company users. While Windows 10 is a personal operating system.

    How was the initial setup?

    The setup is very easy.

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

    The price of the solution could improve.

    What other advice do I have?

    I would recommend this solution to others, it can implement easily, it is very stable and reliable.

    I rate Windows Server a ten out of ten.

    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: reseller
    PeerSpot user
    reviewer1593132 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Co-Founder at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
    Real User
    Easy to setup and use but performance and integration could be better
    Pros and Cons
    • "What I like most about Windows Server is that it's easy to use."
    • "I would like to see better performance and more integration options in the next release of Windows Server."

    What is most valuable?

    What I like most about Windows Server is that it's easy to use.

    What needs improvement?

    I would like to see better performance and more integration options in the next release of Windows Server. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I've been using Windows Server for quite a while now. I'm not sure how long.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Windows Server is stable.

    How are customer service and support?

    I would rate Windows support five out of 10. 

    How was the initial setup?

    Installing Windows Server is pretty straightforward. You don't really need much IT knowledge to deploy it.

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

    We pay for a yearly license

    What other advice do I have?

    I would rate Windows Server five out of 10. I would recommend it to others. 

    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
    reviewer1680246 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Chief Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
    Real User
    Easy to use, stable, and simple to configure
    Pros and Cons
    • "The solution is easy to use."

      What is our primary use case?

      We used Windows Server to run SQL applications and a few remote desktop applications.

      What is most valuable?

      The solution is easy to use.

      For how long have I used the solution?

      I have been using Windows Server for approximately four years.

      What do I think about the stability of the solution?

      The solution is stable.

      What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

      Windows Server is scalable.

      We have approximately 20 people in my organization using this solution.

      How was the initial setup?

      Windows Server is easy to configure. However, it takes approximately three months for the full implementation.

      What about the implementation team?

      We used integrators to do the implementation of the solution. We have one technician that works on the solution.

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

      Windows Server's whole licensing model is complex because if you have, for example, Microsoft Office and end-user applications installed on a server with a remote desktop, then the licensing can be complex. If the model could be simplified it would be better.

      What other advice do I have?

      I would recommend this solution to others.

      I rate Windows Server an eight out of ten.

      Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
      PeerSpot user
      reviewer1124103 - PeerSpot reviewer
      Senior Practice Lead at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
      Real User
      Server solution that is stable and scalable used for ten years to host applications
      Pros and Cons
      • "We use this solution for hosting applications on the server."
      • "The on premises to cloud migration should be easier."

      What is our primary use case?

      We use this solution for hosting applications on the server. 

      What needs improvement?

      The on premises to cloud migration should be easier. 

      For how long have I used the solution?

      I have used this solution for ten years. 

      What do I think about the stability of the solution?

      This is a stable solution. 

      What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

      This is a scalable solution. 

      What other advice do I have?

      I would rate this solution 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: May 2025
      Buyer's Guide
      Download our free Windows Server Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.