We use Windows Server to manage applications.
IT INFRASTRUTURE CONSULTANT at Hyfi Cloud Computing
Manages applications and helps with enterprise security 
Pros and Cons
- "The product helps with enterprise security. It becomes more stable with frequent updates."
 
- "Windows Server should lower pricing."
 
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The product helps with enterprise security. It becomes more stable with frequent updates.
What needs improvement?
Windows Server should lower pricing.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product since 2020.
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Windows Server
October 2025
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate Windows Server's stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the tool's scalability a nine out of ten. My company has around 1000 users.
How are customer service and support?
The product offers reactive support.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
Windows Server's deployment is easy. It takes a few hours to complete.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I rate the product's pricing an eight out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I rate the product a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Chief Information Technology Officer at AMX
User-friendly platform with efficient feature for centralized management of applications 
Pros and Cons
- "Windows Server is a good technology that allows IT staff to consolidate their expertise on a single product, avoiding the need to manage different sources."
 
- "The product's pricing needs improvement."
 
What is our primary use case?
We use the product as an application and SQL server.
What is most valuable?
The platform’s most valuable features are performance and centralization of operating systems. We can use one standardized system to host all applications.
What needs improvement?
The product's pricing needs improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Windows Server for more than 20 years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have more than 100 Windows Server users in our organization. It is a scalable product.
How are customer service and support?
We contact the technical support team for a few queries.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used Linux before. In some cases, it works better than Windows in terms of administration tools, especially for small companies.
From a centralization standpoint, Windows Server is a good technology that allows IT staff to consolidate their expertise on a single product, avoiding the need to manage different sources for Linux and Windows.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Windows Server is highly priced. They offer bundled licenses to be purchased yearly. Also, we need to pay extra for support services while utilizing different sources such as Linux.
What other advice do I have?
Windows Server’s integration with Active Directory enabled a single technology to manage multiple applications. Additionally, the feature for centralized management has proven beneficial in enhancing overall efficiency and meeting evolving requirements compared to Linux.
It is primarily suitable for enterprises as the cost would be a concern for smaller organizations.
It is a user-friendly platform. I rate it a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
Windows Server
October 2025
Learn what your peers think about Windows Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2025.
872,869 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Offers flexibility and easy deployment
Pros and Cons
- "I find Windows Server valuable for its flexibility and user-friendly interface."
 
- "In terms of improvement, performance could be enhanced."
 
What is our primary use case?
We use Windows Servers to manage user logins through Active Directory and facilitate VPN connections, supporting our researchers who are architecturally building on DSP DNS for enhanced security and access control.
What is most valuable?
I find Windows Server valuable for its flexibility and user-friendly interface.
What needs improvement?
In terms of improvement, performance could be enhanced.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Windows Server for 13 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Windows Server is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have not had any issues with the scalability of Windows Server.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
In large-scale environments with numerous simultaneous logins, Windows Server may not match the performance power of Linux. Linux tends to excel in handling extensive user loads, while Windows Server remains user-friendly for various tasks.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is quite straightforward and the deployment only takes about 30 minutes.
What about the implementation team?
We handled the deployment in-house without the need for a consultant or integrator. We manage it ourselves, and our subscription with Microsoft includes support, so whenever we have questions or issues, we contact Microsoft, and they assist us.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Windows Server to others but the choice depends on the specific technology and applications you plan to use. It is essential to consider compatibility and performance factors, as some applications may work better or be recommended for installation on Linux. Overall, I would rate Windows Server as an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior System Engineer at a transportation company with 501-1,000 employees
Transparent and easy-to-learn, but the product is not stable
Pros and Cons
- "The GUI is familiar. Anyone who doesn't know how to use a file server can be taught to use the product in a few minutes."
 
- "The solution should improve its stability."
 
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for mass storage and application storage.
What is most valuable?
DFS is the most valuable feature of the product. The product is very transparent. Any changes to the underlying file servers are not visible to users. It is a huge benefit for us.
The GUI is familiar. Anyone who doesn't know how to use a file server can be taught to use the product in a few minutes.
What needs improvement?
The solution should improve its stability. After some updates, one of the KBs faced issues while booting. On boot, it started boot looping randomly.
The solution is very rigid. Whenever we want to make changes that are slightly out of the ordinary, we have to do them manually.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for four and a half years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is definitely scalable. Around 1,500 people are currently using the solution in our organization.
What about the implementation team?
It is quite easy to maintain the product. We have deployed the solution across the whole company.
What other advice do I have?
I have used all the versions from 2003 to 2022. You can change the host and IPs and switch on the whole configuration. The users do not notice anything as long as DFS is active and the file system is the same. The product is a good choice for small-scale environments. Overall, I rate the product 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.
Team Lead at Regnology
Enables us to build and test applications directly on the server from scratch.
Pros and Cons
- "We use Active Directory and IIS to host different kinds of web apps. We have also used the FTP feature for our FTP server."
 
- "Active Directory should have groups and policies. It could probably provide a better overview of how Active Directory is built."
 
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for deployments, troubleshooting, Active Directory policies, and Windows patching.
What is most valuable?
We use Active Directory and IIS to host different kinds of web apps. We have also used the FTP feature for our FTP server.
FTP functionality does not require additional payment because Windows Server already includes the feature, reducing the costs of these tools. Windows Server also includes IIS, a web server hosting applications. This allows us to build and test applications directly on the server from scratch.
What needs improvement?
Active Directory should have groups and policies. It could probably provide a better overview of how Active Directory is built.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Windows Server as a consultant for ten years. We are using the 2022 version of the solution, as well as the 2008, 2016, and 2018 versions.
What other advice do I have?
We have various security measures, such as antivirus software and firewalls. Additionally, on the network side, we utilize different types of firewalls to manage and enhance the security of the infrastructure itself.
Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
ITSM Administrator & Analyst at Ministry of Interior
The product is secure, and it performs well, but the stability could be improved
Pros and Cons
- "The product’s performance is good."
 
- "The stability could be improved."
 
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for all the applications and Active Directory. We use it for enterprise management. We have different departments.
How has it helped my organization?
The product is secure.
What is most valuable?
The product’s performance is good. We have a good infrastructure.
What needs improvement?
The stability could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for eight to ten years. I am using the latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The tool is stable. I rate the stability an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have more than 5000 users. The usage keeps increasing in our organization.
How are customer service and support?
Whenever we face any issue, we contact our Windows team, and they improve it. The technical support is fine.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
The deployment was done in-house. We have a big team to deploy and maintain the product, including project and system managers.
What other advice do I have?
I will recommend the tool to others. Overall, I rate the solution a seven or 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 head at Ficobank
A stable and scalable solution that can be used to run various systems
Pros and Cons
- "Windows Server is a stable and scalable solution."
 
- "The solution's licensing cost is expensive and could be improved."
 
What is our primary use case?
We use Windows Server to run our banking system.
What is most valuable?
Windows Server is a stable and scalable solution.
What needs improvement?
The solution's licensing cost is expensive and could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Windows Server for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate Windows Server ten out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Around 42 users in our organization use the solution on a daily basis.
I rate Windows Server ten out of ten for scalability.
How was the initial setup?
The solution’s initial setup is too complex.
What about the implementation team?
We deploy the solution manually because we only have five servers. Around eight technical staff are needed for the solution’s deployment and maintenance.
What was our ROI?
We have seen value from using the solution, and that's why we deploy our systems using Windows Server.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We use a perpetual license for Windows Server, which is expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Windows Server to other users. Users should be trained or familiar with operating the solution before using it.
Overall, I rate Windows Server ten 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.
General Manager at TT Systems LLC
Easy to install and adapt product with efficient GUI 
Pros and Cons
- "The product is easy to use and adapt. It is known for GUI."
 
- "They could provide a lot of patches for the platform."
 
What is our primary use case?
We use Windows Server to manage Active Directory.
What is most valuable?
The product is easy to use and adapt. It is known for GUI.
What needs improvement?
They could provide a lot of patches for the platform.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Windows Server for 10 to 12 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I need to ensure patches are updated on time. I rate its stability an eight out of ten. It could be improved.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have 400 Windows Server users in our organization. I rate its scalability a ten out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
It is an easy-to-install product. It requires two engineers to manage the infrastructure and takes three to four hours to complete.
What about the implementation team?
We take help from third-party integrators, consultants, and resellers for implementing the product.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We have purchased Windows Server’s yearly license. I rate its pricing a four out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I advise others to ensure updating patches regularly for Windows Server. It is a flexible product. I rate it 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.
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