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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
8.5
Oracle Solaris offers strong integration and troubleshooting ease, but cost-effectiveness and complexity vary, impacting adoption and ROI.
Sentiment score
6.9
Windows Server enhances efficiency and reliability, offering stability, broad support, and positive ROI through virtualization and strong security.
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
7.3
Oracle Solaris offers global 24/7 support with knowledgeable staff but faces regional quality variance and sometimes scripted interactions.
Sentiment score
6.5
Windows Server support is praised for responsiveness and helpfulness, though some experience varying satisfaction and regional discrepancies.
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 excels in scalability and adaptability, efficiently handling workloads across diverse IT environments and supporting extensive storage.
Sentiment score
8.2
Windows Server is praised for scalability across company sizes, but some note limitations in large setups and specific environments.
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
8.2
Oracle Solaris is praised for its stability, with minimal issues, high reliability, and strong support enhancing user satisfaction.
Sentiment score
7.9
Windows Server is praised for its stability and reliability, with improvements since 2012 enhancing performance and user satisfaction.
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 better hardware certification, easier configuration, enhanced GUI, and broader software support for improved adoption.
Users seek improved security, simpler interfaces, enhanced support, better integration, and more user-friendly administrative functions in the platform.
Oracle Solaris needs to improve its compatibility with office tools like Excel.
The solution should improve its stability.
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.
 

Setup Cost

Oracle Solaris offers significant savings and robust integration, despite complex licensing and higher costs versus alternatives like Linux.
Windows Server pricing is complex and expensive, with scalability benefits but challenging for smaller organizations due to high costs.
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 offers virtualization, data management, stability, and integration features, ensuring high availability and performance for enterprises.
Windows Server is praised for its user-friendly interface, compatibility, virtualization, security, scalability, and integration with Microsoft Azure and applications.
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
9th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
50
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Windows Server
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
4th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
191
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Oracle Solaris is 2.3%, down from 3.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows Server is 9.1%, up from 8.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Erick Kathurima - PeerSpot reviewer
Has enabled a user-friendly and lightweight installation with improved performance
I installed Oracle Solaris on a normal PC to test its functionality. It is comfortable to use and provides a good test environment, especially because it is not commonly known or recognized in the market Oracle Solaris has a graphical interface that is user-friendly, especially with its use of…
VIJAY RAGAVAN - PeerSpot reviewer
Facilitate fast deployment and seamless network management in global enterprise environments
Network configuration and management in Windows Server is very easy, providing fast deployment, plug and play capability, and simplified partition creation. This ease is crucial for us as we operate in analytical sciences with multiple laboratories. Additionally, backup work is facilitated by our own backup deployment managers, enhancing our management capabilities.
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851,604 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
8%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
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 know exactly how to enhance Windows Server, but it meets our requirements. We can work with both virtual and physical setups. If there are new features from Microsoft, we are happy to test ...
What is your primary use case for Windows Server?
All our IT infrastructure is Windows. We run our banking applications on Windows Server ( /products/windows-server-reviews ), along with Oracle databases. In addition, our digital banking section u...
 

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: April 2025.
851,604 professionals have used our research since 2012.