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SUSE Linux Enterprise vs Windows Server comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 3, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

SUSE Linux Enterprise
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
7th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
32
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
193
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of SUSE Linux Enterprise is 6.9%, down from 8.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows Server is 9.3%, up from 8.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Naveen Venugopal - PeerSpot reviewer
Efficient IT management with crucial automatic updates but needs developer-friendly configuration
Sometimes it is a bit of work for developers to change the configurations. Some kernels will not fit with some packages, and this aspect could be improved. Furthermore, the system's rigidity when updating packages and services needs improvement. Additionally, there should be more loosely bound functionalities to improve developer experience.
Jai Prakash Sharma - PeerSpot reviewer
Efficient Management Achieved with Internal Resources and Reliable Technical Support
Maintenance of Windows Server varies by organization, but for us, it's not very difficult as we have in-house resources managing these tasks. However, it can become a bit tricky when we want to see a collated view of our security posture. Regarding AI integrations with Windows Server, Copilot adoption is progressing, though I have only experienced it on endpoints and not on the server side. We operate significant workloads on AI, but we consume those primarily on Linux rather than Windows Server. I don't have much experience regarding integration capabilities in Windows Server for AI workloads, so I may not be the right person to provide insights on that. Overall, I am quite happy with my experience using Windows Server. I don't have many constraints or concerns, so I would rate it eight out of ten.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"SUSE Linux had a clean user interface, which was a valuable feature for me."
"The technical support services are good."
"Out-of-the-box SLES supported all of our HBAs and hardware specific components."
"I like how the tool handles kernel modules and upgrades - we rarely have issues after upgrades, unlike with other Linux distributions like Oracle Linux or Ubuntu. The kernel module management is excellent. Changes made in one version typically work the same in other versions too, which isn't always the case with other distributions. There's also lots of information and community support available if you run into any problems, both on the official website and in forums and user groups. I know many people who use it specifically, so it's easy to get independent support if needed. I've been working with the tool for a long time, since 2003, before they became SUSE Linux Enterprise. It's always been one of the most admin-friendly Linux versions."
"The initial setup for most modern Linux distributions is normally straightforward. Most of the common distributions use an ncurses or GUI install."
"From a functionality perspective, the suite is quite rich. We like that."
"The operating system is efficient in terms of security."
"The solution is easy to use, secure and allows for simple manipulation."
"The simplicity of the solution is the most valuable aspect."
"Windows server is easy to use."
"Windows Server can be used for any kind of application. It is an operating system that supports enterprise applications. There is no application that doesn't go with Windows."
"The performance of Windows Server is good."
"The most valuable feature is Active Directory."
"The solution is easy to learn. It doesn't take much training."
"Several years of improvements have been made to the software itself."
"Very easy to configure."
 

Cons

"The free version sometimes has security holes."
"They should provide chatbot support for customers to open the troubleshooting cases directly."
"We previously had trouble integrating Autodesk with the SUSE Manager, but the issue was resolved."
"The initial setup could be simplified."
"The price of SUSE Linux Enterprise could improve, it is too expensive."
"Sometimes it is a bit of work for developers to change the configurations."
"I would appreciate the product's future releases being lighter and operating more efficiently on smaller systems."
"I have not been overly impressed with their technical support."
"The solution would be better by implementing more security and integration."
"We are waiting for the solution to be more secure and more stable."
"The security could improve. If you are comparing the Linux operating systems and Windows Server, Windows Server is still way behind in terms of security. Microsoft can enhance security instead of having customers rely on third-party security tools."
"The solution could improve by making it more secure."
"The upgrade process for this solution could be simplified and made more straightforward."
"Windows should add some more compatibility tools to Windows Server."
"Active Directory should have groups and policies. It could probably provide a better overview of how Active Directory is built."
"In the next release, I would like to see the administration simplified."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I would advise others to download the free or strictly open source versions, then test them in their environment before committing to a purchase. This will allow for testing suitability for applications that they want to run."
"The license we pay is for Oracle. We make use of the community edition."
"Anyone can use Linux because it is open-source."
"The product's licensing options align well with the evolving landscape of Linux variants."
"The price of SUSE Linux Enterprise could be cheaper. Other solutions, such as"
"There is a free tier and a paid support tier. If you do not need support, then the solution is free to use. If you need support then there is an option for that as well."
"When we first implemented this product, we had licenses for support."
"I rate the product price an eight on a scale of one to ten, where one is a low price, and ten is a high price."
"In our case, we primarily use Microsoft, so the cost is a lot less. But some of our customers have spent approximately $12,000 a year on the operating system license."
"Windows Server has medium pricing."
"There is a licensing fee."
"We pay these on an annual basis."
"Our customers had a bundle package with Microsoft that included Windows Server."
"We have purchased Windows Server’s yearly license."
"The solution requires licencing."
"There is a license required for Windows Server and Microsoft the cost is based on the number of ports that you have on the production server."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Government
8%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about SUSE Linux Enterprise?
The initial setup is simple and takes five minutes for deployment and if you have automation in place, it will take four minutes.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SUSE Linux Enterprise?
I used the open-source version, so there were no setup costs.
What needs improvement with SUSE Linux Enterprise?
The software management side was a bit difficult, especially compared to Ubuntu. The software manager was different, making it challenging to install certain applications. Additionally, I encounter...
What needs improvement with Windows Server?
We haven't utilized Windows containers and Kubernetes for deploying any applications. I'm trying to learn it and have started to watch YouTube content for my understanding. I cannot tell if the sec...
What is your primary use case for Windows Server?
The main use cases for Windows Server involve file sharing, such as file server and network shares. We are not a big organization using Windows Server. We are in the transportation industry, and we...
 

Also Known As

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Air India, Akademicki Szpital Kliniczny (ASK), Allone, Altran, Apollo, ARCHIVA, Asia Innovatory Management School, ATLAS ELEKTRONIK GmbH, AutoData Norge AS, Baldor Electric, Business Connexion, CASIO, Ciclum Farma, Delta Lloyd, Edumate , HPE,  SAP SE,  Lenovo, BMW, T-Systems, UCX, Turners & Growers, Shenzhen Development Bank, Bosch Group, JK Tyres & Industries, IOCL, European Space Agency, Daimler AG, China Minsheng Banking Corp, Café Coffee Day, Unisys,  Petrochina Company Ltd, Fitch Ratings, ABeam Consulting Co Ltd, Tyro Payments, Rackspace, Pacific Textiles, ...
Rakuten, Rackspace, Tyco
Find out what your peers are saying about SUSE Linux Enterprise vs. Windows Server and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
861,490 professionals have used our research since 2012.