Windows Server Reviews

All our IT infrastructure is Windows. We run our banking applications on Windows Server, along with Oracle databases. In addition, our digital banking section utilizes AI and Copilot to enhance processing in the bank and serve customers.

Windows Server meets our needs; no one works without Microsoft these days. We run applications on top of Windows Server, and all our banking applications use Windows Server. Although we have some Oracle databases and Unix systems, most of our servers are Windows Server, totaling around seven hundred. Our strategy is to move everything to the cloud, decreasing the operational cost.

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 them.

We have had an enterprise agreement with Microsoft since 2008 for Windows Server.

Windows Server is stable.

I would rate the scalability nine out of ten. It has supported our organization's growth well.

Support is okay, but sometimes it takes time to get assistance unless it is opened as a security issue. I would rate Microsoft tech support seven out of ten.

For me, it's only Windows Server. Our organization's database admins use other systems, but I have only used Windows Server.

We are familiar with Windows Server. There are no hassles, especially with virtual machines, which take about ten to fifteen minutes to set up.

We observe cost savings through virtualization and the use of Microsoft Cloud, which decreases running costs.

Previously, server licenses were purchased. Now, it's core-based licensing, which costs more. This is now Microsoft's licensing approach.

Without the need for recommendations, everyone uses Windows Server. I rate Windows Server nine out of ten.

Hybrid Cloud

I am working in a bank, and we use Windows Server for different purposes and services. Specifically, it is used for our banking system and banking software. We need to install software and databases on Windows Server.

Windows Server is user-friendly compared to other operating systems, like Linux. It offers virtualization techniques, such as Hyper-V, and other features that make it favorable. It is also user-friendly, which is beneficial for my organization as it simplifies processes.

One area that needs improvement is the protection against ransomware attacks. A mechanism similar to what Linux offers for preventing ransomware attacks would be beneficial.

I have been working with Windows Server for at least ten years.

I would rate the stability of Windows Server as nine out of ten.

I would also give a rating of nine out of ten for scalability and its ability to expand.

I would rate the technical support from Microsoft an eight out of ten. The response time is one area that could use improvement.

Positive

The initial setup of Windows Server is very simple. While it used to be complex, it has become more straightforward and easier over time.

The pricing for Windows Server is moderately high, and with time, the price is increasing. It is suggested that Microsoft focuses on the pricing issue.

Windows Server's main competitor is Linux, but it is not as user-friendly, making Windows Server a preferred choice in my country.

I would give Windows Server an overall rating of eight out of ten.

On-premises

I use Windows Server primarily as an Infra Server and Active Directory domain controller. It acts as a domain controller, chain email server, application server, and file server.

Windows Server offers good operational benefits. It is quite sustained, provides good support, and is quite reliable.

All features are required for managing my data center. The domain controller is for Active Directory, and if you need to include an email server, you can't ask about features individually since all features are necessary.

The price is very expensive. It would be excellent if Microsoft could reduce the price. Also, the support team is getting worse in terms of expertise. No cost-saving benefits have been observed.

I have been working with Windows Server for almost 20 years.

For stability, I rate Windows Server seven out of ten.

Scalability is rated eight out of ten.

The customer support team is not satisfactory. Their expertise has diminished. I rate them two out of ten.

Negative

The setup is easy. I would rate it a nine out of ten. Deployment takes about five minutes per server.

You need at least a team of two people for deployment to manage and support, especially when one person is unavailable.

There is no cost saving. I have not observed any cost-saving benefits.

The price of Windows Server is very expensive. On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the most expensive, I rate it ten out of ten.

It's better to have your own internal server capabilities. Do not rely on the support; you need your team to manage and support the server.

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten.

I used the solution for my file server, music server, and document management system.

The solution is quite stable. It's very common, so finding applications and support is easy. The security is fine. The single sign-on makes it easy for the users, and the ability to automatically deploy software to everybody is good.

The administration interface should be more user-friendly. Some parts of the administration interface have been upgraded, while others are old-fashioned. The vendor must update everything with the same user interface and make it more modern.

I have been using the solution for 25 years.

I rate the tool’s stability a 10 out of 10.

The tool’s scalability is fine.

The initial setup is pretty straightforward. Due to the Windows updates, it always takes me two days to install Windows Server.

I can do the deployment myself. I just had one server.

It's easy to get support. It's well known, so we can find answers anywhere. The tool supports many applications. It’s simple. It’s not cheap, but it works. The ROI is pretty good.

We had an annual license. The product was quite expensive.

I have also used Linux servers. Windows has better application compatibility, availability, and ease of use.

I have never used Microsoft's virtualization features. Windows is one of the most common operating systems. Many applications are available for it, so it's hard to go wrong if we have the money to pay for it. Overall, I rate the product a 9 out of 10.

On-premises

We mainly worked with Windows Server 2003, 2008, 2012, and 2016 as they were the go-to operating systems for applications like Excel Server and various other software. We occasionally used Linux servers, especially for databases and specific applications, but most of our work was on Windows servers.

When we deploy this operating system, we're primarily focused on managing virtual environments. There are different parts like the directory, data storage, and CPU usage which are really useful. We also compare it to other parts like group policy, all of which are related to users. Currently, I find that users are very involved when it comes to these applications or servers on the two other links.

I believe that Windows Server can be somewhat vulnerable compared to other options, but its security can be improved. I also think that the setup process can be somewhat complex, depending on the applications involved.

Regarding the security features of Windows Server, while it offers some built-in security measures, it's not sufficient to solely rely on them. Additional external devices such as firewalls may be needed for comprehensive protection. Deploying antivirus and firewall software on the server is advisable, but having an external firewall adds an extra layer of security.

When migrating to Windows Server from previous versions or other platforms, noticeable improvements were observed, particularly in the utilization of graphical interfaces. Windows offers robust graphical guidance, especially compared to Linux or other systems like Acronis, making it easier to navigate and manage various functionalities.

I have used Windows Server for a couple of months.

I found it somewhat lacking in responsiveness at times.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate Windows Server around a 5 or 6.

When it comes to recommending Windows Server to others, it depends on the critical applications being used. If you're installing an Oracle database, for example, I wouldn't recommend Windows Server. In such cases, Linux or similar platforms might be more suitable. However, for tasks closely related to Windows environments, like utilizing Microsoft products extensively, Windows Server could be a faster and more compatible option, especially when it comes to firewall capabilities.

Windows Server is the operating system we run on our servers. We use it in the IT department, primarily as the OS for our servers.

Windows Server is the OS for servers in our IT environment. Its features depend on the servers we're running, such as web servers or file servers. It's a well-known server OS, making it suitable for all our needs. For security, we have no issues as we use several security applications like BlackPoint and Kaspersky, along with backup systems, and we keep the server up-to-date.

I think there is room for improvement in the stability of older versions. Additionally, Windows Server could be more power-efficient, especially for individuals doing labs or studies on personal computers or laptops.

I have been working with Windows Server for eight or nine years.

I have not faced any deployment issues.

The stability is better with the newer versions like 2019. Older versions like the 2008 servers had several issues. The current version is stable, and I rate it between eight and nine.

Windows Server is very scalable. We use it everywhere, and it serves approximately two thousand users in our company as a backend service.

I have never contacted customer service.

Positive

Windows Server has been my only experience.

The initial setup process for Windows Server is very straightforward and easy. There is plenty of documentation and tutorials available online to aid in the setup.

I did not evaluate other operating systems before using Windows Server.

Windows Server is a well-known and well-established OS, heavily used in organizations in Kuwait. It's the only option for companies, with a usage rate of 95 to 98 percent. Anyone wanting to work in a reputable organization should gain experience with Windows Server. I rate the latest versions of Windows Server at around eight or nine, providing room for improvement.

On-premises

We are using Windows Server to connect our client software. We use it to access client systems and work on SQL databases.

Rather than purchasing and setting up infrastructure, we are using Windows Server, which obviously saves some costs.

Windows Server is fulfilling our daily work-life purposes. We use it to connect to client systems and are happy with the performance and its features. 

Also, it has a user-friendly interface. Rather than purchasing and setting up infrastructure, we are using Windows Server, which obviously saves some costs.

Sometimes the performance goes down, which might be due to the stability zone or network issues. It can also depend on our network.

I have been working with Windows Server for more than eight years.

Sometimes the performance goes down, so it may be due to the stability zone or network issues. It can also depend on our network.

I had the opportunity to connect with Microsoft support. They resolved our problems within the defined SLA. I would rate my experience nine out of ten.

Positive

I haven't done any initial setup on it. Whatever we are getting from our vendor, I'm using the same application. We don't have access to install and setup.

I am not an expert in Windows Server, however, am aware of using it alongside Azure virtual machines.

I would rate Windows Server nine out of ten. It has a good user interface and is user-friendly. I would definitely recommend it.

On-premises

Windows Server has been idle for a while, but it is quite stable for running your application, specifically web-based applications, databases, or any front-end applications. And it's in the industry you are used to, along with Flex. Newer and enhanced versions are being introduced because Windows has recently started to design as per the cloud environment so that it can integrate well with Azure Cloud. If you are running the Windows Server and SQL on Azure, you will get the benefits of saving costs and licenses. Also, it can be tightly integrated with cloud services so that it can manage the patching, backup, and everything end to end if you talk about the life cycle of an operating system.

If Windows could make the OS part lighter, especially starting and restarting the Windows Server, which needs to be quick, then it would be great since this is an area where the tool lacks a bit. The tool should also offer more security.

I have experience with Windows Server for more than ten years.

Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

Windows has had a long journey since it started off in 1998 and now it has been almost 22 years. From the last decade, the tool has improved a lot, and offers good stability. There are no errors, and problems coming up in the tool like how it used to come up in the initial days.

Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

The product's initial setup phase is pretty straightforward and simple without any challenges.

For the on-prem version, you need to go for a perpetual license. An organization can buy licenses in a bundle. If I am planning to run ten operating systems, I will buy a pack of ten licenses, which will be cost-effective for me. If one goes bad, I can get another one by just putting it to use the same license, meaning I can reuse the license if something goes bad on any of the PCs. When it goes to the cloud, I can purchase the monthly licenses from Windows.

In terms of the product's abilities associated with virtualization, I would say that it is actually the biggest leap in technologies when, earlier, whatever applications you needed to run, you had to spin up a physical server. When the virtualization started happening, you could run multiple servers on one physical server. Multiple VMs can have different applications and tiers. Virtualization is the best thing that happened, and a lot of people and organizations use it.

The best part of the security feature in the tool is the firewall because it is the first line of defense for the operating system since you can lock down your OS to a certain level and only allow one or two ports for whatever communication you want, and the rest can all be blocked for safety purposes. You keep getting security updates every month or every second Tuesday so that you can keep your environment up to date and safe from outside malicious activities. Microsoft is always on top of security updates, and the tool is very careful to keep the environment safe.

Speaking about the benefits of AD in Windows Server, I would say that AD is actually the backbone of any organization. AD was, in fact, my first love. When I started working with technologies, I was baffled to see how strong and amazing the technology AD had, how it would let me spin up users, groups, and objects, and how you manage those objects because those are very important areas. In any organization, the most important thing is the security of your identity. For any user who is trying to access any of the computers in the organization, it is very important for the company to authenticate and authorize the user to ensure the identity of the person. He or she has to move with the proper way of writing a username and the right password. There are a lot of security features in the tool. If a person is trying to enter a system with some fake passwords, then there are lockouts. After three incorrect passwords, the account gets logged out, and in such a manner, you can secure that entity.

The tool's integration feature with the existing IT ecosystem has been easy. The integrations are absolutely fine because Windows is designed to allow for easy integrations, even though Linux is also getting integrated easily these days. Mostly, Windows carries a GUI. For users, it is easier to maintain Windows Server than some other tools.

I would just suggest others always try to use the latest OS or operating system for servers and laptops because the latest servers come with new features and security enhancements, which can keep one's environment safe. If one weak PC or one weak OS is there in your environment and if it is outdated and not getting security updates, then it can be hacked, or there could be some virus that can try to harm your network and infect other operating systems. It is very important that each and every operating system is up to date.

I rate the overall tool a ten out of ten.