I use the solution in my company for hosting websites. For the many roles my colleagues and I played in the organization, Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2019 were useful.
Manager, Strategic Alliances at Softcell Technologies Limited
Every Microsoft product is scalable, flexible, secure, and available on a certain budget
Pros and Cons
- "The tool is scalable, flexible, easy to use, user-friendly, handy, and easy to maintain, and authentication is good."
- "From a security perspective, sometimes, malware attacks and hackers take advantage of the tool's vulnerabilities. There is a need to have updates in the product to fill in the vulnerability gaps."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
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.
What needs improvement?
The UI of the product is an area of concern where improvements are needed to make it more user-friendly. Vulnerabilities are an area for Microsoft to look into so that improvements can be made. From a security perspective, sometimes, malware attacks and hackers take advantage of the tool's vulnerabilities. There is a need to have updates in the product to fill in the vulnerability gaps.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have ten to eleven years of experience with Windows Server. I have been using Windows Server since 2013.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Users can increase the hardware or virtual environment and memory, and it is scalable enough to meet the company's requirements.
Everybody in the organization uses the product. The HR department uses the solution for storage purposes and the website hosting from where the internal applications are made available for use within the company. The developers in our company also developed certain applications that can be hosted on Windows Server. In general, the solution has around 500 users in my company.
My company can increase the number of users of the product in the future, especially if we achieve the capability that can allow us to scale up.
How are customer service and support?
My company did not use the support offered by the product since we have a technical expert who handles the server in our company.
How was the initial setup?
The product's initial setup phase is simple.
For the product's installation phase, you just download the server on Hyper-V or any bare metal hypervisor and install the solution by clicking the next options provided.
The solution was deployed on an on-premises model. The solution can also be used on the cloud services offered by GCP or AWS. In short, the product is deployed on a hybrid cloud model.
If everything is ready and in place, meaning if the prerequisites for the deployment are met within a particular environment, then the installation process takes around an hour to be completed.
What about the implementation team?
The product can be deployed with the help of our company's in-house team.
What was our ROI?
Only if I consider the fact that my company's technical team is capable enough to handle the vulnerabilities can I say that the ROI is good.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is a need to make payments towards the licensing charges of the product since we used to purchase licenses for consumption in our company. Microsoft used to provide my company with the keys that can be directly put in to activate the server. If I look into the tasks my company does with the product, I would say that the tool is not that expensive.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
There are only two or three options, like Linux or Unix, that can be considered against Windows Server.
What other advice do I have?
My company did not use the support offered by the product since we have a technical expert who handles the server in our company. Every organization uses Windows Server. Most people opt for Windows when it comes to servers since no one can do any work without servers.
The tool is scalable, flexible, easy to use, user-friendly, handy, and easy to maintain, and authentication is good. The product can be integrated with any solution.
I rate the overall tool 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.
Consulting Manager at Angkor Group SAC
User interface provides friendly and comprehensive management experience
Pros and Cons
- "The best features of Windows Server include the interface; the interface is so easy and friendly."
- "I think the pricing is expensive because if you know how to administer or manage Linux, a file server is cheaper to use."
What is our primary use case?
At the office, the main use case for Windows Server involves different functions, for example, file server or firewall and the IIS server, Microsoft Internet Server, Internet Information Services. Basically, we use it as a file server for other applications on the server.
What is most valuable?
The best features of Windows Server include the interface. The interface is so easy and friendly. I know the Linux environment, but I think the user interface of Windows Server is the best.
Our customers use the Active Directory integration in Windows Server, and our application connects to this Active Directory.
What needs improvement?
I don't have experience with Windows Server containers and Kubernetes for deploying cloud-native applications.
I cannot provide specific improvements for Windows Server because I don't have extensive experience with Hyper-V operations. I have only completed two tests.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have 10 to 15 years of experience with Windows Server. I have worked with versions since 2008, 2012, 2016, and the current version 2019.
How are customer service and support?
I don't use or have had any contact with Microsoft support in the last few years.
What was our ROI?
In this case, it saves money.
Regarding the amount saved, I would estimate the resource savings to be about 50 to 70%, approximately 60%.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Regarding pricing or licensing for Windows Server, there are options for CPU or core numbers. There are licensing options for on-premise and other options available in the cloud.
I think the pricing is expensive because if you know how to administer or manage Linux, a file server is cheaper to use. However, if you know how to administer Linux, then Windows Server is still the best option for its friendly interface.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I am familiar with Hyper-V technology but I tested it some years ago. I am currently using Oracle VM VirtualBox, and the other option is VMware.
I am referring to Hyper-V technology within Windows Server.
What other advice do I have?
We are a Lenovo administrator and purchased a Lenovo server five or six years ago.
In the company, we have five servers with Windows Server and we are users of Microsoft 365, and we use other Microsoft Office software.
The main cloud provider for Windows Server is Nexus.
Some customers use enterprise version, while others are standard version users.
We have services for other companies in different business sectors including finance, education, and manufacturing.
We are not managing the Active Directory services; we are just users for this security. Our application connects to the customer's Active Directory and validates credentials with this service.
We have Windows Defender on laptops without needing any other tools.
We have sensitive information at our organization, and we maintain a backup on Amazon for this information.
For documentation, I find resources on the internet, YouTube, and Microsoft Docs, as there is extensive information available online.
I receive help from colleagues in the office, as some collaborators and employees manage this information and administration.
My company acts as resellers for Microsoft. For selling licenses for Windows Server or other Microsoft products, we contact Nexus, which is the big partner for Microsoft.
I would rate Windows Server eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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May 2026
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L3 Engineer at Momentum Metropolitan Holdings Limited
Easy to setup, stable and caters to my wide range of use cases but lacks user-friendly interface
Pros and Cons
- "It's quite stable."
- "It would be nice if it was more user-friendly."
What is our primary use case?
It's used for a variety of things, like Active Directory, DNS, cloud shares, and application hosting. We also have some third-party applications running on it and web services.
What needs improvement?
It would be nice if it was more user-friendly, especially for migrating applications.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been working with Microsoft for about 12 years now, since December 2004.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's quite stable, probably an eight out of ten. It really depends on the specific business needs and applications running on it.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It can be scalable to a certain extent, but it depends on the resources you have available and the applications you're running. We have around a thousand end users using this solution.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I've worked with Unix and Linux before, but it was a long time ago.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is quite easy for me, especially since I've been using it for so long. It usually takes just a few steps, depending on whether it's deployed in the cloud or on-premises.
What about the implementation team?
We handle it in-house, no need for external help.
What was our ROI?
We've seen value in Windows Server because the systems work smoothly without any problems. And the additional benefit is the support we receive.
What other advice do I have?
My main advice is to understand the business first. Then, see if the solution will work on that platform. Also, check which applications it supports. If they're using data and Microsoft, in some cases, we use applications verified by Microsoft. You can be sure they're compatible with Windows and find support from both ends. So, understand the business in terms of its goals, turnaround time, risk factors, and skill requirements. Consider if they have enough skilled people to support it, both for daily use and when issues arise. You need to know these things before making a decision.
Not every time is Microsoft the right choice. Some systems or platforms they want to run may not be supported by Microsoft. So, it's crucial to understand the business requirements first; then you know which platform or solution works best for you.
Overall, I would rate the solution a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Deputy Manager at sacombank
User-friendly and easy to manage for users
Pros and Cons
- "My organization benefits from the use of the product since it is a tool that offers security while being user-friendly and easy to manage."
- "The product has certain shortcomings related to security capability in the area of incident response, making it the tool's component where improvements are required."
What is our primary use case?
I use Microsoft System Center to manage our Windows Server.
How has it helped my organization?
My organization benefits from the use of the product since it is a tool that offers security while being user-friendly and easy to manage.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of the solution is its performance. My company currently uses Microsoft SCOM to monitor the performance of Windows Server. My company wishes to have some applications on QRadar or log management tools like ELK.
What needs improvement?
The product has certain shortcomings related to security capability in the area of incident response, making it the tool's component where improvements are required. My company uses QRadar to resolve our server-related issues quickly.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Windows Server for twenty years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution. More than 15,000 people in my company use the solution.
My company has no plans to increase the use of the solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution.
How was the initial setup?
The product is deployed on the cloud model.
To start the deployment process in our company, we first need to make a request to the IT team. After that, the IT team looks at the requirements and deploys the server. In our company, we have a system to follow the deployment process.
The solution can be deployed in a couple of minutes since our company already has some idea and image about Windows Server. My team deploys the product in a couple of minutes every time there is a requirement in a department that is associated with our company.
Around three people in my company are required to take care of the product's deployment and maintenance processes.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My company has an enterprise agreement with Microsoft. I feel that the price of the product is okay.
What other advice do I have?
Windows Server helps our company to install a virtual environment.
Speaking about the beneficial features of Windows Server for our company's IT infrastructure, I would say that my company uses Microsoft Active Directory, along with some other services like Office 365 and the cloud services offered by Microsoft.
There are product security updates, which serve as a security feature for our company.
I recommend the product to those who plan to use it, but they need to use it based on their requirements.
My company did not face any problems while using the integration capabilities of the product with the existing systems in our environment.
The only problem with Windows Server stems from the area revolving around the software lifecycle since our company has to apply the latest version to our current system every couple of years.
I rate the tool an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Project Engineer at CDAC
Has an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI), but its deployment is a bit difficult
Pros and Cons
- "Since Windows Server has a graphical user interface (GUI), it is easy to use and implement the services that we are using."
- "Compared to Linux, the solution is a bit difficult to deploy."
What is our primary use case?
We use Windows Server for Active Directory (AD). We use the solution to manage user data and access through Active Directory. We use Windows Server to host and configure the mail servers.
What is most valuable?
Since Windows Server has a graphical user interface (GUI), it is easy to use and implement the services that we are using.
What needs improvement?
Compared to Linux, the solution is a bit difficult to deploy. The solution should have a faster deployment.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Windows Server for more than five to six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution has good stability.
I rate the solution an eight out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Around 50 employees are using the solution in our organization. The solution is used extensively in our organization, and we have plans to increase the usage.
How was the initial setup?
The solution’s initial setup is straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
The solution's installation process is a bit lengthy and hectic. It took more time than the Linux operating system used to take. Our in-house team follows the documentation part, and we do the deployment ourselves from scratch.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We use only the license versions of Windows Server.
What other advice do I have?
We currently have our own data center where we host the services. Since we are a government-based R&D organization, we do not trust any cloud platform services like Azure, Google, and AWS.
We had to configure all the services and features that were available. We had to look for additional plugins that we could create and integrate for the security of our organization. I would recommend Windows Server for an organization dependent on the GUI part. Otherwise, I recommend using Linux servers.
The hardware requirement for Windows Server is very large compared to Linux. For that, we need to use or deploy the maximum hardware that is necessary.
Overall, I rate the solution 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.
Connectivity Platform Cyber Security Specialist at BASF Business Services GmbH
IP directory is the most valuable feature
Pros and Cons
- "The capabilities and beta securities are important features. The IP directory is the most valuable feature."
- "The user interface needs improvement."
What is our primary use case?
We use it for infrastructure.
What is most valuable?
The capabilities and beta securities are important features. The IP directory is the most valuable feature.
What needs improvement?
The user interface needs improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Windows Server for 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of the solution is improving. I rate the stability a 9 out of 10.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Three thousand users are using the solution at present.
How was the initial setup?
The setup installation takes time and the first time to create the image. It might take you a day or so. But once you have the image, hard end, it's easy to deploy because now it's built to own.
What other advice do I have?
I rate the overall product a 9 out of 10.
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.
Client Services Analyst at Kantar
Is simple to use
Pros and Cons
- "The simplicity of the solution is the most valuable aspect."
- "As I said, it was the the simplicity of the solution. It's easy to use or easy to identify what company's been what beneficial for the company, would be I guess it was easy to distinguish what we needed or what Perfect."
- "They could make it more company-specific to some of the tools that we use."
What is our primary use case?
It is used for day to day purposes.
What is most valuable?
The simplicity of the solution is the most valuable aspect.
What needs improvement?
They could make it more company-specific to some of the tools that we use.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have experience using Windows Server.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is very high.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Close to a thousand users are using the solution.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is an expensive solution.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Head of IT at a manufacturing company with 501-1,000 employees
Easy to deploy and offers good security to its users
Pros and Cons
- "The product's installation phase is easy."
- "The scalability of the product needs to be improved, considering that organizations may have an increase in resource requirements."
What is our primary use case?
I use the solution in my company for our applications and security.
What is most valuable?
Windows Server is similar to any other typical server, considering that there are multiple servers available in the market. The ease of administration that the product provides is one of the reasons why my company uses it.
What needs improvement?
The product's price is an area of concern where improvements are required, considering that there has been an increase in the tool's licensing costs, especially the ones required for virtualization.
The scalability of the product needs to be improved, considering that organizations may have an increase in resource requirements.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Windows Server for a few years. I use the versions that were released in 2016 and 2018.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution. Compared to the stability offered by the product in the previous year, I feel that there have been improvements in the current year.
How are customer service and support?
I have experience with the solution's technical support. My company is able to find solutions to our ratios with the help of the product's technical team. The product's technical team is neither good nor bad, meaning the support team offers normal support services.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
My company uses IBM Power AIX and SUSE Linux Enterprise servers. My company has also tested some of the Linux servers' versions.
How was the initial setup?
With the help of SentinelOne, Windows Server was installed and used for the management of the virtual environment. My company also uses a PAM solution along with a security-oriented product.
The product's installation phase is easy.
In my company, we know the product's deployment process. Due to the aforementioned reason, it doesn't take my company much time to deploy the product.
The solution is deployed on an on-premises and cloud model.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is an expensive product. My company makes payments towards the licensing costs attached to the product.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
My company uses Windows Server, considering the knowledge that my organization possesses about the product and the information concerning the integration capabilities the tool offers.
What other advice do I have?
The security features offered by the product to protect our enterprise's resources are good. Though there is a scope for improvement in the product's security features, it is one of the most used solutions in the world when compared to the other tools in the market.
It is one of the cleaner systems available in the market that can be tailored to fit into your environment. Most people have experience using Windows Server in their environment. Windows Server is the easiest option my company chooses, considering the amount of experience we have with it in our environment.
I don't think that I have any special comments on how the product has improved our company's system performance area.
I rate the overall tool an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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