We use Windows Server to manage Active Directory.
General Manager at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees
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?
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.
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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.
CEO at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Great support and good availability of resources but the Windows Server Core needs to link to a console
Pros and Cons
- "The support that Microsoft provides for this is very good."
- "For countries in the Middle East and Africa, their pricing is a little bit high."
What is our primary use case?
We do software services, and most of the time we use this for UAT and testing purposes.
What is most valuable?
The availability of resources that are aware of Windows is great. It's more than any operating system.
The support that Microsoft provides for this is very good. If you have an issue with the Windows Server, you'll get a lot of support from Microsoft.
The integration is great.
The interface and dashboards are fine.
What needs improvement?
While I would say scripting needs improvement, I've noticed that they started to do this couple of years ago. They do have their own WSL and PowerShell Scripts.
Generally, there is always room for improvement. However, nothing comes on top of my head right now.
For countries in the Middle East and Africa, their pricing is a little bit high. Microsoft is having unified pricing across the globe. That's an issue. They don't negotiate on that. It's very expensive for many countries in this region.
They have something called Windows Server Core, and it doesn't have a graphical user interface, which is fine. However, there should be a management console or something that you can hook up to Windows Server Core so you can manage it much easier if you need UI or something.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have used the solution since the beginning of the company, about 12 years at this point.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is great. If a company needs assistance, Microsoft is great at helping assist in troubleshooting. We are satisfied with the level of support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We use Windows and Azure, Google Cloud GCP, and many flavors of Linux. For the database, we also use SQL Server and MySQL.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is high in certain regions as they don't price adjust for certain countries. They also do not negotiate their pricing. The cost is the cost.
What other advice do I have?
We use various deployment models, including on-premises, on the cloud, and hybrid.
I'd rate the solution at a seven out of ten. If the pricing was more flexible, it would be better for the customer.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. partner
Buyer's Guide
Windows Server
January 2026
Learn what your peers think about Windows Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2026.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Technical Manager at a comms service provider with 11-50 employees
Generates a return on investment in terms of stability
Pros and Cons
- "The platform generates a return on investment in terms of stability."
- "The platform's user interface needs improvement."
What needs improvement?
The platform's user interface needs improvement. Additionally, its price could be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Windows Server for 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the product's stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have 15 Windows Server users in our organization.
How are customer service and support?
We receive the technical support services from a local vendor.
What was our ROI?
The platform generates a return on investment in terms of stability.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Windows Server is expensive. We purchase its yearly license.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Windows Server 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.
NMS Service Automation & RPA Technical Lead at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Scalable platform with an easy setup process
Pros and Cons
- "The product helps us manage user credentials and daily passwords for various applications."
- "We encounter issues related to the product's UI when multiple users access the same machine."
What is our primary use case?
We use Windows Server as a mandatory tool to host applications, specifically for robotics process automation (RPA). It provides an efficient output and allows multiple users to access the same machine simultaneously.
How has it helped my organization?
The product helps us manage user credentials and daily passwords for various applications.
What needs improvement?
We encounter issues related to the product's UI when multiple users access the same machine. Additionally, sometimes it doesn't work while upgrading patches from Microsoft. This particular area needs improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Windows Server for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable platform. I rate the stability an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable platform. We have around 1000 Windows Server machines in our organization.
How are customer service and support?
We communicated with the technical support services for problems related to corrupted computing resources.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy. I refer to the documentation available on the internet to understand the implementation. It takes 20 minutes to complete the process.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Windows Server has medium pricing.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend Windows Server to others and rate it an eight out of ten. I advise using Windows Server or Linux, depending on the specific needs and compatibility of the applications.
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 Security Manager at a non-profit with 51-200 employees
An easy-to-use solution that can be used to host virtual machines
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of Windows Server is that it is intuitive and easy to use."
- "The Windows server image was quite large and took some time to be installed."
What is our primary use case?
We used Windows Server to host a couple of virtual machines.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Windows Server is that it is intuitive and easy to use.
What needs improvement?
The solution’s stability could be improved. The Windows server image was quite large and took some time to be installed.
For how long have I used the solution?
We used Windows Server for a few months for demonstration purposes.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Windows Server is a stable solution, and I had no issues with its stability.
I rate Windows Server a nine out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Around 160 users are using Windows Server in our organization.
How was the initial setup?
The solution’s initial setup is straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented the solution through an in-house team in two hours. To deploy the solution, we installed the Windows server image on the server.
What other advice do I have?
Three technical staff members are involved in the deployment and maintenance of the solution. I would recommend Windows Server to other users.
Overall, I rate Windows Server a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
IT INFRASTRUTURE CONSULTANT at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
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?
We use Windows Server to manage applications.
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.
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.
IT manager at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Provides ease of access to databases, but its firewall services need improvement
Pros and Cons
- "The product offers in-house servers. It helps us update them and check any technical issues easily."
- "The product's user interface upgrades and firewall services need improvement."
What is our primary use case?
We use the product to manage databases for various projects.
What is most valuable?
The product offers in-house servers. It helps us update them and check any technical issues easily.
What needs improvement?
The product's user interface upgrades and firewall services need improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Windows Server for seven to eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The platform provides ease of access to databases in terms of migration.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable product. We have more than 200 Windows Server users in our organization. We might increase usage in some of our departments, like support administration, in case the business expands.
How are customer service and support?
We have an in-house technical support team.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy if you have a basic knowledge of the process. We can deploy it on-premise or on the cloud, depending on the project requirements.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There could be a one-time cost for Windows Server and not every month. It is a huge amount for the companies to pay yearly.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend Windows Server to users working on multiple projects and have an in-house team with enough resources. I rate it a seven out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
AVP at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
User-friendly, reliable, and good premium support
Pros and Cons
- "Windows Server is user-friendly and it is simply to support."
What is our primary use case?
We are using Windows Server for running our applications. One of our use cases is in a financial institution.
What is most valuable?
Windows Server is user-friendly and it is simply to support.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Windows Server for approximately two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Windows Server has been stable in my usage.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of Windows Server is good.
We have approximately 3,000 users using the solution.
How are customer service and support?
We have premium support with Microsoft, and it is good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used Windows 10.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is simple, and it takes approximately one hour.
We have a golden copy of Windows Server, and we only need to apply it to the systems. This does not take much time for us, approximately seven minutes and Windows Server will be ready. We do the maintenance, such as patching, antivirus, and all the security that we have been approved in the bank. However, it's virtual now. All our environment is virtual, we only need to apply the golden copy.
Depending on the application or use case, we might use Windows 19, 16, or 12.
What about the implementation team?
I can do the implementation of the solution.
We have 10 engineers and managers that support Windows Server.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We have an enterprise agreement with Microsoft and the price for the license is bundled together. The solution is expensive but for the bank that is using it, the price is fine. We pay for a license every three years.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Windows Server a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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