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Oracle Solaris vs Windows Server comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024
 

Categories and Ranking

Oracle Solaris
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
9th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Windows Server
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
4th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
184
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2024, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Oracle Solaris is 3.4%, down from 3.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows Server is 9.4%, up from 9.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Zandile Mushi - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers good security features and reliability
The tool is quite complex and difficult for anyone trying to use or study it. The complexity of learning the tool is an area of concern where improvements are required. Oracle Solaris' lighter and simpler version can be introduced. I feel that Oracle Solaris is a user-friendly tool because I am exposed to it.
NirajSingh - PeerSpot reviewer
User-friendly platform streamlining client connectivity
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.…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Solaris' best feature is its stability."
"Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten since we haven't faced any issues."
"The backup capabilities are quite good."
"We are able to deploy new environments very quickly and securely. Using the virtualization features, we can migrate the environments very flexibly between our servers."
"It works well. It is very stable and very good. It is also very safe. It cannot be easily infected by viruses or attacks."
"The most valuable feature is the ease of setup."
"Solaris is scalable because they have their own file system, like CFS."
"Solaris's best features are high availability, robustness, and database hosting."
"Windows Server is user-friendly and it is simply to support."
"Nothing is required for the maintenance of the solution, Microsoft does everything. It is very good and robust."
"I like that the solution is reliable."
"I like that it's simple and the users are happy."
"We like the performance."
"We haven't had any issues with the server whatsoever. It's been very reliable."
"Windows Server is very useful and easy to install."
"The most valuable feature is this solution integrates very well with all Microsoft and all other mainstream software solutions and the design is very good. Windows has an option now allowing you to just install the Windows Core with the PowerShell without any graphical services running."
 

Cons

"Oracle customer service is slow at times."
"This product is not as flexible as other similar solutions on the market today."
"The primary drawback with this product is the lack of version updates."
"Setting up Oracle Solaris can be complex because it requires more commands than other systems."
"There is an issue where Solaris doesn't give the correct figures for memory use when checked."
"It would be helpful if the solution offered backend management. In the 11.4 version, Oracle added a management console. It would be great if we maybe had a user management tool to go with it."
"The scalability of the solution can be improved."
"It is not easy to use. It doesn't have a user-friendly interface. It should be easy to use. We are planning to move from Solaris to Linux because Linux is more flexible and user-friendly. Its installation should also be easier. Solaris also needs specific hardware to work well, which is another reason why we are moving to Linux. It should be more flexible in terms of hardware. It should have better integration with other hardware platforms."
"The solution could improve by increasing security."
"The technical support could improve."
"It could be more secure. We can't compare it to other products because they have their own security and all those things. When it comes to email security, there are issues. Microsoft products used to get hacked all the time, but we're still comfortable with that."
"But one issue I have with Windows Server is the limit on the number of concurrent sessions. You cannot have more than three simultaneous users unless you activate a license. You have to install it so that more people can access the applications simultaneously."
"Microsoft needs to expand to integrate the Windows Server with Azure and Linux distribution to provide a simple container environment for running dockerized applications."
"The technical support needs to be improved."
"Often, we get updates that affect productivity."
"When it comes to virtualization, VMware is a bit more advanced in terms of security. Hyper-V does provide facilities, but it probably has to do a bit more work in terms of encryption. People will normally go for VMware because of the features that it has as a server, particularly the virtualization feature."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Its licensing is on a yearly basis."
"There should be an option to install the solution for free and just pay for the support. We purchased an annual license and the price could be better."
"There is no OS licensing cost if you use their hardware and purchase hardware maintenance."
"The price of Oracle Solaris could be less expensive."
"Solaris is highly priced compared to other solutions, but since it's a niche product, this is to be expected."
"The price is not good and needs to improve."
"This solution needs a license to use it."
"The annual license cost is fair and reasonable."
"The software costs are dependent on what CAL requirements you have."
"We pay for the license every month."
"We are with Microsoft's Cloud Solution Provider Program and we pay for a monthly license for this use of this solution and we support our customer subscriptions. The overall price of the solution is good."
"Windows Server has medium pricing."
"The cost is relatively high."
"The solution requires licencing."
"Its price is fine. Its licensing is on a yearly basis."
"I rate the product's pricing an eight out of ten."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
10%
Educational Organization
9%
Financial Services Firm
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 needs improvement with Windows Server?
Sometimes the performance goes down, which might be due to the stability zone or network issues. It can also depend on our network.
What is your primary use case for Windows Server?
We are using Windows Server to connect our client software. We use it to access client systems and work on SQL databases.
 

Also Known As

Solaris 11, Solaris
No data available
 

Learn More

 

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: December 2024.
824,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.