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Rocky Linux vs Windows Server comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

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

Rocky Linux
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
5th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
5
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
185
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Rocky Linux is 14.8%, up from 9.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows Server is 9.0%, up from 8.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Dominique Locksley - PeerSpot reviewer
Very simple to work with, easy to learn, and has a competitive pricing
The UX design, the user front end, and the user GUI are very well done on the GNOME and KDE platform side. It's very simple to work with, easy to learn, and know where things are. I have worked with a lot of different solutions like Debian, Ubuntu, Red Hat, and CentOS. Rocky Linux is very easy, and if you switch from one to the other, you can easily detect your tools in the front end. Since it is very similar to the file system breakdown of downloads and documents, it's very easy to show users where things will be.
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

"It helps us keep our workstations in sync and ensures consistent settings across most of our machines."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is its stability."
"I haven't needed to use customer service or support, which speaks volumes about their product's reliability and ease of use."
"The custom install scripts streamline the setup process, making it straightforward."
"It's very simple to work with, easy to learn, and know where things are."
"The solution, in general, is quite straightforward. A beginner could probably use it with ease. It's always more or less simple to understand how this works."
"The product is reliable. It is powerful and we can make a lot of tools to work with it."
"The solution is easy to use."
"The solution is stable."
"The performance is good."
"It is very easy to use for the end-user."
"The initial setup is very simple."
"I find Windows Server valuable for its flexibility and user-friendly interface."
 

Cons

"The solution's audio integration for virtual machines could be improved."
"One of the potential issues is that if you don't pay for support, you may need to manage certain aspects on your own and rely on the community for assistance."
"Improved integration with Windows, particularly Active Directory, would be beneficial for the product. Currently, this aspect requires additional effort."
"In terms of improvement, Rocky Linux needs to clarify its identity and target audience."
"I have certain problems with the tool's DNS part, making it an area where improvements are required."
"The price is very expensive."
"The solution is not easy to use."
"One area for improvement in Windows Server is the basic administration tools and scripts, which have become less reliable and functional over time."
"The solution's licensing price is on the expensive side."
"The security suffers the same issues as our Windows 10 for endpoint deployments. It could be more secure."
"We are finding some of the configurations inside the group policy not very straightforward. We had some difficulties, for example, just trying to figure out how to configure and how to block the usage of MP3 files, and so on."
"I would like Windows to come up lighter because the footprint itself can consume more than 300GB. It would probably take close to 100GB of space to install a Windows operating system because it has got so many features."
"The scalability could be better."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is expensive. I rate the pricing a three."
"Compared to the market prices of other tools, the solution has a very competitive pricing."
"Windows Server is highly priced."
"There is an annual license required for this solution."
"One must pay for a license for the solution."
"There is a license required to use Windows Server."
"Licensing fees are paid on an annual basis, and the price could be improved."
"Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis."
"My company has an enterprise agreement with Microsoft. I feel that the price of the product is okay."
"There is a license for Windows Server, but we have got the license from a local supplier, Black Neuron Technology. They also provide tech support locally."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
University
12%
Educational Organization
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Educational Organization
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Rocky Linux?
It's very simple to work with, easy to learn, and know where things are.
What needs improvement with Rocky Linux?
Improved integration with Windows, particularly Active Directory, would be beneficial for the product. Currently, this aspect requires additional effort.
What is your primary use case for Rocky Linux?
I use the solution in my company to do some automation stuff to run Ansible, and it has an administration server to provide all the Linux control like a client node can be connected to that master ...
What needs improvement with Windows Server?
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 co...
What is your primary use case for Windows Server?
Windows Server ( /products/windows-server-reviews ) is the operating system we run on our servers. We use it in the IT department, primarily as the OS for our servers.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Rakuten, Rackspace, Tyco
Find out what your peers are saying about Rocky Linux vs. Windows Server and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.