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SUSE Linux Enterprise 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

SUSE Linux Enterprise
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
5th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
31
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 January 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of SUSE Linux Enterprise is 8.4%, down from 9.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows Server is 9.6%, up from 8.9% 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
Has good kernel modules and upgrades
I like how the tool handles kernel modules and upgrades - we rarely have issues after upgrades, unlike with other Linux distributions like Oracle Linux or Ubuntu. The kernel module management is excellent. Changes made in one version typically work the same in other versions too, which isn't always the case with other distributions. There's also lots of information and community support available if you run into any problems, both on the official website and in forums and user groups. I know many people who use it specifically, so it's easy to get independent support if needed. I've been working with the tool for a long time, since 2003, before they became SUSE Linux Enterprise. It's always been one of the most admin-friendly Linux versions.
Sagar SampadMall - PeerSpot reviewer
User-friendly, resources available online to troubleshoot any issue
It's easy to manage core applications and deploy engineers. Windows engineers are more affordable than Linux or Unix engineers, so that's another advantage. So, the management costs are much lower for the Windows Server. Plus, troubleshooting is straightforward with readily available online resources, so we don't need to raise tickets or wait for help. We can easily search on Google and find the solution on the search engine. Windows Server is pretty mature already. They're doing a good job with it.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It is very easy to maintain, migrate and upgrade."
"The technical support services are good."
"The initial setup is very straightforward."
"Out-of-the-box SLES supported all of our HBAs and hardware specific components."
"The most valuable features of the solution are patching and the BTRFS file system."
"The initial setup is simple and takes five minutes for deployment and if you have automation in place, it will take four minutes."
"It's easy to set up."
"It is a stable platform."
"It is very easy to use. The system is very user-friendly."
"It's easy to set up and deploy."
"The initial setup is very simple."
"This is quite a stable product."
"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."
"We like the ease of use, stability and performance of Windows Server."
"Operating system with a good interface that can run applications."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is the ability to be used in a virtualized environment."
 

Cons

"The solution could be more stable."
"The product must improve its UI."
"I would appreciate the product's future releases being lighter and operating more efficiently on smaller systems."
"Additionally, error handling needs improvement. The system should be more transparent when there's an error, rather than just declaring a generic error. It would be helpful if it could provide more specific information about the problem on that particular system. As it stands, you can waste a lot of time trying to troubleshoot these vague errors."
"Sometimes it is a bit of work for developers to change the configurations."
"SUSE Linux could provide more information about cost and the details of how clustering works."
"If you want to do something simple like changing an IP number, you have to be quite aware of all the configuration files where you will change that."
"Red Hat has more packages that are available than SUSE does. I'd love to see more projects based on SUSE."
"I would like to see better updates and for it to support other applications"
"I used to like the graphical interface and graphical philosophy in previous versions of Windows Server. I am not able to be as fast and efficient as I used to be using a graphical interface. However, Windows has moved to the PowerShell, it is powerful, but is still limited compared to what we do can do in Linux. Linux was built at the beginning of the command line interfaces which is why they have a very powerful command line."
"We encounter issues related to the product's UI when multiple users access the same machine."
"The system needs to offer better integration capabilities."
"The solution could be cheaper."
"The user interface could be simplified."
"The performance could be a bit better."
"Stability-wise, there is room for improvement."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Regarding pricing, everybody would want it to be cheaper."
"Anyone can use Linux because it is open-source."
"I would advise others to download the free or strictly open source versions, then test them in their environment before committing to a purchase. This will allow for testing suitability for applications that they want to run."
"There is a free tier and a paid support tier. If you do not need support, then the solution is free to use. If you need support then there is an option for that as well."
"When we first implemented this product, we had licenses for support."
"The product's licensing options align well with the evolving landscape of Linux variants."
"As far as licensing goes, there is nothing unusual here. The price and model have worked fine for my organization."
"The license we pay is for Oracle. We make use of the community edition."
"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."
"It is an expensive solution."
"There is a license needed for this solution."
"We have purchased a perpetual license to use the solution."
"There is a one-time purchase for the license of Windows Server."
"If you choose Windows Server on-premises, you will receive a perpetual license and there is also a subscription license option. For the cloud version, there are several options available, such as a monthly subscription."
"The tool's licensing costs are yearly."
"The price of the solution is expensive, and there are many price options available, such as monthly or perpetual licenses."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
10%
Educational Organization
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about SUSE Linux Enterprise?
The initial setup is simple and takes five minutes for deployment and if you have automation in place, it will take four minutes.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SUSE Linux Enterprise?
The pricing is slightly higher than expected, but it is manageable for our current project. For the upcoming projects, we are looking for cost-effective solutions.
What needs improvement with SUSE Linux Enterprise?
Sometimes it is a bit of work for developers to change the configurations. Some kernels will not fit with some packages, and this aspect could be improved. Furthermore, the system's rigidity when u...
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.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Air India, Akademicki Szpital Kliniczny (ASK), Allone, Altran, Apollo, ARCHIVA, Asia Innovatory Management School, ATLAS ELEKTRONIK GmbH, AutoData Norge AS, Baldor Electric, Business Connexion, CASIO, Ciclum Farma, Delta Lloyd, Edumate , HPE,  SAP SE,  Lenovo, BMW, T-Systems, UCX, Turners & Growers, Shenzhen Development Bank, Bosch Group, JK Tyres & Industries, IOCL, European Space Agency, Daimler AG, China Minsheng Banking Corp, Café Coffee Day, Unisys,  Petrochina Company Ltd, Fitch Ratings, ABeam Consulting Co Ltd, Tyro Payments, Rackspace, Pacific Textiles, ...
Rakuten, Rackspace, Tyco
Find out what your peers are saying about SUSE Linux Enterprise vs. Windows Server and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
831,683 professionals have used our research since 2012.