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Global Head ICT (CITP & MIE) at The Aga Khan Academies
Real User
Good performance, easy to use, stable, and scalable
Pros and Cons
  • "It is easy to use, and its performance is good."
  • "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."

What is our primary use case?

We are using this solution for all of our on-premise application servers. The latest version is Windows Server 2019, but we are using Windows Server 2016. We haven't felt the need to upgrade it.

What is most valuable?

It is easy to use, and its performance is good. 

What needs improvement?

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.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution since 2012.

Buyer's Guide
Windows Server
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about Windows Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable. In terms of its usage, the license that we currently have is good enough for us. We will increase its usage, but we don't need to purchase anything in the foreseeable future. We have enough. 

We are also doing a PoC for moving the server that we have at each location to the cloud. After that is done, we will look at the cost and think about migrating to the cloud.

How was the initial setup?

Its initial setup is very straightforward. The duration depends on how big the installation is in terms of the database and the domain you want to use. It can vary from about an hour to a couple of hours with updates, etc. It could be anywhere from 60 minutes to 3 hours.

What about the implementation team?

All of our people are adept at handling its installation.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to others. I would rate Windows Server an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Principle consultant at Active Data Consulting Services Pty Ltd
Real User
Top 20
I'm on a 16GB system with a 500GB SSD and I can run multiple VM's on VirtualBox, client sessions, multiple displays and so forth without any issues at all.

What is most valuable?

Speed and ease with integrating into Microsoft Azure AD environment, security, being able to log in the 'Hello' service.

How has it helped my organization?

In my small development environment, speed and security are important, we actually make use of the Microsoft's Edge browser -- which is getting better with each update. Simplified management of Windows 10 machines is also nice.

What needs improvement?

Intrusive 'You have updates' notification can be annoying -- as it blocks the middle of the screen, but this can be turned off.

When setting a new machine up, users should be given a bit more of information in regards to creating a Microsoft account vs a local account, as being unaware of this can cause a user some confusion down the track if they install an application that needs 'local' user credentials to function.

For how long have I used the solution?

Since it was released.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

No, Windows 10 has deployed onto legacy systems fine.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Very stable, Haven't had any issues with instability whatsoever.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Being a Desktop operating system, scalability is really a function of the resources of the desktop or VM it's running in.

I'm on a 16GB system with a 500GB SSD and I can run multiple VM's on VirtualBox, client sessions, multiple displays and so forth without any issues at all.

How are customer service and technical support?

Customer Service:

Very good, Microsoft makes it easy to get most things set up fairly easily.

Technical Support:

Very high, I had the need to contact Microsoft customer support on a matter, and their engineer was able to remotely assume control of the screen (with my permission and after following instructions) and in a few minutes had resolved the problem.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Windows 7, which had become old, bloated with patches and security updates, and was generally just getting slow.

How was the initial setup?

Very straightforward. So far, the installer has identified all of our hardware and everything is running.

What about the implementation team?

In-house.

What was our ROI?

Difficult to calculate, improved efficiency, less time to get things done, less downtime...can't put an exact dollar amount on it, but our environment is more efficient with Windows 10 installed.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I can't see any reason why anyone would want to downgrade a new machine (if that's even possible now) to Windows 7...

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We looked at Remaining on Windows 7, but decided we would make the move to Windows 10.

What other advice do I have?

TEST your applications, especially legacy applications. Most things work just fine on Windows 10, but very old applications that may have just worked under windows 7 may encounter problems.

If that's the case and there's an application you absolutely must have, then consider setting up a dedicated VM with Windows 7 on it just for that application or look at replacing the ancient software.

We only had one old 90's era application that wouldn't run on Windows 10, so we just replaced it and dealt with the change.

The benefits of moving to Windows 10 far outweigh the costs of replacing some old applications (that are probably no longer supported and may have serious security issues).

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Windows Server
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about Windows Server. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
824,067 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Sven Missorten - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior System Engineer at a transportation company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Top 5
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: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1217346 - PeerSpot reviewer
AVP at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
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: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    LuisSilva6 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Director of Information Technology at a hospitality company with 10,001+ employees
    Real User
    Top 5
    Good performance, simple, and works with all kinds of software
    Pros and Cons
    • "It is pretty simple and flexible. It works with all kinds of software. That's why we are using it. We avoid using Linux and other platforms."
    • "It can have more integration with different platforms."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use it for our servers. We have Windows 2012 and Windows 2016. We are not on the latest version, but we are almost there. 

    What is most valuable?

    It is pretty simple and flexible. It works with all kinds of software. That's why we are using it. We avoid using Linux and other platforms.

    Its performance is also good.

    What needs improvement?

    It can have more integration with different platforms. Its installation could also be easier.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using this solution for six years.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    Currently, we have around 150 users. We don't have any plans to increase its usage.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    I don't have experience with their technical support.

    How was the initial setup?

    Its installation is of medium complexity. It can be tricky.

    Normally, the installation takes half an hour to one hour. The updates take more time than the installation.

    What about the implementation team?

    Normally, I do it myself. Only when I have issues, I use a consultant.

    We have a technical team of two engineers for deployment and maintenance.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    Its price is fine. Its licensing is on a yearly basis.

    What other advice do I have?

    I would surely recommend this solution to others who want to start using it.

    I would rate Windows Server an eight out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    reviewer1473570 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Technical and Project Manager Industrial Directorate EES CLEMESSY at a construction company with 10,001+ employees
    Real User
    User-friendly, stable, good online support, and easy to maintain
    Pros and Cons
    • "It's important to us that it is easy to use and has easy maintenance because we don't have specialists"
    • "The initial setup could be simplified."

    What is our primary use case?

    We have many brands that we use here in our firm. As an example, we use Dell for our Laptops, we use Lenovo, we use IBM for our computers, Cisco for our switches, and Microsoft.

    What is most valuable?

    It's important to us that it is easy to use and has easy maintenance because we don't have specialists. It is necessary for us to have very simple maintenance procedures.

    What needs improvement?

    The initial setup could be simplified.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We have been using Windows Server for more than two years, maybe five or more.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    It's a stable solution. We have not had any issues with stability.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    We have 200 users in our organization who are using Windows Server.

    We have plans to keep using this solution.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    We have not contacted technical support. 

    I only use the support online.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We use Windows Server, and Windows 10 for our laptops and PCs.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup depends on the preparation of the units.

    If it is prepared by a specialist then the installation is easy.

    We have to make sure that it has been configured properly.

    We have a team of 20 for the deployment and maintenance of this solution.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    It is important to have the cheapest price for all of the material and licenses.

    What other advice do I have?

    We have so many customers with Windows Servers that we are obliged to use the same technical path.

    We don't have any significant issues with Windows. I would rate Windows Server an eight out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    Hybrid Cloud
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    IT Cybersecurity and Compliance Coordinator at Plaenge
    Real User
    Top 5
    Easy to use, secure, scales well and has helpful responsive support
    Pros and Cons
    • "There is room for improvement in terms of pricing."
    • "The most valuable features of this solution are its performance, security, and that it is easy to use."
    • "There is room for improvement in terms of pricing."

    How has it helped my organization?

    Managing active directories and middle directories, including users and accounts, is of utmost importance for organizations. 

    This entails implementing protective measures, enabling conditional access, and ensuring data security, among other essential aspects.

    What is most valuable?

    The most valuable features of this solution are its performance, security, and that it is easy to use.

    What needs improvement?

    There is room for improvement in terms of pricing.

    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?

    I would rate the stability of Windows Server a nine out of ten.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    I would rate the scalability of Windows Server a nine out of ten.

    We have plans to increase our usage in the future.

    How are customer service and support?

    I would rate the technical support a ten out of ten.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup was straightforward.

    What was our ROI?

    We have experienced a positive return on investment (ROI).

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    The cost is relatively high.

    What other advice do I have?

    I would rate Windows Server a nine out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    Hybrid Cloud
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Group DWH and BI Senior Manager at Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa
    Real User
    Plenty of support, flexible, and easy to maintain
    Pros and Cons
    • "The most valuable features are the ease of access and maintaining the solution."
    • "The security could improve. If you are comparing the Linux operating systems and Windows Server, Windows Server is still way behind in terms of security. Microsoft can enhance security instead of having customers rely on third-party security tools."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use Windows Server mainly for deploying high-end applications and databases.

    What is most valuable?

    The most valuable features are the ease of access and maintaining the solution.

    What needs improvement?

    The security could improve. If you are comparing the Linux operating systems and Windows Server, Windows Server is still way behind in terms of security. Microsoft can enhance security instead of having customers rely on third-party security tools.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using Windows Server for approximately 10 years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Windows Server is stable.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The solution is scalable and flexible to expend.

    We have approximately 25 users using this solution in my organization.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    The technical support and local support from Microsoft are good and there is a large online community that can support us. If we ever have any problems or bugs with the solution we can reach out to those supports to help us. However, we have not encountered any issues at this time.

    How was the initial setup?

    If it is a basic installation then it is pretty straightforward. However, if you need to do a lot of configurations you will need some technical knowledge.

    What about the implementation team?

    We can do the implementation ourselves, but mostly we distribute the task to consultants because they know the timeliness and the amount of work that needs to be done.

    We have our IT support team of administrators and technicians that needs to manage the resources and in some cases do patch management and maintenance. For server maintenance, we need an expert that understands how to scale up or scale down the server.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    There is a one-time purchase for the license of Windows Server.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    Technically we only have two options to choose from for a solution to our use case. One is red Hat Linux and the other is Windows Server. Some of the applications that the team needs to develop only work on Windows Server. Based on the use case and the ease of access we went for Windows Server.

    What other advice do I have?

    I would recommend this solution to others.

    I rate Windows Server a nine out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Windows Server Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: November 2024
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Windows Server Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.