Positive

Windows Server has been idle for a while, but it is quite stable for running your application, specifically web-based applications, databases, or any front-end applications. And it's in the industry you are used to, along with Flex. Newer and enhanced versions are being introduced because Windows has recently started to design as per the cloud environment so that it can integrate well with Azure Cloud. If you are running the Windows Server and SQL on Azure, you will get the benefits of saving costs and licenses. Also, it can be tightly integrated with cloud services so that it can manage the patching, backup, and everything end to end if you talk about the life cycle of an operating system.

If Windows could make the OS part lighter, especially starting and restarting the Windows Server, which needs to be quick, then it would be great since this is an area where the tool lacks a bit. The tool should also offer more security.

I have experience with Windows Server for more than ten years.

Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

Windows has had a long journey since it started off in 1998 and now it has been almost 22 years. From the last decade, the tool has improved a lot, and offers good stability. There are no errors, and problems coming up in the tool like how it used to come up in the initial days.

Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

The product's initial setup phase is pretty straightforward and simple without any challenges.

For the on-prem version, you need to go for a perpetual license. An organization can buy licenses in a bundle. If I am planning to run ten operating systems, I will buy a pack of ten licenses, which will be cost-effective for me. If one goes bad, I can get another one by just putting it to use the same license, meaning I can reuse the license if something goes bad on any of the PCs. When it goes to the cloud, I can purchase the monthly licenses from Windows.

In terms of the product's abilities associated with virtualization, I would say that it is actually the biggest leap in technologies when, earlier, whatever applications you needed to run, you had to spin up a physical server. When the virtualization started happening, you could run multiple servers on one physical server. Multiple VMs can have different applications and tiers. Virtualization is the best thing that happened, and a lot of people and organizations use it.

The best part of the security feature in the tool is the firewall because it is the first line of defense for the operating system since you can lock down your OS to a certain level and only allow one or two ports for whatever communication you want, and the rest can all be blocked for safety purposes. You keep getting security updates every month or every second Tuesday so that you can keep your environment up to date and safe from outside malicious activities. Microsoft is always on top of security updates, and the tool is very careful to keep the environment safe.

Speaking about the benefits of AD in Windows Server, I would say that AD is actually the backbone of any organization. AD was, in fact, my first love. When I started working with technologies, I was baffled to see how strong and amazing the technology AD had, how it would let me spin up users, groups, and objects, and how you manage those objects because those are very important areas. In any organization, the most important thing is the security of your identity. For any user who is trying to access any of the computers in the organization, it is very important for the company to authenticate and authorize the user to ensure the identity of the person. He or she has to move with the proper way of writing a username and the right password. There are a lot of security features in the tool. If a person is trying to enter a system with some fake passwords, then there are lockouts. After three incorrect passwords, the account gets logged out, and in such a manner, you can secure that entity.

The tool's integration feature with the existing IT ecosystem has been easy. The integrations are absolutely fine because Windows is designed to allow for easy integrations, even though Linux is also getting integrated easily these days. Mostly, Windows carries a GUI. For users, it is easier to maintain Windows Server than some other tools.

I would just suggest others always try to use the latest OS or operating system for servers and laptops because the latest servers come with new features and security enhancements, which can keep one's environment safe. If one weak PC or one weak OS is there in your environment and if it is outdated and not getting security updates, then it can be hacked, or there could be some virus that can try to harm your network and infect other operating systems. It is very important that each and every operating system is up to date.

I rate the overall tool a ten out of ten.

We use Windows Server to run our banking system.

Windows Server is a stable and scalable solution.

The solution's licensing cost is expensive and could be improved.

I have been using Windows Server for five years.

I rate Windows Server ten out of ten for stability.

Around 42 users in our organization use the solution on a daily basis.

I rate Windows Server ten out of ten for scalability.

The solution’s initial setup is too complex.

We deploy the solution manually because we only have five servers. Around eight technical staff are needed for the solution’s deployment and maintenance.

We have seen value from using the solution, and that's why we deploy our systems using Windows Server.

We use a perpetual license for Windows Server, which is expensive.

I would recommend Windows Server to other users. Users should be trained or familiar with operating the solution before using it.

Overall, I rate Windows Server ten out of ten.