Windows Server vs. XenServer

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Windows Server
Score 8.6 out of 10
N/A
N/AN/A
XenServer
Score 6.9 out of 10
N/A
XenServer (formerly Citrix Hypervisor) is a virtualization management platform optimized for application, desktop and server virtualization infrastructures.N/A
Pricing
Windows ServerXenServer
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Windows ServerXenServer
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details——
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Windows ServerXenServer
Considered Both Products
Windows Server

No answer on this topic

XenServer
Chose XenServer
In the scheme of the real world, Citrix Hypervisor is used much less than the other two main competing products; MS Hyper-V and VMWare vSphere. So, choosing Citrix Hypervisor for your organization comes down to whether you are comfortable going with a lesser-used product. All …
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Windows ServerXenServer
Server Virtualization
Comparison of Server Virtualization features of Product A and Product B
Windows Server
-
Ratings
XenServer
7.3
12 Ratings
12% below category average
Virtual machine automated provisioning00 Ratings5.711 Ratings
Management console00 Ratings6.512 Ratings
Live virtual machine backup00 Ratings8.010 Ratings
Live virtual machine migration00 Ratings8.312 Ratings
Hypervisor-level security00 Ratings8.311 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Windows ServerXenServer
Small Businesses
Ubuntu
Ubuntu
Score 8.9 out of 10
Oracle VM VirtualBox
Oracle VM VirtualBox
Score 9.3 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
Score 9.3 out of 10
VMware vSOM (discontinued)
VMware vSOM (discontinued)
Score 10.0 out of 10
Enterprises
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
Score 9.3 out of 10
VMware vSOM (discontinued)
VMware vSOM (discontinued)
Score 10.0 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Windows ServerXenServer
Likelihood to Recommend
8.1
(63 ratings)
7.3
(12 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
8.7
(6 ratings)
10.0
(3 ratings)
Usability
7.9
(7 ratings)
7.0
(3 ratings)
Availability
7.3
(1 ratings)
5.5
(1 ratings)
Performance
5.5
(1 ratings)
6.4
(1 ratings)
Support Rating
6.1
(19 ratings)
6.4
(1 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
2.7
(1 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.1
(4 ratings)
7.3
(1 ratings)
Configurability
9.1
(2 ratings)
5.5
(1 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
4.5
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
9.1
(1 ratings)
5.5
(1 ratings)
Product Scalability
9.1
(1 ratings)
6.4
(1 ratings)
Professional Services
6.4
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
7.3
(1 ratings)
8.2
(1 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
8.2
(1 ratings)
8.2
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
Windows ServerXenServer
Likelihood to Recommend
Microsoft
If you have one user or 1000's of users (especially using Windows), Windows Server is a no-brainer! The only reason I would suggest going with a Linux server is if you have old hardware (Windows Server is more process intensive than Linux). But, Linux is open-source, so anyone can publish updates/security updates, but on the flip side, malicious people also have full access to Linux's codebase allowing for much easier writing of exploitations/viruses/malware/ransomware.
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Citrix
It can be really helpful & useful if we are using Citrix Hypervisor with other provisioning tools. Here are some specific scenarios where Citrix Hypervisor (formerly Citrix XenServer) is well-suited: Server Consolidation, Virtual Desktops, Disaster Recovery, Development & Testing Environments. On the other hand, there are some scenarios where Citrix Hypervisor may be less appropriate: Small-scale Deployments, Highly Heterogeneous Environments, and Limited Virtualization Requirements.
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Pros
Microsoft
  • Easy to use due to its intuitive graphical user interface.
  • Very popular and makes integration easier.
  • Lots of software drivers available.
  • Has many functionalities such as Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, VPN, RDP, VDI server, etc.
  • Many patches and updates available. Maybe abit too much too often.
  • Cost effective and with budget.
  • Remote desktop feature simplifies remote access to this server.
  • It has a built in VPN and ssl certificate feature.
  • Event viewer is available for alerts, although it seems too cumbersome to go through the logs.
  • If you got too many Windows systems to manage, then SCCM is an option.
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Citrix
  • Citrix hypervisor does price very well for small organizations. It is free.
  • Since this product is open source it does not have any type of vendor lockdown issues.
  • Allows live migration of VM's so you can keep systems up and running when changes are needed to the hardware in the background.
  • The GUI management tools are quite easy to learn.
  • Has Snapshot capability which is a great way to protect against malware as well as do risk-free upgrades.
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Cons
Microsoft
  • DHCP Server could be better - we use the router for DHCP Routing
  • Print Server - not a fan of using the server as a print server since you have to license it. Direct access to printers via IP addresses is a much more efficient way to go
  • Better backup program - we utilize a third-party program that gives us more flexibility when restoring individual files.
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Citrix
  • Adding or presenting additional storage to the host can often be a task that is far more involved than competitive products.
  • The product can require reboots more frequently than competitors due to the DOM kernel getting "hung up".
  • Sometimes when a virtual machine is deleted it still leaves behind orphaned vdisks.
  • Recovering from the loss of a host can sometimes cause virtual machines to require lengthy command prompt scripting to fix so they can be powered back on from another host.
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Likelihood to Renew
Microsoft
I've carefully reviewed the servers and services currently running on Windows Server 2012, and given the opportunity would renew them as is going forward. There are two systems I currently have in place, one is a very large Linux implementation for a large ecommerce site, and one is a very large backup solution front ended by FTP servers running Linux. Neither are well suited for Windows, but the overall network infrastructure is and will be Windows Server for the foreseeable future.
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Citrix
With the knowledge and usage of solutions from VMware and Microsoft offering more compelling cloud integrated options it makes it more compelling in many environments which I consult. XenServer is a good product and fits the bill in many smaller environments but as clients look to the cloud or a hybrid cloud it can in some cases make it a bit more difficult.
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Usability
Microsoft
There are simply too many different parts of Windows Server to make it a cohesive piece of software. While some of the newer features found in Windows Server 2012 and 2016 have nice UIs that are logically laid out, there are enough parts of the system that is still based on old code with clunky UIs and confusing options to make Windows Server a particularly user-friendly experience.
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Citrix
XenServer is a good product in its use and probably free if you have the right Citrix licenses already. However, it does require specific knowledge to manage, which makes it harder to manage if you don't have that knowledge in house.
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Reliability and Availability
Microsoft
some times server hungs and user sessions were busy to connect
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Citrix
It's been a little problematic in the past at larger VDI deployments requiring a bit more care and feeding than other vendors. But the latest releases (6.5.x) have brought about huge improvements in the stability and availability.
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Performance
Microsoft
need to improve the performance more
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Citrix
When running like a top XenServer is a fantastic hypervisor. There is relatively low overhead on the Dom0 so workloads get the most of the resources.
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Support Rating
Microsoft
Microsoft's support is hugely wide-ranging from articles online to having to contact them directly for the more serious issues. In recent years when I have contacted them directly, I have found the support o be excellent as I have found myself connected to very knowledgeable people in the field in which I needed the support. The online support available is vast and I tend to find most of the time that there is always someone out there who has had the same issue as me in the past and knows something about how to resolve it! This is the advantage of using industry standard and long-established systems such as Windows Server.
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Citrix
The staff I've worked with are very knowledgeable or able to get a very well articulated and capable support team member on the phone or helping them if necessary and they always want to ensure the best experience possible for you on the platform. The ability for the support team to reach out to hardware vendors for assistance is a nice plus too.
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In-Person Training
Microsoft
it was my senior who trained Windows Server features and i was satisfied
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Citrix
Part of a training for certification to become a trainer for Citrix included an in-person training with a Master CCI. The XenServer training at this time was pretty simplified due to the product primarily being installed however you did have to work with it and mildly configure the system.
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Online Training
Microsoft
it was recorded session and useful
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Citrix
Haven't given it a real go with any online training however there are some options out there. I have taught a course following Citrix material for XenDesktop which leverages XenServer and it is pre-built so not the best for XenServer specifically for installation but configuration is mildly touched on
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Implementation Rating
Microsoft
Make sure that you have detailed processes in place for every server instance you plan to install/upgrade, if possible get the base OS loaded and Windows Updates applied ahead of time, and if using a VM take a snapshot prior to installing each role, as well as along the way.
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Citrix
Ensure you review the HCL (hardware compatibility list) and reach out to the hardware vendors to ensure they support the platform and in case they have documentation that can be followed for the implementation. Also ensure the prerequisites are completed prior to implementation so that as few unexpected delays occur as you can control.
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Alternatives Considered
Microsoft
I didn't use any other system which gives the same functionality and I am not aware of any. The full integration between all components and especially the ability to integrate mail via Exchange or even via a hybrid setup with the Ofice365 cloud, including the ability to directly manage the cloud from the server, using Power Shell, is something I didn't see anywhere else.
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Citrix
Feature for feature they are neck and neck. I have used Hyper-V 2012 and 2016, VMware ESXi and XenServer evenly. XenServer is a fast install, good documentation, with enterprise features out the box that compare or exceed what VMWare offered with a higher cost of entry.
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Contract Terms and Pricing Model
Microsoft
need to reduce a lot
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Citrix
No answers on this topic
Scalability
Microsoft
yes i completely agree multi deployment
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Citrix
The servers latest versions have made massive improvements to scalability. But from past experience there have been issues when running workloads for extended periods of time without reboot on the hosts. I would need to run similar workloads on the 6.5 release which has changed much of the bottlenecks or issues so I'd imagine its far more capable now, Perhaps able to stand near the best in the market.
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Professional Services
Microsoft
i like the professional service but need to improve
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Citrix
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
Microsoft
  • Because of our Microsoft Campus Agreement, Windows products are fairly affordable for us and that has been a huge blessing. We are considering some Azure cloud options and some of that is covered under our Campus Agreement, making it a nice incentive to start migrating certain apps and functionality to the cloud
  • I don't have access to our budgets so I cannot give a good answer as far as the impact of ROI on our institution, but if your company can afford it, you cannot go wrong with Windows server. Not having to send your sys admins to Linux or Unix school alone is a big savings as well as not having to train your staff on using a Linux desktop instead of a Windows-based one.
  • The compatibility with end users of all varieties and platforms will definitely impact your ROI in a positive way. We have Apple users, Android, Windows, and even a few Linux end users on our campus and Windows server works quite well with all of them.
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Citrix
  • Xenserver is easy to learn. We paid for support only for installation and deployment in the first three years, and now our team has the knowledge to solve most problems.
  • Low CAPEX if you have a team that uses open source software day by day.
  • But paid support is necessary to solve critical problems. The open source community is not enough. Actually, we have difficulty solving some bugs without paying for support.
  • Medium OPEX if you have a team that uses open source software day by day.
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ScreenShots