Item: Windows Server
Rating: 10
Author: Ivan Sytchev

Overall Satisfaction with Windows Server

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We use Windows Server for almost all applications. We are a Microsoft based company, and the majority of our servers are running Windows. We run the basic stuff like domain controllers, DNS, DHCP, and IIS on these servers. We also run SQL, SharePoint, and Dynamics 365 as well. Whenever possible, we use Windows Server as the OS for most applications.

Pros and Cons

Pros

It's pretty much standard for all environments.
It supports a vast number of applications.

Cons

Some admin panels are not easily accessible.
It can be a resource hog compared to Linux servers.

Return on Investment

It allows us to run many industry standard applications.
It's a very popular technology, so there are lots of support resources, and recruiting Windows administrators is never an issue.

Alternatives Considered

Ubuntu Linux

We use both Windows and Ubuntu, or other flavors of Linux servers, in our environment. Windows is much easier to work with for less experienced admins, since it is GUI based and very closely mimics Windows end-user systems like Windows 7 or Windows 10. Since we are primarily a Microsoft shop, running Windows Servers is basically mandatory.

Support Rating

There is a ton of support materials for Windows Server on the internet. Microsoft Technet has fantastic documentation for pretty much everything you can think of with Windows Server. There are also lots of third-party resources available for support as it is a very commonly used system.
When it comes to getting professional support from Microsoft, that is like rolling the dice. Sometimes the support technician is simply not able to comprehend the issue. However, they are always very professional and polite. After some time, most issues will be resolved, but be prepared to be passed around a bunch of different teams while they try to figure out the issue.

Key Insights

Do you think Windows Server delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Windows Server's feature set?

Yes

Did Windows Server live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Windows Server go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Windows Server again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Dell EMC Avamar, Dell Data Protection | Encryption Enterprise Edition (DDPE)

Likelihood to Recommend

Windows Server is suited for almost all scenarios. It can run almost any application, including some Linux-based applications either with official port or unofficial (not recommended). It is not the best solution if reliability of a Linux server is required. The added bloat of Windows "features" can cause issues in some environments, and maintenance can be a pain in some cases.

Comments

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Has anyone not used Windows Server yet?