Within Single Network it's ok, even it's resources hungry. Multi Location Networks is unsecure and also more slow than e.g. Linux Servers. It's anyway depend what kind of Server you'll run: File Server = exchange of files over the network Data Server = exchange of Data using the Network Application Server = run Multi User application on the Server and access from Clients by workstation using runtime apps Web Server = Run Websites, Shopping Carts, Web Application etc. These are in simple word the differences. Windows Server comes with so called Seat Licenses, 5 of them are standard. If you've more workstations connected, you'll need to have to buy more Seat/Client Licenses which could get quite expensive. And in case you upgrade to the next new version of Windows Server, you'll need to buy those Seat/Client Licenses again! As more clients are connected to the Windows Server as more memory you need to have on server. Also simple Anti Virus Software for server is much more expensive and maybe same as Windows Server client limited per License. Security is much more complicated to setup and further on to maintain. As long as the Server is running on and for one location only and isn't connected to the Internet (unlikely!) the Windows Server security is much good enough! But in multi location Networks, I wouldn't use an Windows Server, I would use Unix or Linux. I running several Networks with my company and didn't have any security problems with Unix (SCO) and Linux (SUSE) but Windows Server, which is the only one with mainly daily problems. By the way: Why you start a new Thread and not carry on with your first one?