Windows Server 2012 is described as 'Codenamed "Windows Server 8", is the sixth release of Windows Server. It is the server version of Windows 8 and succeeds Windows Server 2008 R2. Two pre-release versions, a developer preview and a beta version, were released during development' and is a operating system in the network & admin category. There are more than 10 alternatives to Windows Server 2012 for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Self-Hosted, Windows, SaaS and Web-based apps. The best Windows Server 2012 alternative is Gentoo, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Windows Server 2012 are CentOS, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Rocky Linux and Ubuntu Server.
Gentoo Linux is a versatile, fast, highly configurable and completely free Linux and FreeBSD distribution geared towards developers and network professionals.
Gentoo is the most popular Linux alternative to Windows Server 2012.
Gentoo is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Windows Server 2012.
CentOS is a community-supported, free and open source operating system based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux. It exists to provide a free enterprise class computing platform and strives to maintain 100% binary compatibility with its upstream distribution.
Red Hat is the leader in development, deployment, and management of Linux and open source solutions for Internet infrastructure - ranging from embedded devices to secure Web servers. Red Hat was founded in 1994 by visionary entrepreneurs Bob Young and Marc Ewing.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is the most popular commercial alternative to Windows Server 2012.
Rocky Linux is a community enterprise operating system designed to be 100% bug-for-bug compatible with America's top enterprise Linux distribution now that its downstream partner has shifted direction. It is under intensive development by the community.
The leading platform for scale-out computing, Ubuntu Server helps you make the most of your infrastructure. Whether you want to deploy an OpenStack cloud, a Hadoop cluster or a 50,000-node render farm, Ubuntu Server delivers the best value scale-out performance available.
Launched with the code-name Project Lenix, AlmaLinux OS is an open-source, community-driven project that intends to fill the gap left by the demise of the CentOS stable release. AlmaLinux OS is a 1:1 binary compatible fork of RHEL® 8 and it is built by the creators of the...
ClearOS is a family of operating systems for the enterprise, small business, and home. There are three editions to choose from depending on your needs and suitable to your abilities. They are: ClearOS Enterprise, ClearOS Home, and ClearOS Core.
UCS is an open platform for central identity & access management, IT management, and active directory, with a web portal for easy access to applications.
Univention Corporate Server (UCS) is the most popular Web-based, SaaS & Self-Hosted alternative to Windows Server 2012.
Integrates native Active Directory and all essential network services, including domain, mail, gateway, infrastructure, and security roles, for SMBs, offering web-based management, centralized authentication, file server, VPN, and firewall in a single Linux platform.
SUSE is the original provider of the enterprise Linux distribution and the most interoperable platform for mission-critical computing. It's the only Linux recommended by VMware, Microsoft and SAP. And it's supported on more hardware and software than any other enterprise...
NethServer is a CentOS-based Linux distribution for servers. The product's main feature is a modular design which makes it simple to turn the distribution into a mail server and filter, web server, groupware, firewall, web filter, IPS/IDS or VPN server.
Endian Firewall Community (EFW) is a "turn-key" linux security distribution that turns every system into a full featured security appliance with Unified Threat Management (UTM) functionality. The software has been designed with "usability in mind" and is very...
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Zentyals original project was to build a Linux Windows AD server. That is not the case now, it is more an Exchange Mail clone.