# Best Application Server Software *By [Tian Lin](https://research.g2.com/insights/author/tian-lin)* Application servers provide a framework for building, deploying, and managing web applications. They offer a variety of critical services required for running web applications, such as security, transaction management, load balancing, clustering for enhanced performance, and diagnostic capabilities. By handling these key operational aspects, application servers allow developers to focus primarily on the development and functionality of the application rather than infrastructure-related concerns like security or scalability. Businesses across industries use application servers to efficiently develop and manage their web applications, whether for internal use or customer-facing services. These products ensure that applications are stable, secure, and capable of scaling as needed. Application servers are essential for running applications that require high availability, reliability, and consistency, making them a crucial component of enterprise-grade IT environments. Modern application servers can integrate with a wide range of technologies, including relational databases, messaging services, and web frameworks. They can also support both on-premise and cloud-based deployments, providing flexibility for organizations as they build applications tailored to their infrastructure needs. In many cases, application servers also support microservices architecture, [containerization software](https://www.g2.com/categories/containerization), and [DevOps software](https://www.g2.com/categories/devops), streamlining the development and deployment process. Besides core functionalities, many application servers offer advanced features such as support for distributed applications, API integration, caching mechanisms, and automated scaling to handle fluctuating loads. These features help ensure optimal performance and adaptability in dynamic and demanding environments. To qualify for inclusion in the Application Server category, a product must: - Provide a software framework for building and deploying web applications - Offer services such as security, transaction management, and performance optimization to support an application within the hosting server environment - Integrate with databases, web frameworks, and various technologies to facilitate the development and management of web applications - Enable scalability and performance enhancements, such as clustering, load balancing, and distributed computing support - Support modern development methodologies, including microservices, containerization, and DevOps practices ## Best Application Server Software At A Glance - **Leader:** [Internet Information Services (IIS) for Windows Server](https://www.g2.com/products/internet-information-services-iis-for-windows-server/reviews) - **Highest Performer:** [Payara Server](https://www.g2.com/products/payara-server/reviews) - **Easiest to Use:** [LiteSpeed Web Server](https://www.g2.com/products/litespeed-web-server/reviews) - **Top Trending:** [Internet Information Services (IIS) for Windows Server](https://www.g2.com/products/internet-information-services-iis-for-windows-server/reviews) - **Best Free Software:** [IBM WebSphere](https://www.g2.com/products/ibm-websphere/reviews) ## Top-Rated Products (Ranked by G2 Score) ### 1. [Internet Information Services (IIS) for Windows Server](https://www.g2.com/products/internet-information-services-iis-for-windows-server/reviews) Internet Information Services (IIS) for Windows Server is a, secure, and manageable web server platform developed by Microsoft. It enables organizations to host a wide range of web content, from static websites to dynamic web applications and media streaming services. IIS's scalable and open architecture is designed to handle demanding tasks, making it suitable for both small-scale deployments and large enterprise environments. Key Features and Functionality: - Centralized Web Farm Management: Allows deployment and management of websites and applications across large farms of web servers from a central location. - Delegated Remote Management: Enables delegation of site configuration management and publishing to remote users, facilitating collaborative administration. - Powerful Administrative Tools: Provides a rich set of command-line, UI, and programmatic APIs for configuring and managing IIS. - Scalable Web Infrastructure: Supports dynamic scaling of web farm capacity with HTTP-based load balancing and intelligent request routing. - Dynamic Caching and Compression: Enhances performance through high-speed dynamic caching and compression mechanisms. - Rich Diagnostic Tools: Offers powerful diagnostic tools to quickly identify and resolve issues. - Enhanced Server Protection: Maximizes web server security with a reduced server footprint and automatic application isolation. - Secure Content Publishing: Facilitates more secure web content publishing using standards-based protocols. - Access Protection: Protects servers from unauthorized access through robust security measures. - ASP.NET and PHP Support: Supports the development and deployment of both ASP.NET and PHP applications on the same server. - Modular and Extensible Architecture: Allows for extension and customization of IIS to meet specific requirements. - Integrated Media Platform: Delivers high-fidelity media experiences efficiently. Primary Value and Solutions Provided: IIS offers a comprehensive solution for hosting and managing web applications and services. Its integration with Windows Server infrastructure, Active Directory, and Microsoft development frameworks like ASP.NET and .NET Core simplifies authentication, security management, and deployment workflows. The intuitive graphical management interface reduces the learning curve for administrators, enabling efficient configuration and monitoring without extensive command-line expertise. By being included with Windows Server at no additional cost, IIS provides a cost-effective web server solution, eliminating separate licensing fees and offering enterprise-grade support through Microsoft's standard channels. **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 59 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Microsoft](https://www.g2.com/sellers/microsoft) - **Year Founded:** 1975 - **HQ Location:** Redmond, Washington - **Twitter:** @microsoft (13,090,464 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft/ (227,697 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** MSFT **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Computer Software - **Company Size:** 40% Enterprise, 32% Small-Business #### Pros & Cons **Pros:** - Ease of Use (1 reviews) - Easy Management (1 reviews) ### 2. [Apache Tomcat](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-tomcat/reviews) Apache Tomcat is an open-source implementation of the Jakarta EE platform's core specifications, including Jakarta Servlet, Jakarta Pages, Jakarta Expression Language, Jakarta WebSocket, Jakarta Annotations, and Jakarta Authentication. Developed and maintained by the Apache Software Foundation, Tomcat provides a "pure Java" HTTP web server environment for running Java code, making it a robust and reliable solution for deploying Java-based web applications. Key Features and Functionality: - Servlet Container (Catalina): Catalina is Tomcat's servlet container that implements the Jakarta Servlet specification, enabling the execution of Java Servlets. - JSP Engine (Jasper): Jasper is the JSP engine that compiles JavaServer Pages into servlets, facilitating dynamic web content generation. - HTTP Connector (Coyote): Coyote is the HTTP connector component that supports HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2 protocols, allowing Tomcat to function as a standalone web server. - WebSocket Support: Tomcat provides support for the Jakarta WebSocket specification, enabling real-time, bi-directional communication between clients and servers. - Security Realms: Tomcat includes configurable security realms for user authentication and authorization, enhancing application security. Primary Value and User Solutions: Apache Tomcat offers a lightweight, efficient, and scalable platform for deploying Java-based web applications. Its adherence to Jakarta EE standards ensures compatibility and portability across different environments. Tomcat's modular architecture allows developers to integrate it seamlessly into existing infrastructures, whether as a standalone server or in conjunction with other web servers. Its open-source nature and active community support provide continuous improvements, security updates, and a wealth of resources for troubleshooting and development. By using Tomcat, organizations can deploy robust, high-performance web applications while maintaining flexibility and control over their server environments. **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 123 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.1/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [The Apache Software Foundation](https://www.g2.com/sellers/the-apache-software-foundation) - **Year Founded:** 1999 - **HQ Location:** Wakefield, MA - **Twitter:** @TheASF (66,059 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/215982/ (2,408 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Who Uses This:** Software Engineer - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 46% Enterprise, 34% Mid-Market ### 3. [Oracle WebLogic](https://www.g2.com/products/oracle-weblogic/reviews) Oracle WebLogic Server is a Java application server that provides a robust, mature, and scalable platform for developing, deploying, and running enterprise applications both on-premises and in the cloud. It offers a comprehensive implementation of Jakarta EE, enabling developers to build and manage applications with ease. WebLogic Server supports deployment on physical machines, virtual machines, and containerized environments, including Kubernetes clusters, ensuring flexibility and adaptability to various IT infrastructures. Key Features and Functionality: - Standards-Based Development: Supports the latest versions of Java SE and Jakarta EE APIs, ensuring compatibility and investment protection. - High Performance and Reliability: Incorporates performance optimizations and self-tuning capabilities to meet service levels with fewer servers and resources, reducing operational costs. - Comprehensive Management Tools: Offers built-in management, diagnostic, and automation tools that enhance operational efficiency. Certified to run on Docker and CRI-O containers, as well as on Kubernetes, both on-premises and in public clouds. - Clustering and High Availability: Provides clustering technology for seamless migration and failover, ensuring continuous operation for business-critical applications. - Integration Capabilities: Integrates with Oracle products and technologies, including Oracle Fusion Middleware and Oracle Applications, as well as various cloud platforms and services, facilitating optimal performance and flexibility. Primary Value and Solutions Provided: Oracle WebLogic Server addresses the need for a reliable and scalable platform for enterprise application development and deployment. By supporting industry standards and offering a rich set of APIs, it simplifies the development process, reduces application complexity, and enhances performance. Its robust management tools and support for modern deployment environments, such as Kubernetes, enable organizations to modernize their applications, achieve greater agility, and reduce time to market. Additionally, its integration with Oracle's product portfolio ensures seamless connectivity and interoperability, providing a comprehensive solution for enterprise application requirements. **Average Rating:** 4.2/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 65 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 9.5/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 7.8/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Oracle](https://www.g2.com/sellers/oracle) - **Year Founded:** 1977 - **HQ Location:** Austin, TX - **Twitter:** @Oracle (826,383 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1028/ (199,301 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** NYSE:ORCL **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Computer Software - **Company Size:** 80% Enterprise, 29% Mid-Market ### 4. [ServerAvatar](https://www.g2.com/products/serveravatar/reviews) ServerAvatar is a modern cloud server management platform that empowers developers, agencies, and businesses to manage their own servers and web applications effortlessly. It makes cloud hosting simple, secure, and efficient — without requiring any DevOps expertise. With ServerAvatar, users can connect any VPS or cloud server from providers like AWS, DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Vultr, Linode, and more, and manage everything through a single intuitive dashboard. The platform offers powerful features such as one-click application deployment, automatic SSL installation, performance monitoring, backup management, and seamless team collaboration. Whether you are hosting WordPress, Laravel, Node.js, or custom PHP applications, ServerAvatar allows you to focus on building your projects instead of dealing with complex server configurations. ServerAvatar provides instant and fully automated setup of optimized server stacks, including Apache, Nginx, OpenLiteSpeed, and MERN. It supports Git-based deployments, staging environments, multiple PHP versions, and advanced backup and restore options with integration to external storage. Security is at the core of the platform, featuring UFW firewall management, SSH access control, two-factor authentication, IP whitelisting, Web Application Firewall (8G Firewall), and Fail2Ban protection. In addition, ServerAvatar includes real-time monitoring for CPU, RAM, and disk usage, query analysis, and notification alerts via Slack, Telegram, or Discord. Teams can collaborate with flexible role-based access, temporary server sharing, and even white-label control panels for resellers. At ServerAvatar, our mission is to simplify cloud management while ensuring performance, reliability, and peace of mind — all from one clean, intuitive dashboard. Manage your cloud servers like a pro — without being one. **Average Rating:** 4.8/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 41 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 9.5/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 9.6/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [ServerAvatar Cloud Technologies PVT LTD.](https://www.g2.com/sellers/serveravatar-cloud-technologies-pvt-ltd) - **Year Founded:** 2016 - **HQ Location:** Surat, Gujarat - **Twitter:** @serveravatar (184 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/serveravatar/ (24 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 100% Small-Business #### Pros & Cons **Pros:** - Customer Support (10 reviews) - Ease of Use (8 reviews) - User Interface (7 reviews) - Easy Integrations (5 reviews) - Compatibility (3 reviews) **Cons:** - Complex Pricing (1 reviews) - Expertise Required (1 reviews) - Learning Curve (1 reviews) - Not User-Friendly (1 reviews) - Unclear Documentation (1 reviews) ### 5. [Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/red-hat-jboss-enterprise-application-platform/reviews) With Jboss Enterprise Middleware you can do more. Much more. For much less. Cost-effectively develop, deploy, and manage applications. Update business processes faster. And integrate more services and data. On-premise or in the cloud. Your choice. **Average Rating:** 4.1/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 24 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 8.1/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Red Hat](https://www.g2.com/sellers/red-hat) - **Year Founded:** 1993 - **HQ Location:** Raleigh, NC - **Twitter:** @RedHat (299,330 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/3545/ (19,305 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Computer Software - **Company Size:** 62% Enterprise, 42% Mid-Market ### 6. [LiteSpeed Web Server](https://www.g2.com/products/litespeed-web-server/reviews) LiteSpeed Web Server (LSWS) is compatible with commonly used Apache features, including mod\_rewrite, .htaccess, and mod\_security. LSWS can load Apache configuration files directly and works as a drop-in replacement for Apache while fully integrating with popular control panels — replacing Apache in less than 15 minutes with zero downtime. Unlike other frontend proxy-based solutions, LSWS replaces all Apache functions, simplifying use and making the transition from Apache easy while also allowing your team to move confidently with little-to-no retraining. **Average Rating:** 4.7/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 52 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.5/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [LiteSpeed Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/litespeed-technologies) - **Year Founded:** 2002 - **HQ Location:** Basking Ridge, NJ - **Twitter:** @litespeedtech (3,438 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/3510173/ (22 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 85% Small-Business, 7% Mid-Market ### 7. [IBM WebSphere](https://www.g2.com/products/ibm-websphere/reviews) IBM WebSphere Liberty and Application Server (WAS) are part of JSphere Suite for Java, a portfolio of products including application runtimes, modernization tooling, and developer productivity IDE extensions that enable you to rapidly modernize enterprise Java applications and create new cloud-native applications, with support for on-premise and major public cloud deployments; in virtual machines, containers and Kubernetes. IBM WebSphere Liberty is a next-generation, enterprise-grade application runtime that accelerates the delivery of cloud-native applications, allowing your team to rapidly deliver differentiating innovation. Whether you're running microservices in a serverless environment or a traditional always on application, Liberty requires less infrastructure, memory, and compute resources, providing the flexibility your organization needs to deploy on any cloud in a trusted, secure and open environment. Liberty empowers your development and platform engineering teams to continuously deliver code that meets and exceeds your customers' expectations. Adopt Liberty today and experience up to a 99% reduction in time to deploy code. Traditional WebSphere runtimes, include IBM WebSphere Application Server, IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty Core, IBM WebSphere Network Deployment (WAS-ND), Reviews for any of these components can be done here. **Average Rating:** 4.1/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 141 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 9.3/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [IBM](https://www.g2.com/sellers/ibm) - **Year Founded:** 1911 - **HQ Location:** Armonk, NY - **Twitter:** @IBM (708,000 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1009/ (324,553 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** SWX:IBM **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Banking, Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 65% Enterprise, 27% Mid-Market ### 8. [Matrix COSEC CENTRA](https://www.g2.com/products/matrix-cosec-centra/reviews) Matrix COSEC CENTRA is an enterprise-grade offering attendance and access control features. **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 16 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Matrix COSEC](https://www.g2.com/sellers/matrix-cosec) - **Year Founded:** 1991 - **HQ Location:** N/A - **Twitter:** @Matrix_COSEC (1,453 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/matrix-comsec/ (990 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 75% Mid-Market, 19% Enterprise ### 9. [Payara Server](https://www.g2.com/products/payara-server/reviews) Payara Server is a fully supported, developer friendly, open source Java application server originally derived from Glassfish as a drop in replacement. Payara Server’s architecture is innovative, cloud-native and optimized for production deployments. Officially compatible with Jakarta EE and Eclipse MicroProfile, the application server is developed in collaboration with an industry-leading DevOps team and the global Payara community to ensure Payara Server is the best option for production Jakarta EE (Java EE) applications today and in the future.. **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 84 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Payara Services Ltd](https://www.g2.com/sellers/payara-services-ltd) - **Year Founded:** 2014 - **HQ Location:** Global, GB - **Twitter:** @Payara_Fish (10,041 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/5349063/ (57 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Who Uses This:** Software Engineer - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 49% Small-Business, 31% Mid-Market ### 10. [AWS Graviton](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-graviton/reviews) AWS Graviton processors are custom Arm-based processors built by Amazon Web Services to deliver the best price performance for your cloud workloads running in Amazon EC2. **Average Rating:** 4.2/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 11 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 7.9/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 7.5/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Amazon Web Services (AWS)](https://www.g2.com/sellers/amazon-web-services-aws-3e93cc28-2e9b-4961-b258-c6ce0feec7dd) - **Year Founded:** 2006 - **HQ Location:** Seattle, WA - **Twitter:** @awscloud (2,220,862 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/amazon-web-services/ (156,424 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** NASDAQ: AMZN **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 42% Enterprise, 33% Mid-Market ### 11. [IBM CICS Transaction Server](https://www.g2.com/products/ibm-cics-transaction-server/reviews) IBM CICS® Transaction Server for z/OS is a robust, secure, and scalable application server designed to host transactional enterprise applications within a hybrid architecture. It supports a variety of programming languages, enabling businesses to modernize applications using languages that align with their developers' expertise and organizational requirements. Key Features and Functionality: - Security: Offers comprehensive controls to safeguard transactions, resources, and networks, working seamlessly with z/OS security managers and compliance authorities. - Scalability: Efficiently scales applications and prioritizes workloads to fully leverage the capabilities of IBM Z and z/OS sysplex environments, meeting diverse enterprise demands. - Flexibility: Provides support for multiple programming languages and frameworks, facilitating the integration and modernization of IBM Z applications and data. - High Performance: Delivers an optimized architecture capable of handling high transaction volumes with low latency, ensuring robust enterprise business processes and adherence to service level agreements (SLAs). Primary Value and Solutions Provided: IBM CICS Transaction Server addresses critical enterprise needs by offering a secure and scalable platform for transactional applications. It enables organizations to modernize their existing applications by supporting a range of programming languages, thus preserving investments in legacy systems while integrating with contemporary technologies. The server's high-performance capabilities ensure efficient transaction processing, which is essential for maintaining business continuity and meeting customer expectations. Additionally, its robust security features help organizations comply with regulatory requirements and protect sensitive data. **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 13 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 9.6/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 9.6/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 9.6/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [IBM](https://www.g2.com/sellers/ibm) - **Year Founded:** 1911 - **HQ Location:** Armonk, NY - **Twitter:** @IBM (708,000 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1009/ (324,553 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** SWX:IBM **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 77% Enterprise, 15% Mid-Market ### 12. [Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS)](https://www.g2.com/products/parallels-remote-application-server-ras/reviews) Parallels® Remote Application Server (RAS) is a remote work solution that provides secure virtual access to business applications and desktops on any device or OS—from anywhere. The platform offers an agile, cloud-ready foundation and end-to-end security fueled by a centralized management console with granular policies. Companies can leverage on-premises, hybrid, or public cloud deployments and integrate with existing technology like Microsoft Azure and AWS. Parallels RAS aims to give organizations the flexibility, scalability, and IT agility to adapt to changing business needs. Parallels RAS offers a single, full-featured licensing model that includes 24/7 support and access to product training. Key benefits include: - User experience: work from anywhere, on any device. - Enhanced data security and compliance: centralized management console with granular policies. - IT agility and business readiness: flexible hosting solutions to scale and adapt. - Total cost of ownership: supports BYOD and includes a simple licensing model. - Always-on support: access to 24/7 support and training at no additional cost. **Average Rating:** 4.2/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 67 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Corel Corporation](https://www.g2.com/sellers/corel-corporation-10b41cd4-0594-4f58-8f0a-212c911385c6) - **Year Founded:** 2006 - **HQ Location:** Bellevue, WA - **Twitter:** @corelsoftware (84 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mindmanagerglobal/ (1 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Computer Software - **Company Size:** 43% Small-Business, 30% Enterprise ### 13. [Apache HTTP Server Project](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-http-server-project/reviews) The Apache HTTP Server, commonly known as Apache, is a free and open-source web server software that has been a cornerstone of the internet since its inception in 1995. Developed and maintained by the Apache Software Foundation, Apache is designed to provide a secure, efficient, and extensible server that adheres to current HTTP standards. Its modular architecture allows for a wide range of functionalities, making it suitable for various web hosting needs, from serving static content to handling dynamic web applications. Key Features and Functionality: - Modular Architecture: Apache's design enables the addition of modules to extend its capabilities, such as authentication, URL rewriting, and proxying. - Cross-Platform Compatibility: It operates on numerous operating systems, including UNIX-like systems and Windows, ensuring flexibility across different environments. - Support for Multiple Protocols: Apache supports HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2 protocols, facilitating efficient communication between clients and servers. - Security Features: With modules like mod\_ssl, Apache provides robust support for TLS/SSL encryption, ensuring secure data transmission. - Virtual Hosting: This feature allows a single Apache instance to serve multiple websites, each with its own domain and configuration. - Integration with Programming Languages: Apache seamlessly integrates with languages such as PHP, Python, and Perl, enabling dynamic content generation. - Comprehensive Logging and Monitoring: It offers detailed logging capabilities, aiding in monitoring server performance and diagnosing issues. Primary Value and User Solutions: Apache's primary value lies in its reliability, flexibility, and extensive community support. It addresses the needs of web administrators and developers by providing a customizable and scalable platform for hosting websites and applications. Its open-source nature ensures continuous improvement and adaptation to emerging web technologies, making it a preferred choice for both small-scale personal projects and large-scale enterprise deployments. **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 137 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 8.0/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.0/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [The Apache Software Foundation](https://www.g2.com/sellers/the-apache-software-foundation) - **Year Founded:** 1999 - **HQ Location:** Wakefield, MA - **Twitter:** @TheASF (66,059 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/215982/ (2,408 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Who Uses This:** Software Engineer - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Computer Software - **Company Size:** 50% Small-Business, 30% Mid-Market ### 14. [Plesk](https://www.g2.com/products/plesk/reviews) Plesk, a premier brand of WebPros International GmbH, is a leading web hosting and server management platform trusted by hosting providers, developers, and businesses worldwide. Launched in 2001, Plesk simplifies website and server administration with a versatile, user-friendly interface and powerful tools. As part of WebPros, headquartered in Luxembourg, Plesk delivers secure, scalable, and multi-platform solutions to streamline web operations for millions of users globally. Plesk, a product of WebPros, is an all-in-one web hosting control panel and server management platform designed to simplify website, server, and application management. Tailored for hosting providers, developers, and businesses, it supports multiple operating systems (Linux and Windows) and offers tools for domain management, email, databases, and DevOps workflows. From launching websites to managing cloud servers, Plesk ensures flexibility, security, and performance. Key Features: - Website Management: Manage domains, subdomains, and SSL certificates with ease. - Email Hosting: Create and manage email accounts with built-in spam protection. - WordPress Toolkit: Automate WordPress updates, staging, and security. - DevOps Tools: Integrate Git, Docker, and Node.js for streamlined development. - Security Suite: Features like Fail2Ban, Let’s Encrypt, and firewall management. Customer Support: - 24/7 Online Support: Comprehensive help via https://support.plesk.com/hc/en-us - Email Support: Submit tickets at https://support.plesk.com/hc/en-us - Knowledge Base: Extensive documentation and tutorials - Community Forums: Engage with experts at https://talk.plesk.com Ideal For: - Hosting Providers needing versatile, multi-platform server management. - Developers seeking DevOps tools and WordPress automation. - Businesses requiring secure, scalable web and cloud solutions. **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 246 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 9.6/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [WebPros](https://www.g2.com/sellers/webpros) - **Company Website:** https://webpros.com/ - **Year Founded:** 2017 - **HQ Location:** Switzerland - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/webpros/ (723 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Who Uses This:** CEO, Software Developer - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Computer Software - **Company Size:** 80% Small-Business, 26% Mid-Market #### Pros & Cons **Pros:** - Ease of Use (34 reviews) - Customer Support (14 reviews) - Hosting Services (13 reviews) - Easy Setup (11 reviews) - Interface Intuitiveness (11 reviews) **Cons:** - Expensive (11 reviews) - Limitations (9 reviews) - Learning Curve (7 reviews) - Missing Features (7 reviews) - Complexity (6 reviews) ### 15. [Fastly CDN](https://www.g2.com/products/fastly-fastly-cdn/reviews) Fastly is an extension of your infrastructure - speeding up and optimizing the delivery of your web apps, mobile traffic, APIs, and AI workloads, allowing you to scale globally, improve performance, and save on costs. Fastly gives you the control to serve more dynamic, personalized content and to accelerate your content delivery. Deliver your website, apps, video, downloads and more from a single, secure, high performing, global network **Average Rating:** 4.7/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 83 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.6/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Fastly](https://www.g2.com/sellers/fastly) - **Year Founded:** 2011 - **HQ Location:** San Francisco, CA - **Twitter:** @fastly (28,957 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/2602522/ (1,362 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** NYSE: FSLY **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Who Uses This:** Software Engineer - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Computer Software - **Company Size:** 48% Mid-Market, 30% Small-Business ### 16. [F5 NGINX](https://www.g2.com/products/f5-nginx/reviews) NGINX, Inc. is the company behind NGINX, the popular open source project trusted by more than 400 million sites. We offer a suite of technologies for developing and delivering modern applications. The NGINX Application Platform enables enterprises undergoing digital transformation to modernize legacy, monolithic applications as well as deliver new, microservices‑based applications. Companies like Netflix, Starbucks, and McDonalds rely on NGINX to reduce costs, improve resiliency, and speed innovation. NGINX investors include Blue Cloud Ventures, e.ventures, Goldman Sachs, Index Ventures, MSD Capital, NEA, Runa Capital, and Telstra Ventures. NGINX, Inc. is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, with an EMEA head office in Cork, Ireland and APAC head office in Singapore. Learn more at https://www.nginx.com/ **Average Rating:** 4.6/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 106 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.1/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [F5](https://www.g2.com/sellers/f5-f6451ada-8c47-43f5-b017-58663a045bc5) - **HQ Location:** Seattle, Washington - **Twitter:** @F5Networks (1,386 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/4841/ (6,133 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Who Uses This:** Software Engineer - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Computer Software - **Company Size:** 42% Small-Business, 40% Mid-Market #### Pros & Cons **Pros:** - Configuration Ease (1 reviews) ### 17. [Oracle Tuxedo](https://www.g2.com/products/oracle-tuxedo/reviews) Oracle Tuxedo is #1 application server for C, C++, COBOL, Java and dynamic language applications in private cloud or traditional data center environments. **Average Rating:** 4.0/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 11 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 7.9/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Oracle](https://www.g2.com/sellers/oracle) - **Year Founded:** 1977 - **HQ Location:** Austin, TX - **Twitter:** @Oracle (826,383 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1028/ (199,301 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** NYSE:ORCL **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 83% Enterprise, 33% Mid-Market ### 18. [Wildfly](https://www.g2.com/products/wildfly/reviews) WildFly is a flexible, lightweight application server. **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 21 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Wildfly](https://www.g2.com/sellers/wildfly) - **Year Founded:** 2005 - **HQ Location:** N/A - **Twitter:** @Wildfly (12 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/wildfly/ (1 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Computer Software - **Company Size:** 48% Mid-Market, 33% Small-Business ### 19. [Zend Server](https://www.g2.com/products/zend-server/reviews) Zend Server is a PHP application server trusted by global innovators, including Fortune 100 companies, with easy-to-use tools and comprehensive services that include: - An industry-leading PHP debugger, as well as support for the open source debugger, xdebug. - PHP application deployment and monitoring tools. - The ZendPHP runtime, so you don’t have to download it from the community page and upgrade it yourself. - Automated web-server configuration capabilities. - Long-term, comprehensive support for PHP releases for at least five years, instead of the two years provided by the community. - Mission-critical support, so your PHP applications are backed by experts, 24/7/365. **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 14 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 6.7/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 6.7/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 6.7/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Perforce](https://www.g2.com/sellers/perforce) - **Year Founded:** 1995 - **HQ Location:** Minneapolis, MN - **Twitter:** @perforce (5,087 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/perforce/ (2,032 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Computer Software - **Company Size:** 47% Mid-Market, 47% Small-Business ### 20. [RunCloud.io](https://www.g2.com/products/runcloud-io/reviews) RunCloud is a SaaS server manager for PHP servers. **Average Rating:** 4.0/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 16 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.1/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [RunCloud](https://www.g2.com/sellers/runcloud) - **Year Founded:** 2017 - **HQ Location:** CYBERJAYA, MY - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/runcloud-io/about (32 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 100% Small-Business ### 21. [Progress OpenEdge](https://www.g2.com/products/progress-progress-openedge/reviews) OpenEdge 12 provides the performance, availability, agility and security you need to facilitate your application evolution effort. Read about the exceptional enhancements and new features in OpenEdge 12 that will help you easily pivot to meet market demands, scale the application as your business requires, and dramatically improve performance, allowing the organization to accelerate time to market, increase efficiencies, save expenses, increase availability and continue to compete effectively. **Average Rating:** 4.0/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 37 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Progress Software](https://www.g2.com/sellers/progress-software) - **Company Website:** https://www.progress.com/ - **Year Founded:** 1981 - **HQ Location:** Burlington, MA. - **Twitter:** @ProgressSW (48,823 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/progress-software/ (4,205 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Who Uses This:** Senior Software Engineer - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 47% Enterprise, 37% Mid-Market ### 22. [Apache Geronimo](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-geronimo/reviews) Apache Geronimo is an open source server runtime that integrates open source projects to create Java/OSGi server runtimes designed to meet the needs of enterprise developers and system administrators. **Average Rating:** 3.9/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 28 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [The Apache Software Foundation](https://www.g2.com/sellers/the-apache-software-foundation) - **Year Founded:** 1999 - **HQ Location:** Wakefield, MA - **Twitter:** @TheASF (66,059 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/215982/ (2,408 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Top Industries:** Computer Software - **Company Size:** 96% Mid-Market, 25% Small-Business ### 23. [Phusion Passenger](https://www.g2.com/products/phusion-passenger/reviews) A web server and application server for your web apps. Keeps your users happy, saves your business time and money. **Average Rating:** 4.7/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 12 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Phusion B.V.](https://www.g2.com/sellers/phusion-b-v) - **Year Founded:** 2008 - **HQ Location:** Amsterdam, Noord-Holland - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/phusion/ (4 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Who Uses This:** Senior Software Engineer - **Top Industries:** Computer Software - **Company Size:** 75% Small-Business, 25% Mid-Market ### 24. [CloudPages](https://www.g2.com/products/cloudpages/reviews) CloudPages is a SaaS-based website management system. It is designed specifically for WordPress-based websites, but you can also manage any PHP-based site on CloudPages. We handle all the complexity and infrastructure for your WordPress site so you can focus on what you do best: using your website to grow your business. **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 14 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Security updates:** 4.2/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) - **Version and Profile Support:** 3.3/10 (Category avg: 8.2/10) - **Server Management:** 5.0/10 (Category avg: 8.9/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 7.8/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [CloudPages](https://www.g2.com/sellers/cloudpages) - **Year Founded:** 2008 - **HQ Location:** Manchester, United Kingdom - **Twitter:** @cloudsols (1,482 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/cloudpagescloud/ (5 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 93% Small-Business ### 25. [Lighttpd](https://www.g2.com/products/lighttpd/reviews) Lighttpd is an open-source web server optimized for speed-critical environments while remaining standards-compliant, secure and flexible. **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 11 **User Satisfaction Scores:** - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 6.1/10 (Category avg: 8.5/10) **Seller Details:** - **Seller:** [Lighttpd](https://www.g2.com/sellers/lighttpd) - **Year Founded:** 2016 - **HQ Location:** Edinburgh - **Twitter:** @lighttp (181 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/No-Linkedin-Presence-Added-Intentionally-By-DataOps (1 employees on LinkedIn®) **Reviewer Demographics:** - **Company Size:** 64% Small-Business, 36% Mid-Market ## Parent Category [IT Infrastructure Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/it-infrastructure) ## Related Categories - [Web Server Accelerator Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/web-server-accelerator) --- ## Buyer Guide ### What You Should Know About Application Server Software ### What is an Application Server? An application server allows users to install and host applications such as web browsers, image editors, and development and testing applications. Application servers, also known as app servers, manage an organization's backend business applications. All operations necessary to manage the numerous applications a business uses are done via an application server. As the number of applications used increases, so does the demand for application servers to manage them. The complexity of handling applications has become increasingly complex, and app servers help alleviate these concerns. Application servers can be used across different industries and can be installed based on user requirements. Application servers are used based on user requirements. A user might need an application for scalability or to improve managing all their web applications. An application server acts as a middleware platform or the second layer since it exists between the first layer, which can be the operating system (OS), the client end, a browser, or a web server, and the third layer, the database server itself. If a company faces high-traffic and latency issues, an application server is used to manage complex requests, monitor high-availability application services, etc. #### What Types of Application Servers Exist? There are primarily two different types of servers—application servers and web servers. Application servers are different from web servers since web application servers are static and serve HTTP/HTML requests from the website. Web servers do not serve dynamic or server-side content. A user uses it to pull static HTML content, including files, documents, photos, images, javascript, etc., and can only support HTTP/HTTPS/HTML protocols. These web servers are used to pull web pages for clients using an HTTP server to understand HTTP and URLs. In the case of a web server, the client is the browser where a user can type in their requirements. Application servers provide users access to business logic. In the software industry, business logic is defined as the section of the program that includes real-world business rules on managing data. This business logic works with dynamic content, i.e., transforming the data for specific functionality. Application servers and web servers usually work together. Some web application servers also have plugins from scripting languages such as ASP, PHP, Perl, and JSP. Servlets can also be opted for, which is a part of a web server that can be run as a separate process. It is a Java programming language class that helps to extend server capabilities. Some web servers are open source, such as Apache Tomcat and JBoss. Application servers can help execute web modules such as Java Servlets and serve JavaEE apps. For example, consider shopping on an e-commerce website. Customers put their items in the cart, add payment details, and check out. However, the sequence of transactions needed falls under business logic—add to cart, add shipping details, add payment details, get OTP for securing the transaction, order confirmation message—this sequence is the business logic. ** ** There are three types of application servers: **Active application servers:** This application server supports business logic in the form of rules or objects. **Web information servers:** This type of application server focuses on processing web applications. **Component servers:** This type of application server helps connect different software components. ### What are the Common Features of Application Servers? The following are some core features within application servers that can help users in several ways: **Data redundancy:** One of the features of the application server is data redundancy. Data redundancy is a process where data is kept in two or more separate locations. This is done to ensure business continuity in case of any unforeseen events. Application servers support data redundancy to ensure that in case any business application fails, it can be moved onto another working server and improve application runtime. This helps avoid single points of failure. **High availability:** Systems, especially mission-critical systems and applications, must run 24/7. Imagine a system on the New York Stock Exchange crashes, or a server in NASA fails. Systems must remain available at all times. However, all systems will have some downtime (planned or unplanned). Application servers for this use case must be high availability (less downtime) to ensure there is no disruption, especially during high peak traffic hours, and able to manage the load, ensuring high performance of the application server. **Load balancing:** Load balancing takes care of distributing several requests evenly to different application tiers. It is used to route requests to the right servers and help fulfill the request. Application servers must have an in-built load balancing feature or be able to connect with a load balancing software. Load balancers can also act as a reverse proxy to maintain the load over servers. **Central management interface:** Applications servers include a centralized management interface that helps a user to manage numerous application servers from one platform, removing the need for many. ### What are the Benefits of Application Servers? A few benefits of application servers include: **Instant access to apps:** Every application being used is pulled from an application server and delivered by a web server or a web application server. Web clients make HTTP requests to access a particular app pulled from the application server. **Traffic optimization:** Application servers are designed in such a way that they can handle high incoming traffic for the apps. They are built to handle multiple requests from web clients. In addition, the performance of heavy applications increases by using an application server. **License management** : Installing an application multiple times on a system is tedious. This is where the application server comes in. Computers can run applications without the need to be run locally. This helps manage licenses for various applications since only the allowed number of users can use the application at a given time. **Data integrity:** Application servers follow a centralized approach. Any security updates, patches, etc., can be done via the application server. Different users do not need to access the same application and make changes that could cause errors. ### Challenges with Application Servers Application servers can come with its own set of challenges, as mentioned below: **Increase in traffic:** With the boom of the internet and social media, the amount of online traffic has increased drastically. Application servers must keep up with this surge in traffic and ensure no downtime that could affect application performance. **Network delays:** Network delays can happen due to geographical distance, and applications can take a longer time to load. Assessing the network impact on application server performance when latency increases becomes quite challenging.  **Technical challenges:** Application servers also face technical issues such as failing to load, problems communicating with hosts, and database connections issues, among others. ### Who Uses Application Servers? The different personas that would use application servers are: **IT teams:** IT teams are the main users of application servers. They are in charge of installing, operating, and hosting applications based on the user requirements. **App developers:** Application servers can be used to provide a container model for applications which makes it extremely important for application developments with Kubernetes. It can also be used to provide services for applications.  ### How to Buy Application Servers #### Requirements Gathering (RFI/RFP) for Application Servers Before beginning the buyer journey for an application server, there are a few things to be mindful of, which include the following: - **Identifying and prioritization:** When choosing application servers, it's essential to identify and prioritize based on the wants and needs of the organization/user. Some important factors include scalability, reliability, development, performance, and cost-effectiveness. - **Identification of a use case:** If the organization is large to very large, an application server is necessary. However, if a smaller organization is looking to purchase an application server, the cost might be their primary factor. - **Application modernization:** Application servers can also be used extensively to modernize enterprise applications (JAVA applications) and develop and deliver new cloud-native applications. These applications can usually be supported on-premises, on the cloud, or hosted on containers or Kubernetes. #### Compare Application Server Products **Create a long list** This step involves creating a long list of application server vendors and providers. Some key factors to consider include automation features, network latency, high availability, load-balancing, reading databases, security support, authentication, data privacy, and compliance with open standards such as JavaEE, API gateway support, and others. Keeping these essential features in mind, a long list of products can be generated. **Create a short list** Once the long list of application server offerings has been identified, it is time to remove software that does not meet all the business criteria. For this, it is important to use the RFI/RFP made earlier on what is to be done before choosing an application server. Using the above information, buyers can further shorten their list and only select those software vendors that meet all the business requirements. **Conduct demos** Once the list has been reduced to a couple of vendors, buyers may begin to request a demo of the application server. The demo on a server will give them an idea of how the software will work once the actual process begins and is an excellent way to ensure the best fit. At this step, the buyer should ask several questions to the vendor about the benefits, after-service support, staff training, and other additional features that can be provided.  #### Selection of Application Servers **Choose a selection team** Choosing the right team to work together on purchasing an application server is a critical part of the process. This team will be in charge of identifying pain points to finally overseeing the entire implementation process. The team should include a mix of different personas who have the required skills, interests, and time. Some corporate roles include project manager, system owner, and decision makers. From the technical team, there should be an IT admin, application developers such as a JAVA/Selenium developer, and DevOps engineering leads. **Final decision** Once all the steps are complete, the final decision is made. Weighing all the factors and scenarios, the buyer can purchase the application server software.