Microsoft has released Windows .NET Server 2003, Release Candidate 2 (RC2), the last public test version before the planned Apr. 2003 release of the product. Release candidates are feature-complete versions of the software and are provided to beta testers and to customers interested in previewing the product. Release candidates are used to determine that the product is stable and ready for release. Customers can get Windows .NET Server 2003 Release Candidate 2 (RC2) through the Customer Preview Program. The RC is considered prerelease software and is set to stop running in 360 days. It therefore should be used primarily to test application compatibility and not for production systems. (For more information on server application compatibility, see "Applications Require Updates for Windows .NET Server".) For information on the Customer Preview Program for Windows .NET Server 2003, see www.microsoft.com/windows.netserver/preview/obtaining.mspx.