

The RC's new RemoteFX feature is designed to help IT admins deploying Windows 7 through virtual machines. On the Windows Server front, the Release Candidate for Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 does add a few options of interest to IT professionals working with virtualization technology. Still the launch of a product's first service pack usually is a symbolic occasion as many businesses wait until SP1 to roll out a new operating system or application. Microsoft has previously said that Windows 7 SP1 would offer nothing new but would simply be a collection of minor updates and fixes already released. The Release Candidate for Windows 7 SP1 holds no new features since the product's initial beta came out in July.

The new releases are the last public test versions before the RTM (release-to-manufacturing) editions for both products hit the market early next year, according to a Microsoft blog.
