The Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) and Windows Workflow Foundation (WWF) tools are due for commercial release later this year as part of the launch of Microsoft's Windows Vista client operating system. But the updated beta releases have been put through additional reliability testing for software developers who want to deploy applications now, said Ari Bixhorn, director of Web services strategy at Microsoft.

In addition, Microsoft hopes that the new releases will generate more feedback about WCF and WWF from users who test the tools in real-world IT environments. "We want developers to really kick the tires," Bixhorn said.

WCF is designed to aid developers in creating server-based applications that use Web services to link companies with customers, suppliers and other business partners. The WWF software provides a workflow engine and a set of tools for building automated and manual business processes into server applications. Easier to Use

Mark Nixon, a lead systems architect at Emerson Process Management, said the St. Louis-based company has been using WCF for the past 18 months to help write code that controls the industrial machinery it sells.

Nixon said WCF is more secure than the integration tools offered with previous Microsoft development frameworks, such as .Net and Component Object Model. The new tool is also easier to work with because it simplifies otherwise laborious tasks, he said.