Microsoft Tuesday released the next beta version of Windows Server 2008 that adds options for installing Microsoft's newest Web server. The Community Technology Preview (CTP), which is Microsoft's lingo for its release cycle of beta software, is available to MSDN subscribers, TechNet subscribers and Connect customers.

This is the first CTP since Windows Server 2008 Beta 3 was released in April. Microsoft officials say 200,000 copies of Beta 3 have been downloaded. With the new CTP, Internet Information Server (IIS) 7.0 is now an installation option under the Server Core feature of the server.

Server Core is made up of the Windows kernel and a set of infrastructure "roles", which install only the components needed for any of eight specific functions: Active Directory, Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services, DHCP, DNS, File, Print, Windows Media Services and Windows Server Virtualization (when it ships).

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Source: MSFN