Microsoft has posted Beta 2 of its free Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) client for Mac OS X. After round one, a number of important issues were addressed.

• Multiple Sessions Improvement – Due to popular demand, the File menu has been redesigned to allow for the launch of multiple Remote Desktop Connection sessions from the menu.
• File Based Connection Management – Remote Desktop Connection now manages all connection settings using connection files.
• Vista Network Level Authentication - Network Level Authentication (NLA) is a new authentication method in Windows Vista that completes user authentication before users establish a full Remote Desktop Connection and the logon screen appears. This method offers security enhancements that can help to protect the remote computer from hackers and malicious software.
• Auto-Reconnect – Auto-reconnect allows the Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac to automatically reconnect to the Windows-based computer if the network connection to the remote session is broken.
• Wide Screen Support – Remote Desktop Connection now supports screen sizes for wide-screen display.

Microsoft welcomes feedback at the RDC Connect site. The Beta 2 can be downloaded from Mactopia.