Microsoft Corp. today announced that it has signed several Microsoft Communications Protocol Program (MCPP) licensing agreements with industry leaders such as Aruba Networks Inc., BalaBit IT Security and Secure Computing Corp. under the U.S. protocol program.

The MCPP has been designed to answer software application developers� need to interoperate with Microsoft� Windows� server and client environments as well as meet regulatory requirements.

Aruba Networks, BalaBit and Secure Computing signed the MCPP licensing agreements, which makes available Windows client-to-server protocols used to communicate between Windows client and server operating systems.

BalaBit, an Internet security company specializing in application layer proxying, licensed MCPP for audit and control restricted protocols. With its MCPP license, BalaBit plans to enhance its technology for Remote Desktop Protocols (RDP), which can now make RDP�s services available for Windows-based servers as well. The RDP is used by remote desktop clients to connect to Windows Server� Terminal Services, and it allows the client to remotely display presentation data and access licensing information, serial devices, and other desktop remote functions from the Windows Server.