diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index 7a3bcd6c..1338a0de 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -1 +1 @@
-version=2.2.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT
\ No newline at end of file
+version=2.2.0.RC1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/samples/odm/pom.xml b/samples/odm/pom.xml
index 05fe1a68..f7626a8a 100644
--- a/samples/odm/pom.xml
+++ b/samples/odm/pom.xml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
   <groupId>org.springframework.ldap</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-ldap-odm-sample</artifactId>
-  <version>2.1.1.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>2.2.0.RC1</version>
   <packaging>war</packaging>
   <name>spring-ldap-odm-sample</name>
   <description>spring-ldap-odm-sample</description>
@@ -66,6 +66,12 @@
     <url>https://github.com/SpringSource/spring-ldap</url>
   </scm>
   <dependencies>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>commons-lang</groupId>
+      <artifactId>commons-lang</artifactId>
+      <version>2.6</version>
+      <scope>compile</scope>
+    </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>javax.servlet</groupId>
       <artifactId>jstl</artifactId>
@@ -81,63 +87,21 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework.ldap</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-ldap-test</artifactId>
-      <version>2.1.1.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+      <version>2.2.0.RC1</version>
       <scope>compile</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-context</artifactId>
-      <version>4.2.5.RELEASE</version>
+      <version>4.3.3.RELEASE</version>
       <scope>compile</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-webmvc</artifactId>
-      <version>4.2.5.RELEASE</version>
+      <version>4.3.3.RELEASE</version>
       <scope>compile</scope>
     </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.apache.directory.server</groupId>
-      <artifactId>apacheds-core</artifactId>
-      <version>1.5.5</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
-      <optional>true</optional>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.apache.directory.server</groupId>
-      <artifactId>apacheds-core-entry</artifactId>
-      <version>1.5.5</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
-      <optional>true</optional>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.apache.directory.server</groupId>
-      <artifactId>apacheds-protocol-ldap</artifactId>
-      <version>1.5.5</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
-      <optional>true</optional>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.apache.directory.server</groupId>
-      <artifactId>apacheds-protocol-shared</artifactId>
-      <version>1.5.5</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
-      <optional>true</optional>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.apache.directory.server</groupId>
-      <artifactId>apacheds-server-jndi</artifactId>
-      <version>1.5.5</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
-      <optional>true</optional>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.apache.directory.shared</groupId>
-      <artifactId>shared-ldap</artifactId>
-      <version>0.9.15</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
-      <optional>true</optional>
-    </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>javax.servlet</groupId>
       <artifactId>servlet-api</artifactId>
@@ -153,7 +117,43 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>junit</groupId>
       <artifactId>junit</artifactId>
-      <version>4.11</version>
+      <version>4.12</version>
+      <scope>test</scope>
+    </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>org.apache.directory.server</groupId>
+      <artifactId>apacheds-core</artifactId>
+      <version>1.5.5</version>
+      <scope>test</scope>
+    </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>org.apache.directory.server</groupId>
+      <artifactId>apacheds-core-entry</artifactId>
+      <version>1.5.5</version>
+      <scope>test</scope>
+    </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>org.apache.directory.server</groupId>
+      <artifactId>apacheds-protocol-ldap</artifactId>
+      <version>1.5.5</version>
+      <scope>test</scope>
+    </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>org.apache.directory.server</groupId>
+      <artifactId>apacheds-protocol-shared</artifactId>
+      <version>1.5.5</version>
+      <scope>test</scope>
+    </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>org.apache.directory.server</groupId>
+      <artifactId>apacheds-server-jndi</artifactId>
+      <version>1.5.5</version>
+      <scope>test</scope>
+    </dependency>
+    <dependency>
+      <groupId>org.apache.directory.shared</groupId>
+      <artifactId>shared-ldap</artifactId>
+      <version>0.9.15</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-test</artifactId>
-      <version>4.2.5.RELEASE</version>
+      <version>4.3.3.RELEASE</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
   </dependencies>
diff --git a/samples/plain/pom.xml b/samples/plain/pom.xml
index 956a9776..7140bea9 100644
--- a/samples/plain/pom.xml
+++ b/samples/plain/pom.xml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
   <groupId>org.springframework.ldap</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-ldap-plain-sample</artifactId>
-  <version>2.1.1.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>2.2.0.RC1</version>
   <packaging>war</packaging>
   <name>spring-ldap-plain-sample</name>
   <description>spring-ldap-plain-sample</description>
@@ -81,19 +81,19 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework.ldap</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-ldap-test</artifactId>
-      <version>2.1.1.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+      <version>2.2.0.RC1</version>
       <scope>compile</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-context</artifactId>
-      <version>4.2.5.RELEASE</version>
+      <version>4.3.3.RELEASE</version>
       <scope>compile</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-webmvc</artifactId>
-      <version>4.2.5.RELEASE</version>
+      <version>4.3.3.RELEASE</version>
       <scope>compile</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>junit</groupId>
       <artifactId>junit</artifactId>
-      <version>4.11</version>
+      <version>4.12</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-test</artifactId>
-      <version>4.2.5.RELEASE</version>
+      <version>4.3.3.RELEASE</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
   </dependencies>
diff --git a/samples/user-admin/pom.xml b/samples/user-admin/pom.xml
index f71a0b7e..db42ec29 100644
--- a/samples/user-admin/pom.xml
+++ b/samples/user-admin/pom.xml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
   <groupId>org.springframework.ldap</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-ldap-user-admin-sample</artifactId>
-  <version>2.1.1.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>2.2.0.RC1</version>
   <packaging>war</packaging>
   <name>spring-ldap-user-admin-sample</name>
   <description>spring-ldap-user-admin-sample</description>
@@ -93,19 +93,19 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework.ldap</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-ldap-test</artifactId>
-      <version>2.1.1.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+      <version>2.2.0.RC1</version>
       <scope>compile</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-context</artifactId>
-      <version>4.2.5.RELEASE</version>
+      <version>4.3.3.RELEASE</version>
       <scope>compile</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-webmvc</artifactId>
-      <version>4.2.5.RELEASE</version>
+      <version>4.3.3.RELEASE</version>
       <scope>compile</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
@@ -129,13 +129,13 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>junit</groupId>
       <artifactId>junit</artifactId>
-      <version>4.11</version>
+      <version>4.12</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-test</artifactId>
-      <version>4.2.5.RELEASE</version>
+      <version>4.3.3.RELEASE</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
   </dependencies>