  We discuss fractional D3-branes on the orbifold C^3/Z_2*Z_2. We study the
open and the closed string spectrum on this orbifold. The corresponding N=1
theory on the brane has, generically, a U(N_1)*U(N_2)*U(N_3)*U(N_4) gauge group
with matter in the bifundamental. In particular, when only one type of brane is
present, one obtains pure N=1 Yang-Mills. We study the coupling of the branes
to the bulk fields and present the corresponding supergravity solution, valid
at large distances. By using a probe analysis, we are able to obtain the
Wilsonian beta-function for those gauge theories that possess some chiral
multiplet. Although, due to the lack of moduli, the probe technique is not
directly applicable to the case of pure N=1 Yang-Mills, we point out that the
same formula gives the correct result also for this case.
