([#123696](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/123696), [@aramase](https://github.com/aramase))
- kubelet allowed specifying a custom root directory for pod logs (instead of the default /var/log/pods) using the `podLogsDir` key in kubelet configuration.
   ([#112957](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/112957), [@mxpv](https://github.com/mxpv))

* fix kubelet fail to delete orphaned pod directory when the kubelet's pods directory (default is "/var/lib/kubelet/pods") symbolically links to another disk device's directory ([#79094](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/79094), [@gaorong](https://github.com/gaorong))

- Kubelet: Extended the `--image-credential-provider-config` flag to accept a directory path in addition to a single file. When a directory was specified, all .json, .yaml, and .yml files in that directory were loaded and merged in lexicographical order. ([#131658](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/131658), [@dims](https://github.com/dims)) [SIG Auth and Node]

- Volume attach or publish operation will not fail at `kubelet` if target path directory already exists on the node. ([#119735](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/119735), [@akankshapanse](https://github.com/akankshapanse))

([#58973](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/58973), [@verb](https://github.com/verb))

* The default Flexvolume plugin directory for COS images on GCE has changed to `/home/kubernetes/flexvolume`, rather than `/etc/srv/kubernetes/kubelet-plugins/volume/exec`. Existing Flexvolume installations in clusters using COS images must be moved to the new directory, and installation processes must be updated with the new path. ([#58171](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/58171), [@v...

Ephemeral Volume](https://github.com/kubernetes/enhancements/tree/master/keps/sig-storage/596-csi-inline-volumes) feature allows CSI volumes to be specified directly in the pod specification for ephemeral use cases. They can be used to inject arbitrary states, such as configuration, secrets, identity, variables or similar information, directly inside pods using a mounted volume. This was initially introduced in 1.15 as an alpha feature, and it moved to GA. This feature is used by some CSI drivers...

- Fix: After a Node is down and take some time to get back to up again, the mount point of the evicted Pods cannot be cleaned up successfully. (#111933) Meanwhile Kubelet will print the log `Orphaned pod "xxx" found, but error not a directory occurred when trying to remove the volumes dir` every 2 seconds. (#105536) ([#116134](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/116134), [@cvvz](https://github.com/cvvz)) [SIG Node and Storage]

- Implemented alpha support for a drop-in kubelet configuration directory. ([#119390](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/119390), [@sohankunkerkar](https://github.com/sohankunkerkar))

- Fix kubelet fail to delete orphaned pod directory when the kubelet's pods directory (default is `/var/lib/kubelet/pods`) symbolically links to another disk device's directory ([#79094](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/79094), [@gaorong](https://github.com/gaorong))

## Testing

- Kubernetes is now built with Go 1.18.8 ([#113593](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/113593), [@xmudrii](https://github.com/xmudrii)) [SIG Release and Testing]

### Bug or Regression

- Consider only plugin directory and not entire kubelet root when cleaning up mounts ([#112920](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/112920), [@mattcary](https://github.com/mattcary)) [SIG Storage]