* fix incorrect error info when creating an azure file PVC failed ([#56550](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/56550), [@andyzhangx](https://github.com/andyzhangx))
* remove time waiting after create storage account (save 25s) ([#56679](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/56679), [@andyzhangx](https://github.com/andyzhangx))

    - [Server binaries](#server-binaries-3)
    - [Node binaries](#node-binaries-3)
  - [Changelog since v1.18.16](#changelog-since-v11816)
  - [Changes by Kind](#changes-by-kind-3)
    - [Failing Test](#failing-test)
    - [Bug or Regression](#bug-or-regression-3)
  - [Dependencies](#dependencies-3)
    - [Added](#added-3)
    - [Changed](#changed-3)
    - [Removed](#removed-3)
- [v1.18.16](#v11816)

  - [Changes by Kind](#changes-by-kind-14)
    - [Deprecation](#deprecation)
    - [API Change](#api-change-5)
    - [Feature](#feature-9)
    - [Documentation](#documentation)
    - [Failing Test](#failing-test)
    - [Bug or Regression](#bug-or-regression-12)
    - [Other (Cleanup or Flake)](#other-cleanup-or-flake-3)
    - [Uncategorized](#uncategorized)
  - [Dependencies](#dependencies-14)

    - [Node Binaries](#node-binaries-7)
  - [Changelog since v1.21.6](#changelog-since-v1216)
  - [Changes by Kind](#changes-by-kind-6)
    - [Feature](#feature-4)
    - [Failing Test](#failing-test)
    - [Bug or Regression](#bug-or-regression-6)
  - [Dependencies](#dependencies-7)
    - [Added](#added-7)
    - [Changed](#changed-7)
    - [Removed](#removed-7)
- [v1.21.6](#v1216)

    - [Container Images](#container-images-9)
  - [Changelog since v1.27.6](#changelog-since-v1276)
  - [Changes by Kind](#changes-by-kind-9)
    - [Feature](#feature-8)
    - [Failing Test](#failing-test)
    - [Bug or Regression](#bug-or-regression-9)
    - [Other (Cleanup or Flake)](#other-cleanup-or-flake-3)
  - [Dependencies](#dependencies-9)
    - [Added](#added-9)
    - [Changed](#changed-9)

- ScaleIO volumes can now be provisioned without having to first manually...

* Implement graceful shutdown of the kube-apiserver by waiting for open connections to finish before exiting. Moreover, the audit backend will stop dropping events on shutdown. ([#53695](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/53695), [@hzxuzhonghu](https://github.com/hzxuzhonghu))

  Don't use these flags. Using deprecated flags causes the server to print a warning. Using a removed flag causes the server to abort the startup.

* The following deprecated flags were removed from `kubelet`:

  * `api-servers` - add apiserver addresses to the kubeconfig file instead.

  Don't use these flags. Using deprecated flags causes the kubelet to print a warning. Using a removed flag causes the kubelet to abort the startup.

  - The `--experimental-encryption-provider-config` flag is deprecated in favor of `--encryption-provider-config`. The old flag is accepted with a warning but will be removed in 1.14. ([#71206](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/71206),...

### Storage

- Fixed issue with kubelet waiting on invalid devicepath on AWS ([#78595](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/78595), [@gnufied](https://github.com/gnufied))