* client-go: alpha support for out-of-tree exec-based credential providers. For example, a cloud provider could create their own authentication system rather than using the standard authentication provided with Kubernetes. ([#59495](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/59495), [@ericchiang](https://github.com/ericchiang))

*   Add-on manager now supports HA masters. ([#55466](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/55466),[ #55782](https://github.com/x13n),[ @x13n](https://github.com/x13n))
*   Hyperkube can now run from a non-standard path. ([#54570](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/54570))

#### **GCP**

### SIG Azure

* The Azure cloud provider now supports standard SKU load balancer and public IP.
`excludeMasterFromStandardLB` defaults to true, which means master nodes are excluded from the standard load balancer. Also note that because all nodes (except master) are added as loadbalancer backends, the standard load balancer doesn't work with the `service.beta.kubernetes.io/azure-load-balancer-mode` annotation.

- Remove `kubernetes.io/grpc` standard appProtocol ([#116866](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/116866), [@LiorLieberman](https://github.com/LiorLieberman)) [SIG API Machinery and Apps]

- Fix: azure data disk should use same key as os disk by default ([#86351](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/86351), [@andyzhangx](https://github.com/andyzhangx)) [SIG Cloud Provider]
- Fix: azure disk could not mounted on Standard_DC4s/DC2s instances ([#86612](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/86612), [@andyzhangx](https://github.com/andyzhangx)) [SIG Cloud Provider and Storage]

### Other (Cleanup or Flake)

- In GKE alpha clusters it will be possible to use the service annotation `cloud.google.com/network-tier: Standard` ([#88487](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/88487), [@zioproto](https://github.com/zioproto)) [SIG Cloud Provider]

## Dependencies

### Added
_Nothing has changed._

### Changed

* Ensure Azure load balancer cleaned up on 404 or 403 when deleting LoadBalancer services. ([#75256](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/75256), [@feiskyer](https://github.com/feiskyer))
* Allow disable outbound SNAT when Azure standard load balancer is used together with outbound rules.  ([#75282](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/75282), [@feiskyer](https://github.com/feiskyer))

### Other notable changes

* Allow for configuring etcd hostname in the manifest ([#54403](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/54403), [@wojtek-t](https://github.com/wojtek-t))
* Allow standard flags in client-gen. ([#53999](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/53999), [@sttts](https://github.com/sttts))

* Allow disable outbound SNAT when Azure standard load balancer is used together with outbound rules.  ([#75282](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/75282), [@feiskyer](https://github.com/feiskyer))

- External credential provider plugins will now have their standard error output logged by kubelet upon failures. ([#117448](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/117448), [@cartermckinnon](https://github.com/cartermckinnon))