- Node labels `beta.kubernetes.io/metadata-proxy-ready`, `beta.kubernetes.io/metadata-proxy-ready` and `beta.kubernetes.io/kube-proxy-ds-ready` are no longer added on new nodes.
  - ip-mask-agent addon starts to use the label `node.kubernetes.io/masq-agent-ds-ready` instead of `beta.kubernetes.io/masq-agent-ds-ready` as its node selector.

- Add a `serving` and `terminating` condition to the EndpointSlice API.
  `serving` tracks the readiness of endpoints regardless of their terminating state. This is distinct from `ready` since `ready` is only true when pods are not terminating. 

### Windows support improved

- [Performance dashboards](http://perf-dash.k8s.io/#/?jobname=soak-tests-capz-windows-2019) added support for Windows

- Fixed a regression introduced in 1.22.4 where Azure load balancers were not kept up to date with the state of cluster nodes. In particular, nodes that are not in the ready state and are not newly created (i.e. not having the `node.cloudprovider.kubernetes.io/uninitialized` taint) now get removed from Azure load balancers. ([#109933](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/109933), [@ricky-rav](https://github.com/ricky-rav))...

- Fixed a regression introduced in 1.23.0 where Azure load balancers were not kept up to date with the state of cluster nodes. In particular, nodes that are not in the ready state and are not newly created (i.e. not having the `node.cloudprovider.kubernetes.io/uninitialized` taint) now get removed from Azure load balancers. ([#109932](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/109932), [@ricky-rav](https://github.com/ricky-rav))...

or use cri-dockerd if you are relying on Docker Engine as your container runtime.
For more information about ensuring your cluster is ready for this removal, please
see [this guide](https://kubernetes.io/blog/2022/03/31/ready-for-dockershim-removal/).

### Beta APIs Off by Default

[New beta APIs will not be enabled in clusters by default](https://github.com/kubernetes/enhancements/issues/3136).

    kubelet does not start pods that require networking before
    [networking is ready](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/issues/43014).
    This change may require changes to clients that gate pod creation and/or
    scheduling on the node condition `type` `Ready` `status` being `True` for pods
    that need to run prior to the network being ready.
* **Enhance Kubelet QoS**:

## Changelog since v1.15.7

### Other notable changes

* Fixed a regression where the kubelet would fail to update the ready status of pods. ([#86195](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/86195), [@tedyu](https://github.com/tedyu))

    * setting `ENABLE_METADATA_CONCEALMENT=true` in kube-up will now set a `cloud.google.com/metadata-proxy-ready=true` label on new nodes. In v1.16, the metadata proxy add-on will switch to using that label as a node selector.
    * setting `KUBE_PROXY_DAEMONSET=true` in kube-up will now set a `node.kubernetes.io/kube-proxy-ds-ready=true` label on new nodes. In v1.16, the kube-proxy daemonset add-on will switch to using that label as a node selector.

* remove time waiting after create storage account (save 25s) ([#56679](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/56679), [@andyzhangx](https://github.com/andyzhangx))
* Allow kubernetes components to react to SIGTERM signal and shutdown gracefully. ([#57756](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/57756), [@mborsz](https://github.com/mborsz))