Release of v16.0.7

[harshit-gangal]

This release is scheduled for Wed 20 Dec 2023

Prerequisites for Release

• Notify the community on Slack.
• Make sure the release notes summary is prepared and clean.
• Make sure backport Pull Requests are merged, list below.
  • Flaky test debugging #14746
  • VReplication: Guard against unsafe _vt.vreplication writes #14797
  • Refactor Upgrade downgrade tests #14782
  • VReplication: Update singular workflow in traffic switcher #14826
  • [release-16.0] Backup flaky test #14819
  • [release-16.0] Release of v16.0.7 #14809
  • [release-16.0] Refactor Upgrade downgrade tests (#14782) #14830
  • [release-16.0] VReplication: Update singular workflow in traffic switcher (#14826) #14827
• Make sure release blocker Issues are closed, list below.

Pre-Release

• Code Freeze.
  • [release-16.0] Code Freeze for v16.0.7 #14808
• Create Release PR.
  • [release-16.0] Release of v16.0.7 #14809
• Create new GitHub Milestone.
  • https://github.com/vitessio/vitess/milestone/51

Release

• Merge the Release PR.
• Tag the release.
• Java release.
• Update release notes on main.
• Go back to dev mode on the release branch.
• Update the website documentation.
• Make sure the release is benchmarked by arewefastyet.
• Docker Images available on DockerHub.
• Close current GitHub Milestone.

Post-Release

• Notify the community on Slack for the new release.