Streamline the Release Process

Signed-off-by: Prudhvi Godithi <pgodithi@amazon.com>

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/release_template.md

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ Please refer to the following link for the release version dates: [Release Sched
 
 ### [Campaigns](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#campaigns)
 
-- [ ] [Components Release Issue](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#components-release-issue).
+- [ ] [Component Release Issue](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#component-release-issue).
 - [ ] [Release Campaigns](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#release-campaigns).
 
 ### [Release Branch and Version Increment](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#release-branch-readiness) - _Ends __REPLACE_RELEASE-minus-14-days__
@@ -55,13 +55,13 @@ Please refer to the following link for the release version dates: [Release Sched
 - [ ] [Integ Test RPM](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#integ-test-rpm).
 - [ ] [Docker Build and Scan](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#docker-build-and-scan).
 - [ ] [Backwards Compatibility Tests](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#backwards-compatibility-tests).
-- [ ] [Windows Integ Test](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#windows-integ-test).
+- [ ] [Windows Integration Test](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#windows-integration-test).
 - [ ] [Broadcast and Communication](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#broadcast-and-communication).
 - [ ] [Release Candidate Lock](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#release-candidate-lock).
 
-### [Performance testing validation](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#performance-test) - _Ends __REPLACE_RELEASE-minus-6-days___
+### [Performance testing validation](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#benchmark-tests) - _Ends __REPLACE_RELEASE-minus-6-days___
 
-- [ ] Performance tests do not show a regression.
+- [ ] Post the benchmark-tests
 - [ ] Longevity tests do not show any issues.
 
 ### [Pre Release](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#pre-release) - _Ends __REPLACE_RELEASE-minus-1-days___
@@ -79,15 +79,63 @@ Please refer to the following link for the release version dates: [Release Sched
 - [ ] [Release Validation](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#release-validation).
 - [ ] [Collaboration with the Project Management Team](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#collaboration-with-the-project-management-team).
 
+### [Release Checklist](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#release-checklist).
+
+<br>
+<details><summary>Release Checklist</summary>
+<p>
+
+### Pre-Release activities
+- [ ] Promote Repos.
+   - - [ ] OS
+   - - [ ] OSD
+- [ ] Promote Artifacts.
+   - - [ ] Windows
+   - - [ ] Linux Debian
+   - - [ ] Linux RPM
+   - - [ ] Linux TAR
+- [ ] Consolidated Release Notes.
+
+### Release activities
+- [ ] Docker Promotion.
+- [ ] Release Validation part 1.
+     -  - [ ] OpenSearch and OpenSearch Dashboard Validation.
+     -  - [ ] Validate the native plugin installation.
+- [ ] Merge consolidated release notes PR.
+- [ ] Website and Documentation Changes.
+    - - [ ] Merge staging website PR.
+    - - [ ] Promote the website changes to prod.
+    - - [ ] Add website alert.
+- [ ] Release Validation part 2.
+    -  - [ ] Validate the artifact download URL's and signatures. 
+- [ ] Release Validation part 3.
+    -  - [ ] Trigger the validation build (Search for `Completed validation for <>` in the logs).
+- [ ] Maven Promotion.
+- [ ] Publish blog posts.
+- [ ] Advertise on Social Media.
+- [ ]  Post on public slack and Github Release issue.
+
+### Post-Release activities
+- [ ] Release Tags.
+- [ ] Input Manifest Update.
+- [ ] Decrease the Build Frequency.
+- [ ] OpenSearch Build Release notes.
+- [ ] Retrospective Issue.
+- [ ] Helm and Ansible Playbook release.
+- [ ] Upcoming Release Preparation.
+
+</p>
+</details>
+<br>
+
 ### [Post Release](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#post-release)
 
 - [ ] [Release Tags](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#release-tags).
 - [ ] [Input Manifest Update](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#input-manifest-update).
 - [ ] [OpenSearch Build Release notes](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#opensearch-build-release-notes).
-- [ ] [Decrease the build frequency](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#decrease-the-build-frequency).
+- [ ] [Decrease the Build Frequency](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#decrease-the-build-frequency).
 - [ ] [Retrospective Issue](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#retrospective-issue).
 - [ ] [Helm and Ansible Playbook release](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#helm-and-ansible-playbook-release).
-- [ ] [Close the AUTOCUT issues](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#close-the-autocut-issues).
 - [ ] [Upcoming Release Preparation](https://github.com/prudhvigodithi/opensearch-build/blob/public/RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md#upcoming-release-preparation).
 
 ### Components

README.md

@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@
 
 ### Releasing OpenSearch
 
-See [release process](./RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md) document for more information.
+Please refer to the [release process document](./RELEASE_PROCESS_OPENSEARCH.md) for detailed information on how to release the OpenSearch and OpenSearch Dashboards software.
+
 
 #### Releases and Versions