[VOTE] 4.2.1 RC3

[PoAn Yang]

Hello Kafka users, developers and client-developers,

This is the 1st candidate for release of Apache Kafka 4.2.1.

This is the first bug fix release for Apache Kafka 4.2 with fixes as described in the release notes.

Release notes for the 4.2.1 release:
https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/kafka/4.2.1-rc3/RELEASE_NOTES.html

Please download, test and vote by Friday, May 1, 9pm PT.

Kafka's KEYS file containing PGP keys we use to sign the release:
https://kafka.apache.org/KEYS

* Release artifacts to be voted upon (source and binary):
https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/kafka/4.2.1-rc3/

* Docker release artifacts to be voted upon:
apache/kafka:4.2.1-rc3
apache/kafka-native:4.2.1-rc3

* Maven artifacts to be voted upon:
https://repository.apache.org/content/groups/staging/org/apache/kafka/

* Javadoc:
https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/kafka/4.2.1-rc3/javadoc/index.html

* Tag to be voted upon (off 4.2 branch) is the 4.2.1 tag:
https://github.com/apache/kafka/releases/tag/4.2.1-rc3

* Documentation: https://kafka.apache.org/42/documentation.html

* Protocol: https://kafka.apache.org/42/design/protocol/

* Successful CI builds for the 4.2 branch:
Unit/integration tests: https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/24934069240
System tests: https://jenkins.opensource4you.tw/job/kafka-e2e/736/ , https://jenkins.opensource4you.tw/job/kafka-e2e/737/ , https://jenkins.opensource4you.tw/job/kafka-e2e/738/

* Successful Docker Image Github Actions Pipeline for 4.2 branch:
Docker Build Test Pipeline

(JVM): https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/24934131423

(Native): https://github.com/apache/kafka/actions/runs/24934136446

Thanks,
PoAn