These are things that needed to be checked for any release (preview, release candidate, and final) by the release team and product manager:

Before building candidates

• Replace references to code names with references to the formal version number. See CodeNamesToVersionNumbers for relevant places

• Ensure all pre-release markers are removed from artwork
• Ensure that pre-release markers are removed from ubuntu-docs
• Check the volume labels on ISO's for all architectures (cdimage/debian-cd/CONF.sh, OFFICIAL variable)
• Check CD boot loader help text against menu configuration
• Check the lsb_release output for accuracy
• Check /etc/issue and /etc/issue.net for accuracy
• Check standard /etc/apt/sources.list for accuracy and ensure all suites exist
• Ensure that the "about ubuntu" documents refer to the correct version, if at all
• Prepare release announcement
  • Make sure the announcement has links to all derivatives being released

Once final image is ready

• Request IS refresh images prior to push out to CloudFront

• Push isos to mirror pool and verify that all servers (releases, archive, cdimage) have the images

Before announcement

• Call round table with stakeholders for a go/no-go survey prior to announce email going out.
• Push links to mirrors and verify

• Check that http://releases.ubuntu.com/ has the proper links and text

• Check torrent functionality

Announcement

• Email ubuntu-announce

• Modify meta-release file to notify users of the availability of the new release

• Make sure that the upgrade tool has the proper release notes (or link to them)

• Replace upgrade instructions with simplified version (update-manager no longer requires -d option)