diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 198d0ef..5d3985a 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.12.4.2-dev
+2.12.4.4-dev
diff --git a/conf.py b/conf.py
index 94eacfa..2bff845 100644
--- a/conf.py
+++ b/conf.py
@@ -334,6 +334,10 @@
         r'../release_notes/voltha_2.12.html',
         #
         r'../voltha-helm-charts/README.html',
+        r'https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.slf4j/slf4j-api',
+        r'https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.mockito/mockito-all',
+        r'https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/com.h3xstream.findsecbugs/findsecbugs-plugin',
+        r'https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/com.github.spotbugs/spotbugs-maven-plugin',
     ]
 
 # -- Configure recommonmark to use AutoStructify -----------------------------
diff --git a/config.mk b/config.mk
index 1a6c595..382fdf9 100644
--- a/config.mk
+++ b/config.mk
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@
 ##-----------------------------##
 ##---]  Custom exclusions  [---##
 ##-----------------------------##
-lint-doc8-excl += --ignore-path '_build'
-lint-doc8-excl += --ignore-path "vendor"
+lint-doc8-excl += '_build'
+lint-doc8-excl += 'vendor'
 
 config-mk-version    := 1.0
 
diff --git a/howto/release/components/index.rst b/howto/release/components/index.rst
index 77c45c5..b46cd67 100644
--- a/howto/release/components/index.rst
+++ b/howto/release/components/index.rst
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
    onos_components
    onos_dependencies
+   maven_plugins
    voltha-protos
 
    voltha-go.rst
@@ -13,3 +14,4 @@
    voltha-onos
    voltha-openolt-adapter
    voltha-openonu-adapter-go
+
diff --git a/howto/release/components/maven_plugins.rst b/howto/release/components/maven_plugins.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b9483cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/howto/release/components/maven_plugins.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+.. _dependencies-update-maven-plugins:
+
+Update Maven plugin versions for security, bugs, logs, etc
+==========================================================
+
+`spotbugs-maven-plugin <https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/com.github.spotbugs/spotbugs-maven-plugin>`_
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+.. code:: XML
+
+   <!-- SpotBugs Static Analysis -->
+   <groupId>com.github.spotbugs</groupId>
+   <artifactId>spotbugs-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+   <version>4.7.3.4</version>
+
+`findsecbugs-plugin <https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/com.h3xstream.findsecbugs/findsecbugs-plugin>`_
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+.. code:: XML
+
+   <groupId>com.h3xstream.findsecbugs</groupId>
+   <artifactId>findsecbugs-plugin</artifactId>
+   <version>1.12.0</version>
+
+`slf4j-api <https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.slf4j/slf4j-api>`_
+---------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+.. code:: XML
+
+   <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
+   <artifactId>slf4j-api</artifactId>
+   <version>2.0.7</version>
+
+`mockito-all <https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.mockito/mockito-all>`_
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+.. code:: XML
+
+   <groupId>org.mockito</groupId>
+   <artifactId>mockito-all</artifactId>
+   <version>1.10.19</version>
diff --git a/howto/release/components/mcast/index.rst b/howto/release/components/mcast/index.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a8243a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/howto/release/components/mcast/index.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+ONOS Component: mcast
+=====================
+
+Dependencies (pom.xml)
+----------------------
+
+- sadis
+
diff --git a/howto/release/components/olt/index.rst b/howto/release/components/olt/index.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c9a983c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/howto/release/components/olt/index.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+ONOS Component: olt
+===================
+
diff --git a/howto/release/components/onos_dependencies.rst b/howto/release/components/onos_dependencies.rst
index 5d54fb4..51bc0ad 100644
--- a/howto/release/components/onos_dependencies.rst
+++ b/howto/release/components/onos_dependencies.rst
@@ -82,22 +82,15 @@
       <aaa.api.version>2.8.0-SNAPSHOT</aaa.api.version>
    </properties>
 
-Update Maven plugin versions for security, bugs, logs, etc
-^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-.. code:: XML
+Update dependent components, apis, ...
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
-   <!-- SpotBugs Static Analysis -->
-   <plugin>
-       <groupId>com.github.spotbugs</groupId>
-       <artifactId>spotbugs-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-       <version>4.7.3.4</version>
-   </plugin>
+component: mcast
+dependency: sadis
 
-   <plugin>
-       <groupId>com.h3xstream.findsecbugs</groupId>
-       <artifactId>findsecbugs-plugin</artifactId>
-       <version>1.12.0</version>
-   </plugin>
+Update Maven Plugins
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+:ref:`dependencies-update-maven-plugins`
 
 Update copyright notice to be inclusive of the year last modified
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
diff --git a/howto/release/golang/changesets b/howto/release/golang/changesets
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aa390f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/howto/release/golang/changesets
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+https://gerrit.opencord.org/c/voltha-lib-go/+/34326
+https://gerrit.opencord.org/c/voltha-openonu-adapter-go/+/34305
+https://gerrit.opencord.org/c/voltha-openolt-adapter/+/34304
+
+# voltha-lib-go: v7.4.2
+# voltha-protos: 5.4.6
+https://gerrit.opencord.org/c/voltha-openonu-adapter-go/+/34305/1/go.mod
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/howto/release/golang/changesets~ b/howto/release/golang/changesets~
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a865ba7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/howto/release/golang/changesets~
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+https://gerrit.opencord.org/c/voltha-lib-go/+/34326
+https://gerrit.opencord.org/c/voltha-openonu-adapter-go/+/34305
+
+# voltha-lib-go: v7.4.2
+# voltha-protos: 5.4.6
+https://gerrit.opencord.org/c/voltha-openonu-adapter-go/+/34305/1/go.mod
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/howto/release/preparation.rst b/howto/release/preparation.rst
index c4b2bc1..a46d385 100644
--- a/howto/release/preparation.rst
+++ b/howto/release/preparation.rst
@@ -20,3 +20,11 @@
 docs.voltha.org
 ---------------
 - Create a stub `release notes <https://docs.voltha.org/master/release_notes/voltha_2.12.html>`_ page beneath `docs.voltha.org/release_notes <https://docs.voltha.org/master/release_notes/index.html>`_ (`HOWTO <https://docs.voltha.org/master/howto/release/release-notes.html>`_
+
+golang repositories
+-------------------
+
+- Upgrade go.mod (voltha-proto version at a minimum) early.
+- Force a build to triage potential problems.
+- Another go.mod update will be needed after voltha-protos
+  is published but screen early for a set of known problems.
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/doc8/include.mk b/makefiles/lint/doc8/include.mk
index 5e8abd7..d0263af 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/doc8/include.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/doc8/include.mk
@@ -37,7 +37,11 @@
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 include $(MAKEDIR)/lint/doc8/excl.mk
-lint-doc8-excl := $(addprefix --ignore-path$(space),$(lint-doc8-excl-raw))
+
+ifdef lint-doc8-excl
+  lint-doc8-excl-args += $(addprefix --ignore-path$(space),$(lint-doc8-excl))
+endif
+lint-doc8-excl-args += $(addprefix --ignore-path$(space),$(lint-doc8-excl-raw))
 
 lint-doc8-args += --max-line-length 120
 
@@ -48,7 +52,7 @@
 	@echo '** -----------------------------------------------------------------------'
 	$(activate) && doc8 --version
 	@echo
-	$(activate) && doc8 $(lint-doc8-excl) $(lint-doc8-args) .
+	$(activate) && doc8 $(lint-doc8-excl-args) $(lint-doc8-args) .
 
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 ## Intent: Display command usage