CI/infra improvements - 2024/02

[chalin]

• [x] #3903 - if not merged in January
• [x] #4007
• [x] #3950
• [x] #4011
• [x] #4021
• [x] #4067
• [x] #3149
• [x] #3650

Previous / next:

• #3738
• #4083

[kennykguo]

if this issue is still active, please assign this issue to me, thanks

[svrnm]

@kennykguo this is an unassignable issue, @chalin is tracking work via this.

Also please note that we are not assigning issues, as per our contribution guidelines