ScyllaDB release: version 1.2

ScyllaDB 1.2, the third production-ready minor release of the open-source NoSQL database compatible with Apache Cassandra, was announced by the ScyllaDB team with several enhancements aimed at improving performance and usability. The release introduces official packages for Ubuntu 16.04 and features the support for the CQL operation ALTER KEYSPACE, allowing dynamic management of data center replication. Installation has been simplified with a master package that includes all necessary dependencies. Noteworthy updates include kernel scheduling tuning for low latency, support for CQL binary compression, and improvements in cluster performance during node addition or removal. It addresses known issues such as the NTP setup failure on Ubuntu 16 and offers solutions to bypass them. The release also optimizes various components like the scylla-jmx process to reduce CPU usage and latency, alongside enhancements in compaction strategies and memory management. The release marks a shift towards time-based follow-up releases and focuses on critical bug fixes for this version branch.