diff --git a/cassandra-release/cassandra-check-release.sh b/cassandra-release/cassandra-check-release.sh
index 521dbb07..62df9fc2 100755
--- a/cassandra-release/cassandra-check-release.sh
+++ b/cassandra-release/cassandra-check-release.sh
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 # Parameters
-# $1 release
-# $2 maven artefacts url number (as specified in the vote email)
+# $1 staged|released
+# $2 release
+# $3 maven artefacts staging repo id (as specified in the repo url found in the vote email) (ignored for 'released')
 #
-# Example use: `./cassandra-check-release.sh 4.0-beta3 1224
+# Example use: `./cassandra-check-release.sh staged 4.0-beta3 1224
 #
 # This script is very basic and experimental. I beg of you to help improve it.
 #
@@ -19,25 +20,52 @@ command -v md5sum >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo >&2 "md5sum needs to be installed";
 command -v sha256sum >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo >&2 "sha256sum needs to be installed"; exit 1; }
 command -v sha512sum >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo >&2 "sha512sum needs to be installed"; exit 1; }
 command -v tar >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo >&2 "tar needs to be installed"; exit 1; }
-command -v ant >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo >&2 "ant needs to be installed"; exit 1; }
-command -v timeout >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo >&2 "timeout needs to be installed"; exit 1; }
 command -v docker >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo >&2 "docker needs to be installed"; exit 1; }
 (docker info >/dev/null 2>&1) || { echo >&2 "docker needs to running"; exit 1; }
-(java -version 2>&1 | grep -q "1.8") || { echo >&2 "Java 8 must be used"; exit 1; }
-(java -version 2>&1 | grep -iq jdk ) || { echo >&2 "Java JDK must be used"; exit 1; }
-(curl --output /dev/null --silent --head --fail "https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/cassandra/$1/") || { echo >&2 "Not Found: https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/cassandra/$1/"; exit 1; }
-(curl --output /dev/null --silent --head --fail "https://repository.apache.org/content/repositories/orgapachecassandra-$2/org/apache/cassandra/cassandra-all/$1") || { echo >&2 "Not Found: https://repository.apache.org/content/repositories/orgapachecassandra-$2/org/apache/cassandra/cassandra-all/$1"; exit 1; }
+
+( [ "staged" = $1 ] || [ "released" = $1 ] ) || { echo >&2 "first argument must be staged or released"; exit 1; }
+( [ $# -ge 2 ] ) || { echo >&2 "minimum two arguments must be provided"; exit 1; }
+if [ -z "$3" ] ; then
+    [ "released" == $1 ] || { echo >&2 "third argument must not be specified when first is released"; exit 1; }
+    dist_url="https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/release/cassandra/$2/"
+    maven_repo_url="https://repository.apache.org/content/repositories/releases/org/apache/cassandra/cassandra-all/$2"
+    debian_url="https://debian.cassandra.apache.org/"
+    redhat_url="https://redhat.cassandra.apache.org/"
+else
+    [ "staged" == $1 ] || { echo >&2 "third argument must be specified when first is staged"; exit 1; }
+    dist_url="https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/cassandra/$2/"
+    maven_repo_url="https://repository.apache.org/content/repositories/orgapachecassandra-$3/org/apache/cassandra/cassandra-all/$2"
+    debian_url="https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/cassandra/${2}/debian/"
+    redhat_url="https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/cassandra/${2}/redhat/"
+fi
+(curl --output /dev/null --silent --head --fail "${dist_url}") || { echo >&2 "Not Found: ${dist_url}"; exit 1; }
+(curl --output /dev/null --silent --head --fail "${maven_repo_url}") || { echo >&2 "Not found: ${maven_repo_url}"; exit 1; }
 
 ###################
 
-mkdir -p /tmp/$1
-cd /tmp/$1
+idx=`expr index "$2" -`
+if [ $idx -eq 0 ] ; then
+    release_short=${2}
+else
+    release_short=${2:0:$((idx-1))}
+fi
+packaging_series="$(echo ${release_short} | cut -d '.' -f 1)$(echo ${release_short} | cut -d '.' -f 2)x"
+
+mkdir -p /tmp/$2
+cd /tmp/$2
 echo "Downloading KEYS"
 wget -q https://downloads.apache.org/cassandra/KEYS
-echo "Downloading https://repository.apache.org/content/repositories/orgapachecassandra-$2/org/apache/cassandra/cassandra-all/$1"
-wget -Nqnd -e robots=off --recursive --no-parent https://repository.apache.org/content/repositories/orgapachecassandra-$2/org/apache/cassandra/cassandra-all/$1
-echo "Downloading https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/cassandra/$1/"
-wget -Nqe robots=off --recursive --no-parent https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/cassandra/$1/
+echo "Downloading ${maven_repo_url}"
+wget -Nqnd -e robots=off --recursive --no-parent ${maven_repo_url}
+echo "Downloading ${dist_url}"
+wget -Nqe robots=off --recursive --no-parent ${dist_url}
+if [ -z "$3" ] ; then
+    mkdir dist.apache.org/repos/dist/release/cassandra/$2/{debian,redhat}
+    echo "Downloading ${debian_url}/pool/main/c/cassandra/*${2/-/\~}/*.deb"
+    wget -Nqe robots=off --recursive --no-parent -A "*${2/-/\~}*.deb" -P dist.apache.org/repos/dist/release/cassandra/$2/debian ${debian_url}/pool/main/c/cassandra/
+    echo "Downloading ${redhat_url}/${packaging_series}/**/*${2/-/\~}*.rpm"
+    wget -Nqe robots=off --recursive --no-parent -A "*${2/-/\~}*.rpm" -P dist.apache.org/repos/dist/release/cassandra/$2/redhat ${redhat_url}/${packaging_series}/
+fi
 
 echo
 echo "====== CHECK RESULTS ======"
@@ -51,7 +79,7 @@ for f in *.asc ; do gpg --verify $f ; done
 (compgen -G "*.jar" >/dev/null) || { echo >&2 "No *.jar files found in $(pwd)"; exit 1; }
 for f in *.pom *.jar *.asc ; do echo -n "sha1: " ; echo "$(cat $f.sha1) $f" | sha1sum -c ; echo -n "md5: " ; echo "$(cat $f.md5) $f" | md5sum -c ; done
 
-cd dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/cassandra/$1
+cd dist.apache.org/repos/dist/*/cassandra/$2
 (compgen -G "*.asc" >/dev/null) || { echo >&2 "No *.asc files found in $(pwd)"; exit 1; }
 for f in *.asc ; do gpg --verify $f ; done
 (compgen -G "*.gz" >/dev/null) || { echo >&2 "No *.gz files found in $(pwd)"; exit 1; }
@@ -60,17 +88,18 @@ for f in *.asc ; do gpg --verify $f ; done
 for f in *.gz ; do echo -n "sha256: " ; echo "$(cat $f.sha256) $f" | sha256sum -c ; echo -n "sha512:" ; echo "$(cat $f.sha512) $f" | sha512sum -c ; done
 
 echo
-rm -fR apache-cassandra-$1-src
-tar -xzf apache-cassandra-$1-src.tar.gz
-rm -fR apache-cassandra-$1
-tar -xzf apache-cassandra-$1-bin.tar.gz
+rm -fR apache-cassandra-$2-src
+tar -xzf apache-cassandra-$2-src.tar.gz
+rm -fR apache-cassandra-$2
+tar -xzf apache-cassandra-$2-bin.tar.gz
 
 JDKS="8"
-if [[ $1 =~ [4]\. ]] ; then
+if [[ $2 =~ [4]\. ]] ; then
     JDKS=("8" "11")
-elif [[ $1 =~ [5]\. ]] ; then
+elif [[ $2 =~ [5]\. ]] ; then
     JDKS=("11" "17")
 fi
+TIMEOUT=2160
 
 for JDK in ${JDKS[@]} ; do
 
@@ -82,10 +111,10 @@ for JDK in ${JDKS[@]} ; do
     echo
     rm -f procfifo
     mkfifo procfifo
-    docker run -i -v `pwd`/apache-cassandra-$1-src:/apache-cassandra-$1-src openjdk:${JDK}-jdk-slim-buster timeout 2160 /bin/bash -c "
+    docker run -i -v `pwd`/apache-cassandra-$2-src:/apache-cassandra-$2-src openjdk:${JDK}-jdk-slim-buster timeout ${TIMEOUT} /bin/bash -c "
         ( apt -qq update;
           apt -qq install -y ant build-essential git python procps ) 2>&1 >/dev/null;
-        cd apache-cassandra-$1-src ;
+        cd apache-cassandra-$2-src ;
         ant artifacts ${BUILD_OPT}" 2>&1 >procfifo &
 
     PID=$!
@@ -108,10 +137,10 @@ for JDK in ${JDKS[@]} ; do
     echo
     rm -f procfifo
     mkfifo procfifo
-    docker run -i -v `pwd`/apache-cassandra-$1:/apache-cassandra-$1 openjdk:${JDK}-jdk-slim-buster timeout 2160 /bin/bash -c "
+    docker run -i -v `pwd`/apache-cassandra-$2:/apache-cassandra-$2 openjdk:${JDK}-jdk-slim-buster timeout ${TIMEOUT} /bin/bash -c "
         ( apt -qq update;
           apt -qq install -y python python3 procps ) 2>&1 >/dev/null;
-        apache-cassandra-$1/bin/cassandra -R -f" 2>&1 >procfifo &
+        apache-cassandra-$2/bin/cassandra -R -f" 2>&1 >procfifo &
 
     PID=$!
     success=false
@@ -138,7 +167,7 @@ for JDK in ${JDKS[@]} ; do
     echo
     rm -f procfifo
     mkfifo procfifo
-    docker run -i -v `pwd`/debian:/debian ${DEBIAN_IMAGE} timeout 2160 /bin/bash -c "
+    docker run -i -v `pwd`/debian:/debian ${DEBIAN_IMAGE} timeout ${TIMEOUT} /bin/bash -c "
         ( apt -qq update ;
           apt -qq install -y python ; # will silently fail on debian latest
           apt -qq install -y python3 procps ;
@@ -163,20 +192,11 @@ for JDK in ${JDKS[@]} ; do
 
     # test deb repository startup
 
-    idx=`expr index "$1" -`
-    if [ $idx -eq 0 ]
-    then
-        release_short=${1}
-    else
-        release_short=${1:0:$((idx-1))}
-    fi
-    debian_series="$(echo ${release_short} | cut -d '.' -f 1)$(echo ${release_short} | cut -d '.' -f 2)x"
-
     echo
     rm -f procfifo
     mkfifo procfifo
-    docker run -i ${DEBIAN_IMAGE} timeout 2160 /bin/bash -c "
-        ( echo 'deb https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/cassandra/${1}/debian ${debian_series} main' | tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/cassandra.sources.list ;
+    docker run -i ${DEBIAN_IMAGE} timeout ${TIMEOUT} /bin/bash -c "
+        ( echo 'deb ${debian_url} ${packaging_series} main' | tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/cassandra.sources.list ;
           apt -qq update ;
           apt -qq install -y curl gnupg2 ;
           apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com  --recv-key E91335D77E3E87CB ;
@@ -207,30 +227,28 @@ for JDK in ${JDKS[@]} ; do
     fi
 
     RH_DISTS="almalinux"
-    if ! [[ $1 =~ [23]\. ]] ; then
-        RH_DISTS=("almalinux" "centos:7")
+    if ! [[ $2 =~ [23]\. ]] ; then
+        RH_DISTS=("almalinux" "noboolean")
     fi
     for RH_DIST in ${RH_DISTS[@]} ; do
 
         NOBOOLEAN_REPO=""
-        if [ "$RH_DIST" == "centos:7" ] ; then
+        if [ "$RH_DIST" == "noboolean" ] ; then
             NOBOOLEAN_REPO="/noboolean"
         fi
+        REPO_VERSION=""
+        if [ "released" == "$1" ] ; then
+            REPO_VERSION="${packaging_series}"
+        fi
 
         # test rpm package startup
 
         echo
         rm -f procfifo
         mkfifo procfifo
-        docker run -i -v `pwd`/redhat${NOBOOLEAN_REPO}:/redhat ${RH_DIST} timeout 2160 /bin/bash -c "
+        docker run -i -v `pwd`/redhat${NOBOOLEAN_REPO}:/redhat almalinux timeout ${TIMEOUT} /bin/bash -c "
             ( yum install -y  procps-ng python3-pip;
-            if [ "centos:7" == "$RH_DIST" ] && [ "java-17-openjdk-devel" == "$JDK_RH" ] ; then
-                # centos7 doesn't have jdk17, so manual install ;
-                curl https://download.oracle.com/java/17/latest/jdk-17_linux-x64_bin.rpm -o jdk-17_linux-x64_bin.rpm ;
-                yum -y install ./jdk-17_linux-x64_bin.rpm ;
-            else
-                yum install -y ${JDK_RH} ;
-            fi
+            yum install -y ${JDK_RH} ;
             rpm -i --nodeps redhat/*.rpm ) 2>&1 >/dev/null ;
             cassandra -R -f " 2>&1  >procfifo &
 
@@ -255,10 +273,10 @@ for JDK in ${JDKS[@]} ; do
         rm -f procfifo
         mkfifo procfifo
         # yum repo installation failing due to a legacy (SHA1) third-party sig in our KEYS file, hence use of update-crypto-policies. Impacts all rhel9+ users.
-        docker run -i  ${RH_DIST} timeout 2160 /bin/bash -c "(
+        docker run -i  almalinux timeout ${TIMEOUT} /bin/bash -c "(
             echo '[cassandra]' >> /etc/yum.repos.d/cassandra.repo ;
             echo 'name=Apache Cassandra' >> /etc/yum.repos.d/cassandra.repo ;
-            echo 'baseurl=https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/cassandra/${1}/redhat${NOBOOLEAN_REPO}' >> /etc/yum.repos.d/cassandra.repo ;
+            echo 'baseurl=${redhat_url}${REPO_VERSION}${NOBOOLEAN_REPO}' >> /etc/yum.repos.d/cassandra.repo ;
             echo 'gpgcheck=1' >> /etc/yum.repos.d/cassandra.repo ;
             echo 'repo_gpgcheck=1' >> /etc/yum.repos.d/cassandra.repo ;
             echo 'gpgkey=https://downloads.apache.org/cassandra/KEYS' >> /etc/yum.repos.d/cassandra.repo ;