diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index feb32c5ed..1ccc68f80 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -57,34 +57,6 @@ jobs:
           ## Comma-separated list of files to upload
           files: ./it-coverage.xml;./ut-coverage.xml
   
-  e2e-tests-v1alpha1:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: [
-      detect-noop,
-    ]
-    if: needs.detect-noop.outputs.noop != 'true'
-    steps:
-      - name: Set up Go
-        uses: actions/setup-go@v6
-        with:
-          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
-
-      - name: Check out code into the Go module directory
-        uses: actions/checkout@v5
-      
-      - name: Install Kind
-        # Before updating the kind version to use, verify that the current kind image
-        # is still supported by the version.
-        run: |
-          go install sigs.k8s.io/kind@v0.20.0
-
-      - name: Run e2e tests
-        run: |
-          OUTPUT_TYPE=type=docker make docker-build-member-agent docker-build-hub-agent docker-build-refresh-token e2e-tests-v1alpha1
-        env:
-          KUBECONFIG: '/home/runner/.kube/config'
-          HUB_SERVER_URL: 'https://172.19.0.2:6443'
-  
   e2e-tests:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
@@ -130,13 +102,13 @@ jobs:
       
       - name: Install Ginkgo CLI
         run: |
-          go install github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2/ginkgo@v2.19.1
+          go install github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2/ginkgo@v2.23.4
       
       - name: Install Kind
         # Before updating the kind version to use, verify that the current kind image
         # is still supported by the version.
         run: |
-          go install sigs.k8s.io/kind@v0.22.0
+          go install sigs.k8s.io/kind@v0.30.0
 
       - name: Run e2e tests
         run: |
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8ed3b47e4..6a63f404d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 REGISTRY ?= ghcr.io
-KIND_IMAGE ?= kindest/node:v1.31.0
+KIND_IMAGE ?= kindest/node:v1.33.4
 ifndef TAG
 	TAG ?= $(shell git rev-parse --short=7 HEAD)
 endif
diff --git a/charts/hub-agent/values.yaml b/charts/hub-agent/values.yaml
index a873dd6c3..05dc33d6b 100644
--- a/charts/hub-agent/values.yaml
+++ b/charts/hub-agent/values.yaml
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ image:
   tag: main
 
 logVerbosity: 5
+logFileMaxSize: "100000000"
 
 enableWebhook: true
 webhookServiceName: fleetwebhook
@@ -49,5 +50,4 @@ hubAPIQPS: 250
 hubAPIBurst: 1000
 MaxConcurrentClusterPlacement: 100
 ConcurrentResourceChangeSyncs: 20
-logFileMaxSize: "10000000"
 MaxFleetSizeSupported: 100
diff --git a/charts/member-agent/templates/deployment.yaml b/charts/member-agent/templates/deployment.yaml
index 6b302b801..6172debb3 100644
--- a/charts/member-agent/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/charts/member-agent/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ spec:
             - --{{ $key }}={{ $value }}
             {{- end }}
             - --v={{ .Values.logVerbosity }}
+            - --log_file_max_size={{ .Values.logFileMaxSize }}
           ports:
             - name: http
               containerPort: 4000
diff --git a/charts/member-agent/values.yaml b/charts/member-agent/values.yaml
index 0bb28cc5d..d31437ff3 100644
--- a/charts/member-agent/values.yaml
+++ b/charts/member-agent/values.yaml
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ image:
   tag: main
 
 logVerbosity: 5
+logFileMaxSize: "100000000"
 
 refreshtoken:
   repository: ghcr.io/azure/fleet/refresh-token
diff --git a/pkg/controllers/workapplier/process.go b/pkg/controllers/workapplier/process.go
index 1df00762a..73bfe82c1 100644
--- a/pkg/controllers/workapplier/process.go
+++ b/pkg/controllers/workapplier/process.go
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ func (r *Reconciler) takeOverInMemberClusterObjectIfApplicable(
 ) (shouldSkipProcessing bool) {
 	if !shouldInitiateTakeOverAttempt(bundle.inMemberClusterObj, work.Spec.ApplyStrategy, expectedAppliedWorkOwnerRef) {
 		// Takeover is not necessary; proceed with the processing.
-		klog.V(2).InfoS("Takeover is not needed; skip the step")
+		klog.V(2).InfoS("Takeover is not needed; skip the step", "work", klog.KObj(work), "GVR", *bundle.gvr, "manifestObj", bundle.workResourceIdentifierStr)
 		return false
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/propertyprovider/azure/provider_integration_test.go b/pkg/propertyprovider/azure/provider_integration_test.go
index 03e2e87b1..a1876c611 100644
--- a/pkg/propertyprovider/azure/provider_integration_test.go
+++ b/pkg/propertyprovider/azure/provider_integration_test.go
@@ -305,11 +305,8 @@ var (
 )
 
 var (
-	// The nodes below use actual capacities of their respective AKS SKUs; for more information,
-	// see:
-	// https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/av2-series (for A-series nodes),
-	// https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/sizes-b-series-burstable (for B-series nodes), and
-	// https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/dv2-dsv2-series (for D/DS v2 series nodes).
+	// The nodes below use actual capacities of their respective AKS SKUs; We need to change them periodically as
+	// they will be deprecated over time.
 	nodes = []corev1.Node{
 		{
 			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
diff --git a/pkg/propertyprovider/azure/suite_test.go b/pkg/propertyprovider/azure/suite_test.go
index cc756b14e..61d27a4de 100644
--- a/pkg/propertyprovider/azure/suite_test.go
+++ b/pkg/propertyprovider/azure/suite_test.go
@@ -43,10 +43,10 @@ const (
 
 const (
 	region = "eastus"
-
-	aksNodeSKU1 = "Standard_B4ms"
-	aksNodeSKU2 = "Standard_A4_v2"
-	aksNodeSKU3 = "Standard_F4s"
+	// we need to regularly update the SKUs used in tests as some of them get deprecated over time.
+	aksNodeSKU1 = "Standard_D8s_v5"
+	aksNodeSKU2 = "Standard_E16_v5"
+	aksNodeSKU3 = "Standard_M16ms"
 	// Note (chenyu1): cross-reference between the Azure VM SKU list and the Azure Retail Prices API
 	// for a list of currently known SKUs to be missing from the Azure Retail Prices API.
 	aksNodeKnownMissingSKU1 = "Standard_DS2_v2"
diff --git a/pkg/propertyprovider/azure/trackers/nodes.go b/pkg/propertyprovider/azure/trackers/nodes.go
index 53b11ba8e..4cc888a56 100644
--- a/pkg/propertyprovider/azure/trackers/nodes.go
+++ b/pkg/propertyprovider/azure/trackers/nodes.go
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ func (nt *NodeTracker) trackSKU(node *corev1.Node) bool {
 		return true
 	default:
 		// No further action is needed if the node's SKU remains the same.
-		klog.V(2).InfoS("The node's SKU has not changed", "sku", sku, "node", klog.KObj(node))
+		klog.V(3).InfoS("The node's SKU has not changed", "sku", sku, "node", klog.KObj(node))
 		return false
 	}
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/actuals_test.go b/test/e2e/actuals_test.go
index 21389d2a6..dd31d0213 100644
--- a/test/e2e/actuals_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/actuals_test.go
@@ -1506,7 +1506,7 @@ func crpStatusWithExternalStrategyActual(
 		}
 
 		if diff := cmp.Diff(crp.Status, wantStatus, placementStatusCmpOptions...); diff != "" {
-			return fmt.Errorf("CRP status diff (-got, +want): %s", diff)
+			return fmt.Errorf("CRP status diff (-got, +want): %s for CRP %s", diff, crpName)
 		}
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -1529,11 +1529,11 @@ func customizedPlacementStatusUpdatedActual(
 		if wantObservedResourceIndex == "0" {
 			// When the observedResourceIndex is "0", it means the placement is just created and the placement controller
 			if diff := cmp.Diff(placement.GetPlacementStatus(), wantStatus, placementStatusCmpOptionsOnCreate...); diff != "" {
-				return fmt.Errorf("Placement status diff (-got, +want): %s", diff)
+				return fmt.Errorf("Placement status diff (-got, +want): %s for placement %v", diff, placementKey)
 			}
 		} else {
 			if diff := cmp.Diff(placement.GetPlacementStatus(), wantStatus, placementStatusCmpOptions...); diff != "" {
-				return fmt.Errorf("Placement status diff (-got, +want): %s", diff)
+				return fmt.Errorf("Placement status diff (-got, +want): %s for placement %v", diff, placementKey)
 			}
 		}
 		return nil
diff --git a/test/e2e/resource_placement_rollout_test.go b/test/e2e/resource_placement_rollout_test.go
index 6548a2a15..1d77a013b 100644
--- a/test/e2e/resource_placement_rollout_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/resource_placement_rollout_test.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ var (
 	testCustomResource testv1alpha1.TestResource
 )
 
-var _ = Describe("placing namespaced scoped resources using a RP with rollout", Label("resourceplacement"), func() {
+var _ = FDescribe("placing namespaced scoped resources using a RP with rollout", Label("resourceplacement"), func() {
 	crpName := fmt.Sprintf(crpNameTemplate, GinkgoParallelProcess())
 	rpName := fmt.Sprintf(rpNameTemplate, GinkgoParallelProcess())
 	rpKey := types.NamespacedName{Name: rpName, Namespace: appNamespace().Name}
diff --git a/test/e2e/setup.sh b/test/e2e/setup.sh
index 4ede036c0..66279bb27 100755
--- a/test/e2e/setup.sh
+++ b/test/e2e/setup.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ set -o pipefail
 
 # Before updating the default kind image to use, verify that the version is supported
 # by the current kind release.
-KIND_IMAGE="${KIND_IMAGE:-kindest/node:v1.31.0}"
+KIND_IMAGE="${KIND_IMAGE:-kindest/node:v1.33.4}"
 KUBECONFIG="${KUBECONFIG:-$HOME/.kube/config}"
 MEMBER_CLUSTER_COUNT=$1
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/utils_test.go b/test/e2e/utils_test.go
index 72407e4ba..09c8cee42 100644
--- a/test/e2e/utils_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/utils_test.go
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ func checkIfAzurePropertyProviderIsWorking() {
 				return fmt.Errorf("member cluster status conditions diff (-got, +want):\n%s", diff)
 			}
 			return nil
-		}, longEventuallyDuration, eventuallyInterval).Should(Succeed(), "Failed to confirm that Azure property provider is up and running")
+		}, longEventuallyDuration, eventuallyInterval).Should(Succeed(), "Failed to confirm that Azure property provider is up and running on cluster", memberCluster.ClusterName)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -721,8 +721,19 @@ func createWorkResources() {
 }
 
 func createNamespace() {
-	ns := appNamespace()
-	Expect(hubClient.Create(ctx, &ns)).To(Succeed(), "Failed to create namespace %s", ns.Name)
+	var ns corev1.Namespace
+	Eventually(func() error {
+		ns = appNamespace()
+		err := hubClient.Create(ctx, &ns)
+		if k8serrors.IsAlreadyExists(err) {
+			err = hubClient.Get(ctx, types.NamespacedName{Name: ns.Name}, &ns)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to get the namespace %s, err is %+w", ns.Name, err)
+			}
+			return fmt.Errorf("namespace %s already exists, delete time is %v", ns.Name, ns.GetDeletionTimestamp())
+		}
+		return err
+	}, eventuallyDuration, eventuallyInterval).Should(Succeed(), "Failed to create namespace %s", ns.Name)
 }
 
 func createConfigMap() {