This page: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/linux/sql-server-linux-configure-environment-variables

list MSSQL_COLLATION as a parameter. Perhaps that's it?

I'm not sure what the question is here. You're asking if something should happen. I think your question is must this happen, not should. This is a service account like...

Just beware of performance with AT TIME ZONE. You want to treat this more like a function and be careful of where it's used.

If there are transactions in flight, or unflushed changes, your C: or d: restore of database files might not work. SQL Backups work by ensuring that in flight activity is...

Biased here, but Redgate SQL Backup works really well. The speed gains are mostly from compression, which is what many of these products use.

I am wary of products...

Be super careful about mixing backups. An Amazon backup might not get you a consistent database one, and you might see suspect databases on system/Windows restore that you need to...