Service packs include previous service packs and CUs up to the SP.

Cumulative Updates include all CUs since the base where they started (RTM or SP level)

You...

Schedules are separate objects attached to the job. They need to be enabled to be used, but they are separate from the job.

Job Schedules: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/ssms/agent/create-and-attach-schedules-to-jobs

You can change the default collation and that will be used for future objects, but you must change the data type of each column that needs to store Unicode characters.

+1. Install SPs and then the latest CU. CUs include previous CUs.

CAST and CONVERT - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/functions/cast-and-convert-transact-sql

I wasn't implying it's easy. If it were easy, the DTA or missing index recommendations would do just fine. It's tedious and monotonous. It's complex, but a job that is...

FWIW baseball may be speeding up: http://www.espn.com/blog/buster-olney/insider/post/_/id/16805/olney-baseball-keeps-getting-slower-but-change-will-come-by-2018.

I'd like to see some of this. I prefer fast pitchers when I'm batting, and I certainly think  20+...

There...

It's not utterly insecure. It's just not perfectly secure.

I can pick an application name and limit connections to that application name. I would easily wager the vast majority...

On tuning.

The DTA and missing indexes were quick features,  rapidly built to provide basic assistance. These were the type of simplistic logic that I'd employ if I...

On backups.
Certainly some automated default would cause issues in places.  Absolutely having some ideas on how manage backups and restores is important.
However.
I've had no shortage of customers...