Installation Checklist

Pre checklist: have Credit Card number handy, just in case you need to call microsoft
RAID 1 for OS and Applications
RAID 5 with 1 hot spare for Data and Log Files
Windows Updates configure to download but not install

Windows OS Installation

Use the AD Service Account as the startup account for SQL Service
Install the binaries on a different drive than its data and log files
Set appropriated drive for Data, Log and TempDB files
Set SQL Server, and SQL Agent to startup Automatically
Apply latest Service Pack and Cumulative Update based on SQL Server version
Provision SQL Admins group in the sysadmin fixed server role
AntiVirus Scans: exclude Data, Log, Tempdb, any Backup file paths, and the SQL Server Binaries folders

Most of the Server Settings can be configured in Server Property's Menu above
Reconfigure Tempdb with data files equal to 1/2-1/4 the physical CPU’s on the server based on load characteristics. If needed, partition Tempdb into multiple data files, but no more than 8
Set Min/Max Server Memory based on installed RAM
- 8GB RAM = 6144 Max Server Memory
- 16GB RAM = 12228 Max Server Memory
- 32GB RAM = 28672 Max Server Memory
- 64GB RAM or greater = 90% Max Server Memory
- Set Min Server Memory to maintain SQL Server performance under host memory pressure
- For mission critical SQL Server, set Min/Max the same value
Uncheck Boost SQL Server Priority and Use Windows Fibers
Default Index Fill Factor = 80
Cost Threshold for Parallelism = 25 - 50 (seconds)
Set max degree of parallelism based on the number of physical CPU cores (never zero)
- If you have 2-4 CPU, set it to 1
- If you have 8-16 CPU, set it to 2
- if you have 16+ CPU, set it to 4
- if you have 256 CPU, set it to 8
Adjust Autogrowth for MDF/NDF/LOG base on database sizes

VMWare: put data on the fast storage
Ensure CPU power saving is turned off, selected "High Performance" for both ESXi Host Power Management Setting and Windows Power Options(in the hardware BIOS of the hosts)
Rightsizing - sized CPU and memory properly instead of overload the server