Best Practices

NTFS Allocation Unit Size

A Microsoft SQL Server Best Practices Article suggests as a SQL Server configuration, the best practice is to format your data, logs, and tempdb file drives with a 64KB allocation unit size.

When formatting the partition that will be used for SQL Server data files, it is recommended that you use a 64-KB allocation unit size for data, logs, and tempdb. Be aware however, that using allocation unit sizes greater than 4 KB results in the inability to use NTFS compression on the volume. SQL Server, although it is not recommended that you use this, does support read-only data on compressed volumes.
Source: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc966412.aspx

If at all possible, to align with the best practice recommendation, prior to installing Microsoft SQL Server or creating a new database set up a drive or partition that is formatted NTFS 64K and create a folder that will be the directory for your Data and Log files. Please also ensure appropriate security permissions have been granted.

Please find below a Powershell code that will format D: (change if required) as 64K Allocation Unit and UseLargeFRS

Format-Volume D -AllocationUnitSize 65536 -UseLargeFRS

Installation Media

The download location for SQL Server depends on the edition:

SQL Server Enterprise, Standard, and Express Editions are licensed for production use. For the Enterprise and Standard Editions, contact your software vendor for the installation media. You can find purchasing information and a directory of Microsoft partners on the Microsoft licensing page.
Free Developer Version - Latest

Considerations

Installation fails if you launch setup through Remote Desktop Connection with the media on a local resource in the RDC client. To install remotely the media must be on a network share or local to the physical or virtual machine. SQL Server installation media may be either on a network share, a mapped drive, a local drive, or presented as an ISO to a virtual machine.
SQL Server Setup installs the following software components required by the product:
- SQL Server Native Client
- SQL Server Setup support files