You're installing the full SQL Server, right? You have /IACCEPTLICENCETERMS=1 listed but I am pretty sure that the...

Did you try the install with the /Q or /QS options?

For the backup encryption if you cannot go to a version/edition that supports backup encryption or TDE you can try encryption from another angle. Things like whole disk encryption of...

I'm not sure it would be the same problem if you are running it on a failover cluster instance. On a traditional cluster (i.e. AlwaysOn FCI) if you need MSDTC...

SSMS, VS, SSDT, SqlServer PowerShell module, RedGate Toolbelt. Kerberos Configuration Manager for SQL Server, PVKConverter, maybe SQL Server Operations Studio.

I know in my shop we are also looking...

Always exclude. I know in my organization we have to be care of McAfee, both with VirusScan Enteprise and Host Intrusion Prevention. We have VSE setup to exclude .mdf, .ndf,...

Stupid question, but have you tried running

import-module sqlserver

and see if the cmdlets show up?

If you want the row count can't you just add "SET NOCOUNT OFF" in your query argument that is passed?

Setup SSL like Steve mentioned ensuring that the ForceEncryption option is set to yes on the publisher and subscriber, and use PKI-issued certs if you can.

Last year Microsoft...

Which is why things like virtual accounts and managed service accounts are great. You set them up and let the computer accounts manage the passwords.

My mistake! Weird that the Microsoft documentation lists that EXCEPT starts with SQL Server 2008 but it is listed elsewhere as starting with 2005.

Encrypted how? Using TDE I think it would be possible, but I do not think encrypting the row data itself would be possible without changes to the source database.

If the instances are at least SQL Server 2012 or newer and the SQL Server instances are not clustered or part of an AG you can look into using default...

Yep, you cannot use EXCEPT on a 2005 instance. The feature wasn't introduced until SQL Server 2008.

Set Operators - EXCEPT and INTERSECT (Transact-SQL)