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As someone who has written several thousand lines of AppleScript, including a single application clocking in at over 3000 lines by itself, I cannot recommend Applescript 1-2-3 enough. The book is very clearly laid out, easy to read, and ramps up difficulty at a very mild pace. It's a few years old now, but not too much has happened to the language since the book's publication date. The only notable language addition that the book does not cover is the ability to create your own full-fledged libraries in Mavericks+.

Also, just to point out the inverse of Kingtheseus' point, it should be noted that any shell commands can be executed from within an AppleScript with a simple "do shell script" line.

While it is true that Apple is more prone to dropping features without warning than other companies, AppleScript has been around for 22 years –since System 7 in 1993. That's only 3 years younger than BASH, the shell that interprets most "Unix scripts".

Learning AppleScript has several benefits. Many OS X applications (particularly those that are "Mac first" or Mac exclusive) only expose certain functionality via AppleScript dictionaries, not shell script commands.

Applescripts can also have full Cocoa GUIs, has a type of variable (the "property") that stores its modified values across executions (a lot easier than writing a BASH shell script that stores and loads values from a text file,) you can display interactive GUI dialogs to users with a single line of code, easily package entire AppleScript "apps" that contain all sorts of program resources in a real app bundle, automate all native OS X GUIs (though that should always be a thing of last resort. Trust me.), and much, much more.

It is a wonderful language, and as a Casper sysadmin I have found it invaluable on numerous occasions.

Aside from the book, Script Debugger from Late Night Software is practically mandatory. It's been around nearly as long as AppleScript itself and is an invaluable tool for writing anything beyond a dozen-line quickie. Other useful tools include UI Browser from PFiddlesoft and Key Codes from Many Tricks, just in case you do need to script another application's GUI.

Here are the essential resources that will help you, particularly the top document which ifs free. Use your google skills if you need to find the same document for earlier versions of the OS. For some summary and additional information on this topic, see the original thread.

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Free Basic Apple Training Documentation

Mac Management Basics 10.10-Deploying and Managing Multiple Mac Computers

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Reference Books

Support Essentials

Server Essentials

Managing and Deploying IOS Devices

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Websites

enterpriseosx.com

Apple Support Communities

Apple Web Resources Including Imaging

Advanced Topics


Macworld Reviews and Buying Advice

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Mailing List


Mac Managers Mailing List

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Essential Software

Your Best Friend for Remote Management of Macs

Carbon Copy Cloner

Cocktail

Iceberg

Take a look at the Community Resources sidebar. The guy at Krypted wrote this book about enterprise Mac security, which should help you a lot. He is also a senior program manager at JAMF, and was CTO at a MSP for 10+ years.

Rich Trouton's Blog has some excellent advice too, especially about FileVault2, day to day stuff, cutting edge stuff, and applications.

Greg Neagle is an expert as well.

I think you can still get a free version of Centrify. Put that in and it makes GPO management easier. OSX can bind to AD natively, but you get more funtionality with Centrify. Whichever you use though, this can be very helpful.

The last I checked Arcsight still did not have connectors for OSX. You might look into forwarding syslog to another machine that collects, and then have arcsight get them from there. Most all of your standard infosec tools will work on OSX (e.g. Nmap, Nessus).

Thank you for the in-depth reply. Using that list, I actually went with the Diamond BVU195 - supports OS X, reviews are pretty good. Thank you kind stranger.

The support essentials tests are pretty easy. There's an app called ReviseIT that has most of the questions (or similarly worded ones) that you can use in a practice test fashion.

If you want to study the book, you can grab it here: https://www.amazon.com/macOS-Support-Essentials-10-14-Troubleshooting/dp/0135390583

yes, in fact on pretty much the last three to four Mac OS revisions. The Canon imageclass MF733 cdw is the model I would recommend
https://www.amazon.com/Canon-Color-imageCLASS-MF733Cdw-Wireless/dp/B07SLLTD2V

Put this in quite a few small businesses and offices the last few years and the thing is almost bullet proof on a Mac.

The “fleet” option that you’re looking for does exist in enterprise and in small business. Typical price is usually $4k and up. For consumer grade you can go with stand alone he (e.x StarTech.com 6 Bay USB 3.0/ eSATA Duplicator and Eraser Dock for 2.5" & 3.5" SATA SSD HDD - 1:5 Standalone Cloner & Wiper Docking Station (SATDOCK5U3ER) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QL1ADXQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BXKODbQ0NVXDA) or set up a dedicated Mac and script out a dd to do the same thing. A developer based solution will pretty much just out dd into a wrapper and front end and then charge you for it.

I use a Microsoft Sculpt with Karabiner Elements to remap the modifiers back to Apple's "standard" positions. I find Xah Lee's keyboard blog to be a great source for keyboard info. I'd suggest checking out his Best Ergonomic Keyboards 2018 list.

Anker is great quality stuff. I never had an issue with these at all. Anker USB C Hub Adapter, 5-in-1 USB C Adapter with 4K USB C to HDMI, Ethernet Port, 3 USB 3.0 Ports, for MacBook Pro 2019/2018/2017, ChromeBook, XPS, and More (Space Gray) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071G83L1J/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_.9nQDbSSJC44B

I've been using this one for awhile and it's been great.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071G83L1J

I use this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071G83L1J/

It's pretty much an all in one for us.

Also, this book is a very good introduction: https://www.amazon.com/Enterprise-Administrators-Guide-Books-Professionals-ebook/dp/B004VH5Z4O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505581020&sr=8-1&keywords=mac+administration+apress

I'll warn you, depending on the age of the machine, it might need some double-sided sticky foam to re-close. I learned this the hard way. I miss the magnets.

Something like this should work. Link

I deploy these : https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Adapter-Ethernet-MacBook-ChromeBook/dp/B071G83L1J/

Have never had to replace one. I purposefully do not get ones with power for... reasons.

DecoBros Stackable 3 Tier Desk Organizer, Sliver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B55AV6Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_dv5pDbBTQVK2S

Here's a good book on the subject.

Keyboard (from Apple):

• https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Aluminum-Wired-Keyboard-MB110LL/dp/B000V07N9U/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1497031925&sr=1-4&keywords=apple+wired+keyboard
  
  Mouse (from Apple):
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Wired-Mouse-MB112LL-B/dp/B002TLTH7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497031971&sr=8-1&keywords=apple+wired+mouse

Nevermind, found it: https://www.amazon.com/Anker-10-Port-Adapter-Including-Charging/dp/B005NGQWL2/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1497551223&sr=1-3&keywords=usb+sync+hub

We use http://www.amazon.com/Areca-ARC-8050T2-Thunderbolt-Interface-Subsystem/dp/B00IKPKG7E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457721290&sr=8-1&keywords=arc-8050t2 for our time machine storage and video storage. You can chain up to 6 enclosures on a single thunderbolt line. We have 8 4TB drive in RAID6 for 24TB of space on the timemachine, and 8 1TB SSDs in RAID6 for 6TB of space for our video production team. The 24TB array is connected to a 2014 mac mini. The 6TB array is connected to a mac pro which the team uses for rendering the videos.

Why use the TB => USB-3 adapter when the 2014 Mac Mini has USB 3.0 natively? Not all of the USB devices can possibly be using max USB 3.0 bandwidth right? Take the low bandwidth USB 3.0 devices and put them on a USB 3.0 Hub.