Apple’s training material and certification programs have been a great resource to point customers towards that want more in-depth knowledge. Recently the updated books were released that focus on OS X 10.7 Lion. There are two books, each which focuses on a specific Apple exam and certification. The ‘Support Essentials’ focuses on client/desktop level support and knowledge while the ‘Sever Essentials’ focuses on Server configurations.
The Support Essentials book has some odd and non-important flaws. There are occasionally things that read as if it is referencing OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard instead of Lion. There is even a note about HDMI being a video output that is supported by OS X even though “no Mac features built-in HDMI ports” (page 534). Which isn’t true for Mac minis.
The Support Essentials book is still a great resource if you want to learn more about permissions and some of the basic inner-workings of OS X. The ‘Command-Line Essentials’ even had a trick that we were not aware of. The book delivers a solid base for general OS X knowledge. The topics covered are tested in the Apple Certified Support Professional (ASCP) exam.
The Server Essentials book is different in nature. It primarily serves as a lab work book that takes you through the steps of configuring Open Directory, File Sharing, Profile Manager (MDM), and covers the basics of some other services. The configurations cover the topics tested in the Apple Certified Technical Coordinator (ACTC) exam.
If you have the time and you are more of a novice with OS X Lion, it is a good idea to read through OS X Lion Support Essentials. For more information on Apple’s Training programs visit training.apple.com.