This can be achieved using tools such as Disk Utility and dd.

The graphical Disk Utility uses asr processes in the background to perform restores.

Certainly, Disk Utility does not automatically manage the configuration of client systems on a network.

In Disk Utility you can create an encrypted disk image - it's a .

Disk Utility to the rescue again.

Further changes introduced in 10.4.3 allowed Disk Utility to be used to verify the file structure of the current boot drive.

Sparse images can be created using Disk Utility.

Once Disk Utility is done, you will have a bootable install disk.

System Preferences uses it; Disk Utility does not.

For most users, the default formatting options in Disk Utility should suffice.