Setting up network users using OS X Server: Is there a usable guide somewhere that fully explains how?

Question

I have tried reading through what I can find in Apple’s documentation for OS X Server (as downloaded from the App Store, running on a new OS X 10.9 machine - not an upgrade). And I’ve tried digging through articles on the web and discussions in the forums here.
I still cannot get a working setup for network users hosted on my OS X Server machine.
So, I’m hoping there’s a decent guide somewhere that folks can point me to that covers the entire process, including:
every step involved in setting OS X Server’s various configuration parts (DNS, File Sharing, OD, Users,…),
how to set up the accounts and their file folders on the server,
and every step involved in getting the client machines to use the network accounts to provide user logins.
I’m totally okay with resorting to the command-line if needed.
Ideally, I want:
all of my users’ files (everything in their “home” directories) to be stored on the server.
the users’ to be able to use different machines on our LAN to login.
their names & pictures to show up in the login screen like local users.
From what I’ve seen so far, I’m not optimistic on that last point being doable . However, even if I have to manually add each user in the network login settings on the client machines in order to have their name & picture show up in the login screen, that’s suboptimal, but better than nothing (I have <10 user accounts to worry about, so brute-force is a tolerable option).
Thanks for any direction/tips on this!

Answer 1

I've found apple's guides to be pretty elementary. 
OSX Server Essentials, which you can get at amazon is a better basic guide and probably will get you started.
To do anything more advanced, you'll find that apple really has not provided any documentation, but i've found the old series
Enterprise Mac Administrator's Guide
Enterprise Mac Managed Preferences
and
Enterprise Mac Security
to be really useful.  I really wish these guys would keep writing books!  I'm not sure buying old copies of these texts will offer any encouragement to them, but boy do I hope it does because they have answered a TON of quesions.
For online references, I like:
http://krypted.com/guides/mavericks-server/
This website is at least as good (I'd say twice as good) as the documentation apple provides, and much easier to follow.
http://yesdevnull.net/2013/10/os-x-mavericks-server-open-directory-master/
This website has been incredibly useful for solving all kinds of problems.  I can't remember who authors it, but I ought to carry a picture of them around so that I could hug them if I ever saw them on the street.  creepy, yes, but so so deserves it.
https://github.com/rtrouton/rtrouton_scripts/tree/master/rtrouton_scripts
For user setup and scripting
Anyway, hope that helps.
I'd start with the krypted guide.  Read it twice, then have at it.