Operating Systems
RCS 202 OPERATING SYSTEMS
INTRODUCTION
This is a never miss course in most Computer Science curricula. The
understanding of the course ties together the components of computer
hardware. It also enables software to use hardware facilities of a computer.
At the end of this course the reader should be able to:
1. Explain what an Operating System is.
2. List down the different types of Operating Systems.
3. List down the functions of Operating Systems.
4. Describe how Operating Systems schedule processes.
5. Describe how Operating Systems allocate memory to processes.
6. Describe how Operating Systems manage secondary storage.
7. Describe how Operating Systems handle computer security.
8. Explain the concept of a virtual machine.
Course Particulars
1. This is a very important course in Computer Science. It is normally
studied in the second year of study. Its prerequisite includes Basic
Computer Applications, Computer Architecture, Introduction to High
Level Programming, Data Structure and Algorithms, and Programming
in C.
2. The aim of the course is to provide the basic theoretical
principles/concepts of Operating Systems (services offered, memory
management, process management, I/O management, security. etc).
3. This text can be also used in practical sessions using any of the
existing Operating System of choice (for example LINUX, UNIX,
Windows NT/2000)
4. Further reading text(s):
a. Operating System Concepts by Silberschatz, Galvin et al.
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Operating Systems
b. Modern Operating Systems by Andrew Tanenbaum.
c. Applied Operating Systems Concepts by Silberschatz, Galvin et
al, John Wiley, Addison-Wesley.
d. Operating Systems: Design and Implementation by Andrew
Tanenbaum Prentice Hall.
e. Operating Systems: A Modern Perspective by Gary J. Nutt, Edison
Wesley.
f. Windows 2000 Operating System Manual.
g. UNIX Operating System Manual.
h. Linux (Red Hat) Operating System Manual.
Lesson 01: Overview
This section gives a basic idea about Operating System starting
with definition of operating system, and its functions.
DEFINITION OF OPERATING SYSTEM
System software consists of low-level programs that interact with the
computer hardware at a very basic level. Systems software includes
Operating System, compilers, and utilities (linkers, loaders) for managing
computer resources. Operating System is software designed to control the
hardware of a specific computer system in order to allow users and
application programs to make use of it. Without an Operating System a
computer would be useless because the hardware won’t work. The
operating system is the heart and soul of the computer. It, more so than the
computer hardware, will determine how you interface with the machine.
What the basic operating system allows you to do is instruct the computer as
to what operations it is to perform. The operating system allows you to
construct files, edit them, and run application software (or end-user
programs). Application software includes database programs (Ms Access),
word processors (Ms Word), and spreadsheets (Ms Excel). Figuratively
speaking, applications software sits on top of systems software because it is
unable to run without the operating system and system utilities.
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Operating Systems
The diagram below illustrates the relationship between application software
and system software.
Application Software
System Software
Hardware
CPU, disk, mouse, printer, etc
Operating System Utilities
Word Processor
Spreadsheet Databases
Internet
Browsers
Computer Games
An operating System (OS) is an intermediary between users and
computer hardware. It provides users an environment in which a user can
execute programs conveniently and efficiently. OR one can define Operating
System as program that acts as an interface between the user and the
computer hardware and controls the execution of all kinds of programs.
In technical terms, it is software which manages hardware. An operating
System controls the allocation of resources and services such as memory,
processors, devices and information.
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Operating Systems
Amongst system software, the operating system is the most important.
According to Webopedia [2000] an operating system has three main
responsibilities:
1. Perform basic tasks, such as recognizing input from the keyboard,
sending output to the display screen, keeping track of files and
directories on the disk, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk
drives and printers.
2. Ensure that different programs and users running at the same time do
not interfere with each other.
3. Provide a software platform on top of which application software can
run.
The kernel is the central module of an operating system. It is the part of the
operating system that loads first, and it remains in main memory as long as
the machine is running. Because it stays in memory, it is important for the
kernel to be as small as possible while still providing all the essential
services required by other parts of the operating system and applications.
Typically, the kernel is responsible for memory management, process
management, and file management.
Following are some of important functions of an operating System.
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Operating Systems
o Memory Management
o Processor Management
o Device Management
o File Management
o Security
o Control over system performance
o Job accounting
o Error detecting aids
o Coordination between other software and users
Memory Management
Memory management refers to management of Primary Memory or Main
Memory. Main memory is a large array of words or bytes where each word or
byte has its own address.
Main memory provides a fast storage that can be access directly by the CPU.
So for a program to be executed, it must in the main memory. Operating
System does the following activities for memory management.
o Keeps tracks of primary memory i.e. what part of it are in use by
whom, what part are not in use.
o In multiprogramming, OS decides which process will get memory
when and how much.
o Allocates the memory when the process requests it to do so.
o De-allocates the memory when the process no longer needs it or
has been terminated.
Processor Management
In multiprogramming environment, OS decides which process gets the
processor when and how much time. This function is called process
scheduling. Operating System does the following activities for processor
management.
o Keeps tracks of processor and status of process. Program
responsible for this task is known as traffic controller.
o Allocates the processor (CPU) to a process.
o De-allocates processor when processor is no longer required.
Device Management
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Operating Systems
OS manages device communication via their respective drivers. Operating
System does the following activities for device management.
o Keeps tracks of all devices. Program responsible for this task is
known as the I/O controller.
o Decides which process gets the device when and for how much
time.
o Allocates the device in the efficient way.
o De-allocates devices.
File Management
A file system is normally organized into directories for easy navigation and
usage. These directories may contain files and other directions. Operating
System does the following activities for file management.
o Keeps track of information, location, uses, status etc. The
collective facilities are often known as file system.
o Decides who gets the resources.
o Allocates the resources.
o De-allocates the resources.
Other Important Activities
Following are some of the important activities that Operating System does.
1. Security -- By means of password and similar other techniques,
preventing unauthorized access to programs and data.
2. Control over system performance -- Recording delays between
request for a service and response from the system.
3. Job accounting -- Keeping track of time and resources used by
various jobs and users.
4. Error detecting aids -- Production of dumps, traces, error messages
and other debugging and error detecting aids.
5. Coordination between other software and users -- Coordination
and assignment of compilers, interpreters, assemblers and other
software to the various users of the computer systems.