Operating System - Structure

An operating system is a structure that allows the user application programs to interact with the
system hardware. Since the operating system is such a complex structure, it should be created
with utmost care so it can be used and modified easily. An easy way to do this is to create the
operating system in parts. Each of these parts should be well defined with clear inputs, outputs
and functions.

Following are various popular implementations of Operating System structures.

 Simple Structure
 Monolith Structure
 Micro-Kernel Structure
 Exo-Kernel Structure
 Layered Structure
 Modular Structure
 Virtual Machines

Simple Structure

There are many operating systems that have a rather simple structure. These started as small
systems and rapidly expanded much further than their scope. A common example of this is MS-
DOS. It was designed simply for a niche amount for people. There was no indication that it
would become so popular.
It is better that operating systems have a modular structure, unlike MS-DOS. That would lead to
greater control over the computer system and its various applications. The modular structure
would also allow the programmers to hide information as required and implement internal
routines as they see fit without changing the outer specifications.

Advantages

Following are advantages of a simple operating system structure.

 Easy Development - In simple operation system, being very few interfaces, development
is easy especially when only limited functionalities are to be delivered.
 Better Performance - Such a system, as have few layers and directly interacts with
hardware, can provide a better performance as compared to other types of operating
systems.

Disadvantages

Following are disadvantages of a simple operating system structure.

 Frequent System Failures - Being poorly designed, such a system is not robust. If one
program fails, entire operating system crashes. Thus system failures are quiet frequent in
simple operating systems.
 Poor Maintainability - As all layers of operating systems are tightly coupled, change in
one layer can impact other layers heavily and making code unmanageable over a period
of time.

Monolith Structure

In monolith structured operating system, a central piece of code called kernel is responsible for
all major operations of an operating system. Such operations includes file management, memory
management, device management and so on. The kernel is the main component of an operating
system and it provides all the services of an operating system to the application programs and
system programs.

The kernel has access to the all the resources and it acts as an interface with application
programs and the underlying hardware. A monolithic kernel structure promotes timesharing,
multiprogramming model and was used in old banking systems.
Advantages

Following are advantages of a monolith operating system structure.

 Easy Development - As kernel is the only layer to develop with all major functionalities,
it is easier to design and develop.
 Performance - As Kernel is responsible for memory management, other operations and
have direct access to the hardware, it performs better.

Disadvantages

Following are disadvantages of a monolith operating system structure.

 Crash Prone - As Kernel is responsible for all functions, if one function fails entire
operating system fails.
 Difficult to enhance - It is very difficult to add a new service without impacting other
services of a monolith operating system.
Micro-Kernel Structure

As in case monolith structure, there was single kernel, in micro-kernel, we have multiple kernels
each one specialized in particular service. Each microkernel is developed independent to the
other one and makes system more stable. If one kernel fails the operating system will keep
working with other kernel's functionalities.

Advantages

Following are advantages of a microkernel operating system structure.

 Reliable and Stable - As multiple kernels are working simultaneously, chances of failure
of operating system is very less. If one functionality is down, operating system can still
provide other functionalities using stable kernels.
 Maintainability - Being small sized kernels, code size is maintainable. One can enhance
a microkernel code base without impacting other microkernel code base.

Disadvantages

Following are disadvantages of a microkernel operating system structure.

  Complex to Design - Such a microkernel based architecture is difficult to design.
 Performance Degradation - Multi kernel, Multi-modular communication may hamper
the performance as compared to monolith architecture.

Exo -Kernel Structure

Exo-Kernal Structured operating system was designed and developed at MIT. The aim of this
design was to keep Kernel size minimal while allowing the application programs to manage
hardware resources directly. The purpose of removing abstraction of operating system for
hardware resources was to enable application programmer to write high performance code while
exo-kernel handles other operations.

Advantages

Following are advantages of a exo-kernel operating system structure.

 High Performance - As application program can allocate memory, a better designed

code can make optimal use and perform better.
 Application Control - As resource management is not secured by operating system,
application program has more control over system resources and can write custom
operations on system resources.

Disadvantages

Following are disadvantages of a exo-kernel operating system structure.

 Unreliable and Unsafe - As security is in application program level, a poorly written

code can ruin the system.
 Complex Design - Exo-Kernel designing is complicated.

Layered Structure

One way to achieve modularity in the operating system is the layered approach. In this, the
bottom layer is the hardware and the topmost layer is the user interface.

An image demonstrating the layered approach is as follows –

 As seen from the image, each upper layer is
built on the bottom layer. All the layers hide some structures, operations etc from their upper
layers.

One problem with the layered structure is that each layer needs to be carefully defined. This is
necessary because the upper layers can only use the functionalities of the layers below them.

Advantages

Following are advantages of a layered operating system structure.

 High Customizable - Being layered, each layer implementation can be customized

easily. A new functionality can be added without impacting other modules as well.
 Verifiable - Being modular, each layer can be verified and debugged easily.

Disadvantages

Following are disadvantages of a layered operating system structure.

 Less Performing - A layered structured operating system is less performing as compared

to basic structured operating system.
 Complex designing - Each layer is to planned carefully as each layer communicates with
lower layer only and a good design process is required to create a layered operating
system.

Modular Structure

Modular structure operating system works on the similar principle as a monolith but with better
design. A central kernel is responsible for all major operations of operating system. This kernel
has set of core functionality and other services are loaded as modules dynamically to the kernel
at boot time or at runtime. Sun Solaris OS is one of the example of Modular structured operating
system.

Advantages

Following are advantages of a modular operating system structure.

 High Customizable - Being modular, each module implementation can be customized

easily. A new functionality can be added without impacting other modules as well.
 Verifiable - Being modular, each layer can be verified and debugged easily.

Disadvantages

Following are disadvantages of a modular operating system structure.

 Less Performing - A modular structured operating system is less performing as

compared to basic structured operating system.
 Complex designing - Each module is to planned carefully as each module communicates
with kernel. A communication API is to be devised to facilitate the communication.

Virtual Machine Structure

In this kind of structure, hardware like CPU, memory, hard disks are abstracted into virtual
machines. User can use them with actually configure them using execution contexts. Virtual
machine takes a good amount of disk space and is to be provisioned. Multiple virtual machines
can be created on a single physical machine.

Advantages

Following are advantages of a virtual machine based operating system structure.

 High Customizable - Being virtual, functionality are easily accessible, can be

customized on need basis.
 Secure - Being virtual, and no direct hardware access, such systems are highly secured.

Disadvantages

Following are disadvantages of a virtual machine based operating system structure.

 Less Performing - A virtual structured operating system is less performing as compared

to modular structured operating system.
 Complex designing - Each virtual component of the machine is to planned carefully as
each component is to abstract underlying hardware.
Operating System - Architecture

An operating system allows the user application programs to interact with the system hardware.
Since the operating system is such a complex structure, its architecture plays an important role in
its usage. Each component of the Operating System Architecture should be well defined with
clear inputs, outputs and functions.

Import Terms

In operating system Architecture, we've two major terms which defines the major components of
the operating systems.

 Kernel − Kernel is the central component of an operating system architecture in most of

the implementation. A kernel is responsible for all major operations and interaction with
the hardware. A kernel manages memory, processor, input/output devices and provides
interface to application programs to interact with hardware components.
 Shell − Shell is an interface of an operating system. It can be command line interface or a
graphical user interface. User interacts with an operating system using shell. Application
programs can also use shell interface to interact with underlying operating system.
 System Software − System software are the programs which interact with Kernel and
provides interface for security management, memory management and other low level
activities.
 Application Programs − Application software/Programs are the one using which a user
interacts with the operating system. For example a word processor to create a document
and save it on the file system, a notepad to create notes etc.

Popular Architectures

Following are various popular implementations of Operating System architectures.

 Simple Architecture
 Monolith Architecture
 Micro-Kernel Architecture
 Exo-Kernel Architecture
 Layered Architecture
 Modular Architecture
 Virtual Machine Architecture