An operating system is a software that manages a computer's resources/ components
It manages 11 resources:
1. Primary memory is where all data and programs currently being processed are kept.
2. Secondary memory is a physical device for the permanent storage of programs and data
3. Cache is a software or hardware device that stores data/information so that future
requests for data can be served faster
4. Sound processor- is a processor that does sound reproduction, freeing the CPU to do other
calculations
5. Screen resolution is the number of pixels in height x width of a display
6. Network connectivity is the ability of devices to connect and communicate over a network
7. Processor – an electrical component that does all calculations in a computer system
8. Speed measurement of how many calculations can be done per second by the CPU
9. Core- a single processing unit within a CPU that can execute instructions
10. Bandwidth – measurement of how much data can be sent at the same time in a certain time
frame
11. Graphic processor is a specialised processor that does complex graphic processing
Effects on a system if limited:
1) Primary memory:
- Limits the number of processes the CPU can do simultaneously
- The computer becomes very slow
2) Secondary storage:
- The computer has no place to store your data
- Limits how much data you can save
3) Cache:
- The CPU takes more time to retrieve information from the RAM leading to the
system being slow
4) Sound processor:
- The computer will be slower as the CPU will be tax with also doing sound production
- The sound quality won’t be good
5) Screen resolution:
- The display will be pixelated
- The display will have very poor quality
6) Network connectivity:
- Limits the way data can be sent and received in a system
7) Cores:
- The computer will be slower
- The computer will not be able to do many tasks simultaneously
8) Speed:
- The processor will take more time to perform tasks
9) Bandwidth:
- Data will take more time to move between 2 points
- Affects how long until data can be processed in its entirety
4 functions of an operating system:
File management –
a) Manages the transfer of files between the primary memory and secondary storage.
b) Allocates necessary space for information to be stored in the secondary storage
Memory management -
a) Creates virtual memory when RAM is limited
b) Ensures that each process runs in its own allocated space in the RAM
Device configuration – controls peripheral devices connected to the computer
Interface platform – provides an environment where applications can run. It allows users to interact
with the system and applications easily. Examples – Command line interface, graphic user interface.
Peripheral devices are devices connected to the computer to improve its functionality
Device drivers are software components that act as an interface between the os and peripheral devices
Time slicing is a scheduling technique used to manage the execution of different processes
OS 7 resource management techniques
1) Multitasking – a resource management technique that allows a user to execute more than
one task at a time.
2) Policies – a resource management technique that refers to a set of rules that govern how
resources are allocated and managed within an os
3) Virtual memory – a resource management technique that extends the available primary
storage to the secondary storage.
4) Interrupt - a signal to the processor emitted by a hardware or software indicating an event
that requires immediate attention
5) Polling – a resource management technique that regularly checks the status of peripherals
to detect changes of required actions
6) Paging – a resource management technique that allows the operating system to load and
execute programs from the virtual memory in pages.
- The os moves other pages to the VM so it has room to return pages that it needs to
execute.
- It swaps the file/program – this is carried out by the computer’s memory manager unit
7) Scheduling – a resource management technique that determines the order in which
processes access the CPU and other resources (aiming to optimise efficiency and
performance)
a) Shortest Job first – scheduling technique that selects the task with the shorted
estimated time to execute next
Adv – Minimizes wait time by prioritising shorter tasks
Disadv – You need to accurately estimate job lengths
b) Priority scheduling – each task is assigned a priority and the os executes the
highest priority first
Adv – Importance task is handled first
Disadv – certain process will consistently receive more CPU time than others
c) First come First serve – processes are executed in the order they arrive
Adv – Simple and easy to implement
Disadv – Simpler and shorter task will wait a longer time for long and complex to
task to complete
d) Round Robin – each process is given a fixed time slice to be executed and the
os moves on to the next process when the time slice expires
Adv – Ensures fairness in the amount of CPU time a process gets
Dedicated Operating system is a specially designed os to manage and execute a particular application
Characteristics of dedicated OS:
1) Specialization – tailored for specific hardware and functions
2) Speed – customized and optimized to perform a specific set of tasks or to run on specific
hardware
3) Security – a dedicated os ensures higher security as hackers will have to learn the
implementations of that specific os
4) Size – it occupies less space as it only contains the things needed for that specific os
5) Optimised performance – it’s tailored for specific task leading to better resource allocation
and faster execution
General-purpose os – designed to support a wide range of applications and use cases