DISTRIBUTED OPERATING SYSTEMS
[Link] I Year I Semester
CSE
Objective Questions
UNIT-1
Part A: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. A distributed system is defined as a collection of independent computers that appears
to users as a ______.
a) Single coherent system
b) Group of isolated systems
c) Centralized system
d) File processing system
Answer: a
2. Which of the following is not a system architecture type in distributed systems?
a) Client–Server
b) Peer-to-Peer
c) Microservices
d) Pipelined CPU architecture
Answer: d
3. Transparency in distributed systems means:
a) Users must know all system details
b) Hiding complexity from users
c) Increasing CPU speed
d) Reducing file size
Answer: b
4. The main issue caused by the absence of a global clock is:
a) Synchronization problem
b) Buffer overflow
c) Memory fragmentation
d) Deadlock detection
Answer: a
5. Message passing in distributed systems is usually:
a) Local communication
b) Inter-process communication
c) Only synchronous
d) Hardware dependent
Answer: b
6. RPC stands for:
a) Remote Procedure Call
b) Remote Program Communication
c) Ready Process Call
d) Remote Page Communication
Answer: a
7. Lamport’s logical clocks provide:
a) Physical time
b) Causal ordering
c) Event ordering
d) Cryptographic security
Answer: c
8. Vector clocks can detect:
a) Deadlock only
b) Concurrency and causality
c) Processor failures
d) Network topology
Answer: b
9. Causal ordering of messages ensures:
a) All messages arrive in FIFO order
b) Dependent messages are delivered in the correct order
c) Messages are delivered instantly
d) Only broadcast messages are allowed
Answer: b
10. The Chandy-Lamport algorithm is used to determine:
a) Deadlock
b) Global state
c) Logical time
d) Termination
Answer: b
11. A “cut” in a distributed computation refers to:
a) Deleting messages
b) Snapshot of events across processes
c) CPU switching
d) Process creation
Answer: b
12. Termination detection in distributed systems is challenging due to:
a) Partial failures
b) Shared memory
c) Stable storage
d) Fast communication
Answer: a
13. Communication networks used in distributed systems include:
a) LAN
b) WAN
c) MAN
d) All of the above
Answer: d
14. Inherent limitation of distributed systems is:
a) Unlimited bandwidth
b) No global clock
c) Infinite memory
d) No failures
Answer: b
15. The FLP impossibility result states that consensus is impossible in:
a) Synchronous systems
b) Asynchronous systems with one faulty process
c) Secure systems
d) Real-time systems
Answer: b
Part B: True / False
16. Distributed systems always guarantee zero latency. – False
17. Lamport timestamps can determine causality exactly. – False
18. Vector clocks provide more information than Lamport clocks. – True
19. Causal ordering ensures events maintain “happens-before” relationship. – True
20. Termination detection is simple in an asynchronous distributed system. – False
Part C: Fill in the Blanks
21. A distributed system appears as a ______ system to the end user.
Answer: single
22. ______ clocks assign a single number to each event to maintain ordering.
Answer: Lamport logical
23. A consistent ______ represents a global state where no causality is violated.
Answer: cut
24. RPC stands for ____________.
Answer: Remote Procedure Call
25. Chandy-Lamport algorithm records a ______ and consistent snapshot.
Answer: global
UNIT-II
Part A: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Distributed mutual exclusion ensures that:
a) Many processes can enter CS at once
b) Only one process enters the CS at a time
c) Processes always enter CS in random order
d) No process can enter CS
Answer: b
2. Lamport's Algorithm is a:
a) Token-based algorithm
b) Non-token-based algorithm
c) Tree-based algorithm
d) Fault detection algorithm
Answer: b
3. Which clock mechanism is used in Lamport’s Mutual Exclusion Algorithm?
a) Physical clock
b) Vector clock
c) Lamport logical clock
d) GPS clock
Answer: c
4. Ricart–Agrawala algorithm uses how many message types?
a) 1
b) 2 (REQUEST and REPLY)
c) 3
d) 4
Answer: b
5. Ricart–Agrawala reduces the number of messages compared to:
a) Raymond's algorithm
b) Suzuki–Kasami algorithm
c) Lamport’s algorithm
d) Singhal’s algorithm
Answer: c
6. Maekawa’s algorithm is based on:
a) Token passing
b) Quorums (Voting sets)
c) Logical clocks
d) Broadcasting messages
Answer: b
7. Suzuki–Kasami’s algorithm is a:
a) Token-based broadcast algorithm
b) Non-token algorithm
c) Quorum-based algorithm
d) Tree-based algorithm
Answer: a
8. The main data structure in Suzuki–Kasami’s Algorithm is:
a) Request queue
b) Token queue
c) Election ring
d) Spanning tree
Answer: b
9. Singhal’s Heuristic Algorithm aims to reduce:
a) Deadlocks
b) Token passing
c) Message overhead
d) Clock synchronization
Answer: c
10. Raymond's Algorithm is organized using a:
a) Ring
b) Fully connected graph
c) Logical tree
d) Mesh
Answer: c
11. In Raymond’s algorithm, the “holder” refers to:
a) A process that owns the CPU
b) The process that last held the token
c) The neighbor responsible for forwarding the token
d) The fastest process
Answer: c
12. A major drawback of token-based algorithms is:
a) Deadlock
b) Token loss
c) High message complexity
d) No fairness
Answer: b
13. In Lamport’s algorithm, messages are ordered by:
a) Machine ID only
b) Physical clocks
c) Timestamps + Process ID
d) Token numbers
Answer: c
14. The message complexity of Lamport’s Mutual Exclusion algorithm is:
a) 1 message
b) 2(N−1) messages
c) 3(N−1) messages
d) N² messages
Answer: c
15. Which algorithm uses REQUEST, REPLY, and FLUSH messages?
a) Lamport’s
b) Ricart–Agrawala
c) Maekawa’s
d) Suzuki–Kasami
Answer: c
Part B: True / False
16. Lamport’s algorithm guarantees mutual exclusion using token passing.
False
17. Ricart–Agrawala algorithm requires a REPLY from every other process.
True
18. Maekawa’s algorithm reduces the number of messages using quorums.
True
19. Suzuki–Kasami’s algorithm broadcasts requests to all nodes.
True
20. In Raymond’s algorithm, processes are arranged in a logical tree.
True
Part C: Fill in the Blanks
21. Lamport’s mutual exclusion algorithm uses __________ timestamps.
Answer: logical
22. Ricart–Agrawala algorithm uses two message types: REQUEST and ________.
Answer: REPLY
23. Maekawa’s algorithm is based on __________ sets.
Answer: quorum / voting
24. Suzuki–Kasami’s algorithm uses a __________ to grant permission to enter CS.
Answer: token
25. Raymond’s algorithm is a __________-based token algorithm.
Answer: tree