OPERATING SYSTEMS: CHAPTER 1

Operating System – Introduction: Operating system objectives, User view, System view, Operating
system definition, Computer System Architecture, OS Operations, Process Management, Memory
Management, Storage Management, Protection and Security, Computing Environments.
System Structures: Operating System services, User and OS Interface, System Calls, Types of
System Calls, System Programs, Operating System Design and Implementation, OS Structure.

WHAT IS AN OS?
A program which manages system hardware, provides basis for application programs and acts as a
intermediatory b/w user and hardware.
o System Hardware
o Intermediatory b/w user and hardware

OS OBJECTIVES
An OS needs to fulfill the needs of both the user and the system for it to be a successful application.
The objectives can be categorized into 2 sub categories:
o USER VIEW
o SYSTEM VIEW

USER VIEW
The user view focuses on providing a user-friendly interface and services that enable users to interact
with the computer system efficiently. Here are some key aspects of the user view:

User Interface (UI):

o D-TRACE: Text / Shell commands
o Batch Interface: Shell commands in files (.sh files)
o GUI: Graphical User Interface

Application Support (Application Programming Interfaces):

o Libraries: Pre written functions and routines, used for common functionality tasks.
o Compilers & Dev tools: Tools that allow the programmer to write, compile and test code.
o Runtime Environment: Supports program execution

Convenience and Efficiency:

o Multitasking: Concurrent application running
o File Management: Organizes and manages files

WHAT IS AN OS
OPERATING SYSTEMS: CHAPTER 1

 File modification support: Create, update, del, move, copy

 File permissions allow controlled access to protected files
o Copy-Paste: Copy paste functionality over applications
o Networking: Connect to networks, browse the web

Security and Privacy:

o USER AUTHENTICATION: mechanisms to ensure only authorized users can access the system
o ACCESS CONTROL: Restrict access based on current user
o ENCRYPTION: Encode data
o MALWARE PROTECTION: Protect against malicious threats

SYSTEM VIEW
Resource Management:
Managing system hardware resources

o CPU: Scheduling processes

o MEMORY: Manages mem resources
o STORAGE: Managing disks
o DEVICE: Interacts with I/O devices

System Security:
Managing system resources and allowing only authorized access (same as above)

o USER AUTHENTICATION: mechanisms to ensure only authorized users can access the system
o ACCESS CONTROL: Restrict access based on current user
o ENCRYPTION: Encode data
o MALWARE PROTECTION: Protect against malicious threats

Accounting:
Tacking and monitoring resource allocation

o REASOURCE USAGE & ALLOCATION:

o PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS:

COMPUTER SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

A computer may be organized as

o Single Processor

WHAT IS AN OS
OPERATING SYSTEMS: CHAPTER 1

o Multi-Processor

Multi v/s Single

o Increased Throughput: Faster executions
o Economy of scale: Shared resources hence economical
o Increased Reliability: Failure at one processor will not halt system

Graceful Degradation
Ability to continue functioning in the presence of errors

Multi-Processor
o Asymmetric
o Mater Slave relationship
o Master processor controls the system
o Schedules and allocates work
o No shared memory

o Symmetric
o Equal level, peer processors
o Share secondary mem
o Each processor has its own registers and cache

OS OPERATIONS:

WHAT IS AN OS
OPERATING SYSTEMS: CHAPTER 1

Two layers

o User
o Mode bit = 1
o User applications are run
o System
o Mode bit = 0
o System calls

SYSTEM CALLS
o The Interface/Bridge b/w user and system layers
o Generate interrupt to gain control of processor
o Available as routines in C C++ (open(), read())
o Accessed via API’s rather than direct system call use

Implementation

o Number associated with every sys call

o Invokes intended call and returns generated value

WHAT IS AN OS
OPERATING SYSTEMS: CHAPTER 1

Parameter Passing:
Data being passed to the system call

o Registers(Simplest): Value stored as itself

o Pointers(Block method): Pointer to a block of mem, passing address of mem block
o Stack : Values pushed onto a stack

Types:
o Process Control
o End, abort
o Load, Execute
o Create and terminate process
o Wait for time
o Wait event

o File management
o Create and del file
o Open, close
o Read write reposition
o Get and set file attributes

o Device Management
o Request and release device
o Read write reposition
o Get and set device attributes
o Attach detach devices

o Information Maintenance
o Get and Set time or data,
o Get and Set system data
o Get and Set processes file or device attributes

o Communication
o Create delete communication connection
o Send receive messages
o Transfer status info
o Attach detach remote devices

o Protection
o Set file security
o Init & set security descriptor

QUESTIONS
True/False:

WHAT IS AN OS
OPERATING SYSTEMS: CHAPTER 1

a) True or False: An operating system is not required for a single-user computer.

b) True or False: The main objective of virtual memory is to provide additional storage space for the
CPU cache.

Fill in the Blanks:

a) The mode bit is used to switch between _______ mode and _______ mode.
b) The primary responsibility of the _______ is to manage the allocation and deallocation of memory
resources.

Multiple Choice:
a) Which of the following is NOT an example of a real-time operating system?
i) Windows
ii) Linux
iii) VxWorks
iv) QNX

b) Which memory management technique allows processes to be divided into fixed-size blocks?
i) Paging
ii) Segmentation
iii) Swapping
iv) Fragmentation

True/False:
a) True or False: A system call is a mechanism that allows user applications to directly access hardware
devices.
b) True or False: Round-robin scheduling guarantees fairness by assigning equal CPU time to each
process.

Fill in the Blanks:

a) The process of converting a high-level programming language into machine code is performed by a
_______.
b) The _______ is responsible for managing the communication between a user and the operating
system.

The _______ mode is a privileged mode of operation in which the operating system kernel has
complete control over the system resources.

The mode bit, also known as the _______ bit, is a flag in the CPU's status register that indicates
whether the CPU is currently running in user mode or kernel mode.

A _______ is a well-defined interface provided by the operating system that allows user applications to
request services from the kernel.

_______ are routines or programs provided by the operating system that perform specific system-
related tasks, such as file management or system configuration.

The design and implementation of an operating system is typically guided by a specific _______ that
defines the overall structure and organization of the system.

The _______ structure of an operating system refers to the services and functionalities provided by the
operating system to user applications.

_______ are low-level software functions that allow user applications to interact with the operating
system and request services or perform privileged operations.

WHAT IS AN OS
OPERATING SYSTEMS: CHAPTER 1

In a multi-processor system, _______ allow multiple processors to work together, with each processor
having its own specific tasks and responsibilities.

_______ management is the component of an operating system that is responsible for allocating and
managing the computer's primary memory.

_______ management is the component of an operating system that deals with the allocation and
management of secondary storage devices, such as hard disks or solid-state drives.

WHAT IS AN OS