Operating System (OS)
• A set of computer programs that manage the hardware and software resources
of a computer.
• Manage the basic hardware resources provide a more hospitable interface to
users and their programs.
• Allocate and manage tasks internal system resources.
• Perform basic tasks such as controlling and allocating memory, prioritizing
system requests, controlling input and output devices, facilitating networking,
managing file systems.
• Users interact with the operating system through command-line interface (CLI)
or a graphic user interface.
Relationship of OS to Basic
Hardware
User 1 User 2 ………….. User n
System and Application Program
Operating System
Computer Hardware
Types of Operating systems
• Computer Operating Systems
• Windows, Mac OS, Linux
• Mobile Operating Systems
• iOS, Android
Functions of an OS
• Process Management
• Memory Management
• Device and File System Management
• Networking
• Security
Process Management
• Every program running on a computer, be it background services or applications, is a
process.
• Process management is an operating system’s way of dealing with running multiple
processes.
• Multitasking is done by switching processes quickly.
• More processes run, either each time slice will be smaller or longer delay before each
process is given a chance.
• Allows a process to be assigned a priority.
Memory Management
• Allocation memory to the system/user programs and data.
• Allocation/deallocation of memory to various processes.
• OS keeps a list free memory and updates the list after the required memory area
allocated to a program.
• Memory Hierarchy - Arranging computer memories in a hierarchical manner, starting
from the faster Registers, CPU cache, Random Access Memory and Disk Storage.
• Virtual Memory Management - OS’s memory manager coordinates the use of various
types of memory by tracking which one is available, which is to be
allocated/deallocated and how to move that between them.
• Managing virtual addresses – Operating system maintain a page table that matches
virtual addresses to physical addresses. When a process terminates, all memory used
by that process can be made available for other processes.
• Operating System write inactive memory pages to secondary storage. This process is
called paging or swapping.
Device and File System Management
• Device Management - Coordinates and Controls peripheral devices.
Peripheral devices classified into two groups – input/output devices and
storage devices.
• File system Management - Organizes and controls how data is stored and
retrieved on storage devices like hard drives.
• File systems provide journaling, which provides safe recovery in the
event of a system crash.
Networking
• Enable communication between the computer and network devices by supporting
network protocols.
• Most current operating systems are capable of using the TCP/IP network protocols
(Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol.)
• One system can appear on a network of other and share resources such as files,
printers, and scanners using either wired or wireless connection.
Security
• Security function is essential for safeguarding the system, its data and the privacy of
users.
• Manages permissions to control who can access specific resources or perform
certain actions on the system.
• Requesters of resources are divided into two categories:
• Internal security: An already running program. Once its running has no limitations,
but commonly the program has an identity which it keeps and it used to check all its
requests for resources.
• External security: A request from outside the computer , such as login at a
connected console or some kind of network connection.
