Case Study on Windows Vista

HISTORY:

Windows Vista is an operating system released in several

variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers,
including home & business desktops, laptops, tables PCs, & media
centre PCs. Prior to its announcement on July 22,2005.Windows Vista
was known by its codename "Longhorn". On July 22, 2005 ,Microsoft
gave longhorn the name Vista, Vista is an italian word meaning
"sight",& the philosophy of the name is shown in the quote of Microsoft
spokesman." It is about providing clarity to your world & giving facts
to the things that are important to you". Development was completed
on November 8,2006;over the following three months it was released
in stages to computer hardware & software manufacturers, business
customers,& retail channels. On January 30,2007, it was released
worldwide &was made available for purchase & download from
Microsoft's website. The release of windows Vista came more than five
years after the introduction of its predecessor, Windows XP, the
longest time span between successive releases of Microsoft windows
desktop operating systems. It was succeeded by Windows 7 which was
released to manufacturing. On July 22,2009 ,& for the general public
on October 22,2009.

Windows Vista contains many changes and new features,

including an updated graphical user interface and visual style dubbed
aero, a redesigned search function, multimedia tools including
Windows DVD maker and redesigned networking, audio, print and
display subsystem. Vista aims to increase the level of communication
between machines on a home network to simplify files and media
between computer and devices.

Microsoft’s primary stated objective with Windows Vista has been

to improve the state of security in the windows Operating System. One
common criticism of windows XP and its predecessors is their
commonly exploited security vulnerabilities and overall susceptibility to
malware, viruses. In light of this, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates
announced in early 2002 a companywide “trust worthy computing
initiatives” which aim to incorporate security work into every aspects
of software development at the company. Microsoft stated that it
prioritized improving the security of Windows XP and Windows server
2003 above finishing Windows Vista, thus delaying its completion.
ARCHITECTURE:
The architecture of Windows Vista, a line of operating system
produced and sold by Microsoft is a layered design that consists of two
main components, user mode and kernel mode. It is a preemptive,
reentrant operating system, which has been designed to work with
Uniprocessor and symmetrical multiprocessor (SMP)-based computers
starting Windows 2000, Microsoft began making 64 bit version of
Windows available before this, this operating system only existed in32
bits version. Programs and subsystem in user mode are limited in
terms of what system resources they have access to, while the kernel
mode has unrestricted access to, while the kernel mode has
unrestricted access to the system memory and external devices. The
Windows Vista kernel is known as a hybrid kernel.

USER MODE:
The user mode is made up of subsystem which can pass I\O
request to the appropriate kernel mode drivers via the I\O manager
(which exist in kernel mode). Two subsystems make up the user mode
layer of Windows Vista, the environment subsystem and the integral
subsystem.

The environment subsystem was designed to run application

written for many different types of operating system. None of the
environment subsystems can directly access hardware and must
request access to memory resources through the Virtual Memory
Manager that runs in Kernel mode. There are three main environment
subsystems, the Win32 subsystem, an OS/2 subsystem and a POSIX
subsystem.

The integral subsystem looks after operating system specific

functions on behalf of the environment subsystem. It consists of a
security subsystem, a workstation service and a server service. The
security subsystem deals with security tokens, grants or denies access
to user accounts based on resource permissions, handles login
requests.

The workstation service provides the computer access to the

network. The server service is an API that allows the computer to
provide network services.

Kernel Mode:
Windows VISTA kernel mode has full access to the hardware and
system resources of the computer and runs code in a protected
memory area.It controls access to scheduling, thread prioritization,
memory management and the interaction with hardware. The kernel
mode stops user mode services and applications from accessing critical
areas of the operating system that they should not have access to;
user mode processes must ask the kernel mode to perform such
operations on their behalf.Kernel mode consists of executive services,
which is itself made up on many modules that do specific tasks, kernel
drivers, a kernel and a Hardware Abstraction Layer, or HAL.

Executive:

The Windows Executive services make up the low-level kernel-

mode portion, and are contained in the file NTOSKRNL.EXE.[3] It deals
with I/O, object management, security and process management.
These are divided into several subsystems, among which Cache
Manager, Configuration Manager, I/O Manager, Local Procedure Call
(LPC), Memory Manager, Object Manager, Process Structure and
Security Reference Monitor (SRM). Grouped together, the components
can be called Executive services.

Kernel:

The kernel sits between the HAL and the Executive and provides
multiprocessor synchronization, thread and interrupt scheduling and
dispatching, and trap handling and exception dispatching; it is also
responsible for initializing device drivers at bootup that are necessary
to get the operating system up and running.The kernel often interfaces
with the process manager.

Kernel-mode drivers:

Windows VISTA uses kernel-mode device drivers to enable it to

interact with hardware devices.All devices are seen by user mode code
as a file object in the I/O manager, though to the I/O manager itself
the devices are seen as device objects, which it defines as either file
,device or driver objects. kernel mode drivers exist in three levels.
highest level drivers , intermediate drivers and low level drivers. The
highest level drivers rely on intermediate drivers. Intermediate drivers
consist of function drivers or main driver for a device that is optionally
sandwiched between lower and higher level filter drivers. These lower
level drivers directly control hardware and do not rely on any other
drivers.

HARDWARE ABSTRACTION LAYER:

The hardware abstraction layer or HAL is a layer between the
physical hardware of the computer and the rest of operating system. It
was designed to hide differences in hardware and therefore provide a
consistent platform on which the kernel runs. The HAL includes
hardware –specific code that controls I/O interfaces ,interrupt
controllers and multiple processors. HAL implementation depend in
some measure on the kernel or even the executive. In particular
Hardware abstraction does not invoke abstracting the instruction set.
FILE SYSTEM :
Windows Vista interface comes in two flavours . The basic user
interface or the Aero Microsoft ‘ “best designed, highest performing
desktop experience “.In order to use the Aero interface , the user
needs a PC with a compatible graphics adapter and also the premium
or business edition.

Windows Vista also has several user friendly and inheritive

advancements. One of the popular changes to the user interface is the
easy search window on the start button as well as on all the explorer.
Windows aero. All the applications are shown on task bar as “line icons
” which offer us a preview of the achiral contents of the document .

This important change in Vista is not visible to the regular users ,

but it impacts the entire way the files and folders are handled. This is
accomplished by a variant f NTFS or the transactional file system. TXF
has the ability to take part in distributed transactions between
processes in the machine as well as processes on multiple machines
with the standard two phase commit functionality that is inherent in
RDBMS. Everything we do with a database is considered a
“transaction” . A bank deposit is completed as a transaction only when
the user saves or “commits” the changes. Similarly, a withdrawal is
treated as a transaction which is complete provided that the user
agrees to the changes and finalizes or commits the work. These two
transactions cannot take place simultaneously. They have to be
performed as two separate transactions because of the possibility that
the intention of the bank user may be to first deposit a large amount
and then later withdraw a part of the amount. So these two
transactions need to occur in the correct order.

Similarly, in the Vista environment, most operations such as

creating folders and files or editing files, saving files etc by concurrent
users are considered transactions and care is taken to not allow
changes to the same file by multiple users at the same time. When
one transaction ends, the next one on the same account/file/folder is
performed.
The new Vista file system works on the following (ACID) transaction
principles:
 Atomicity – In a transaction involving two or more discrete pieces
of information, either all of the pieces are committed or none are.
 Consistency – A transaction either creates a new and valid state
of data, or if any failure occurs, returns all data to its state before
the transaction started.
 Isolation – A transaction in process and not yet committed must
remain isolated from any other transaction.
 Durability – Committed data is saved by the system such that,
even in the event of a failure and system restart, the data is
available in its correct state.   
From a regular Windows user perspective, this may not be a major
change, but from a developer perspective, this is a major change that
will enable them to safeguard the integrity of stored data.
For regular windows users, these are the main changes:
1.In earlier versions of Windows, if the computer happens to crash in
the middle of a File->Save operation, the file would most certainly be
corrupted. In Vista, the file system is intelligent enough to either
complete the save successfully or roll-back (revert) to the same file
that existed before the application. So you may lose the changes, but
not the entire file.
2.Similarly if one single command or script was updating several files
with the same set of changes, all files will retain their original
information in case of a power failure.

3. When an operation is performed over the network and changes are

made to multiple computers at the same time , none of the files will be
updated unless the change is successfully completed on all machine
without any distribution of service.

4.During file sharing ,if one user changes the file ,she/he will have to
complete and save any changes.

Developers need to understand the technical details of the new

vernal construct added to the updated vista NTFS.
ADVANTAGES:
1.Improved graphical user interface, the Aero:

There is entire new GUI for windows vista, the operation

appearance of window, desktop, start menu, taskbar, everything has
got a new look:

Now, the window in windows vista looks similar to that of Mac

OSX . Minimize and the close buttons have an entire new stage look .
The windows can be made to appear in translucent ,3D modes ,if the
new aero is applied. The start button has been modified to give a new
look. The word “start” has been removed .Only the new windows logo
gets appear in start buttons .Start menu also bar, which shows a clock
and some of the widget. Widget are small programs, which is
equivalent to standard shortcuts.

2.Surf the net, without worry about security browsing the net, without
any security measures invites a major danger. Windows provides high
level of security measures. windows vista has been come with latest
version of internet Explore which is version 7.0. This

Provides a higher degree of security to the system, as well as, the

operating system environment. It also warns strictly against visting
some fake sites.

3. Using parental controls:

One can control kids by using parental controls in windows vista.

Parents can now keep track of what all activities done by the child. It
also enables parents to control the activities by blocking certain
activities such as a game program, blocking some sites that, the child
might have visited etc.

4. Better media player:

The latest version of windows media player bundled with windows

vista. The windows media player II enhances video, audio quality
when playing sound, music, videos. It has got new look and has got a
series of rich features.

5. Improved search, windows explorer:

In windows Vista, you will get the search result as and when you
type some letters of a particular word. Searching files in vista has
become more efficient.

6. Data and Time settings:

In earlier Windows operating system, it was indeed difficult to

know the time difference across the two countries. It proved difficult
for online chat user. It in windows vista one can add additional docks,
to show the time of some other country.

7. Manage your photos using photo gallery:

Windows vista has got an inbuilt tool called as photo gallery to

manage digital photos. Using it, one can modify the photos. It has got
ability to show previous of movie files, a feature, which was not there
with windows XP.

8. Total different word, new experience:

Windows vista brings you the new world of experience. It starts

from amazingly changed desktop, which goes beyond imagination. All
icons look better this time around.
VERSIONS:
Windows Vista is available in six different marketing editions.
With the exception ofb Windows Vista starter , all editions support
both 32-bit and 64-bit processor architectures.

Windows Vista starter:

This edition sells in 139 countries. Vista starter has significant
limitations, such as allowing a maximum of three applications with a
user interface at once, not accepting incoming network connections
and physical memory limit of 1GB . It supports AMD’s Athlon XP,
Duron, Sempron, Pentium III processors and certain models of
Pentium IV.

Windows Vista Home Basic:

Similar to Windows XP Home edition Home Basic target budgets
conscious users not requiring advanced media support for home use.
This edition lacks the Windows Aero theme with its translucent
effects . It supports only one physical CPU , but multiple cores .64- bit
Home Basic supports upto 8GB of RAM . This edition includes Windows
firewall, parental controls , windows photo gallery, and more functions
Windows Movie Maker.

Windows Vista Home Premium:

Containing all Features from Home Basic , this edition also
supports additional Features aimed for the home market segment . It
also includes games ,support for mobile and tablet PC’s for network
projectors ,for touchscreens . Like Home Basic ,it supports only one
physical CPU, but multiple cores. 64-bit Home Premium supports up to
16 GB of RAM.

Windows Vista Business:

Comparable to Windows XP professional and Windows XP tablet
PC edition ,Windows vista Business edition target s the business
market . It includesall the featurse of Home Bastc with the exception
of parental controls . It includes Intrenet information services ,fax
support and other business oriented management features . The Vista
Business edition supports upto two physical CPUs .64-bit Business
supports 128 GB of RAM.

Windows Vista Enterprise:

This edition targets the enterprise segment of the market. It

comprises a superset of the Vista Business Edition Additional Features
includes support for Multilingual User Interface(MUI) packages ,UNIX
application supports .Not available through retail or OEM(Original
Equipment Manufacturer) channels . This edition will get distributed
through Microsoft Software Assurance (SA). Vista Enterprise supports
upto two physical CPUs.64-bit Enterprise supports 128 GB of RAM.

WINDOWS VISTA ULTIMATE:

Windows Vista Ultimate combines all the features of the Home

premium & Enterprise editions ,plus "Ultimate Extras".64 bit ultimate
supports 128 GB of RAM. Microsoft also makes an upgraded variant of
Windows Vista ultimate available :Windows vista ultimate upgrade
limited numbered signature edition, Microsoft also makes another
variant of Windows Vista ultimate available to raise awareness of AIDS
in Africa : WINDOWS VISTA (PRODUCT) RED.

CONCLUSION:
Thus Windows Vista is a great technology in the advancement in
field of operating system.
Design plays a big role in Windows Vista as broader around
Windows get a brand new look Windows Vista introduces new edition
that each have a different mix of features.
Thus we have studied Windows Vista.