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Outcome 1 OSA

Operating systems administration notes

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Darrel Tinashe
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7 views

Outcome 1 OSA

Operating systems administration notes

Uploaded by

Darrel Tinashe
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1.

1 Goals and Roles of an Operating System


Define Operating System (OS)
An operating system is software that acts as an intermediary between computer hardware and
users. It manages hardware resources and provides services for application software.
Operating System Goals
 Efficient resource management: Manage CPU, memory, I/O devices,
and storage efficiently.
 User convenience: Make the system user-friendly, allowing
interaction through interfaces.
 Security and protection: Protect data and resources from
unauthorized access.
 Reliability and stability: Ensure the system operates without failure
and recovers from errors when they occur.
Operating System Functions
 Process management: Handles process creation, scheduling, and
termination.
 Memory management: Allocates and deallocates memory to
programs.
 File system management: Manages files on storage devices and
ensures secure access.
 Device management: Controls hardware devices like printers, disk
drives, etc.
 Security and access control: Protects against unauthorized access
to system resources.
 User interface: Provides either a command-line or graphical interface
for interaction.
Evolution of Operating Systems
 Batch systems: Users submit jobs to be processed one after the
other.
 Time-sharing systems: Multiple users interact with the system
simultaneously.
 Real-time systems: Systems respond to input immediately, often
used in critical systems.
 Distributed systems: Manages multiple systems working together on
a network.
 Mobile and embedded OS: Used in mobile phones and embedded
devices like smart appliances.
Types and Examples of Operating Systems
 Single-tasking OS: MS-DOS.
 Multi-tasking OS: Windows, Linux, MacOS.
 Real-time OS: VxWorks, RTLinux.
 Distributed OS: Google’s Fuchsia OS.
 Embedded OS: Android, iOS, FreeRTOS.
1.2 Analyse the Structure of a Computer System
Operating System Structures
 Simple Structure: Minimal separation between system layers (e.g.,
MS-DOS).
 Monolithic Structure: All OS functions run in a single space (e.g.,
UNIX).
 Layered Structure: OS is divided into layers with specific
functionality (e.g., THE OS).
 Micro-Kernel Structure: Minimizes kernel size by offloading services
to user space (e.g., Mach).
 Exo-Kernel Structure: Provides minimal abstractions and direct
access to hardware (e.g., Aegis).
 Virtual Machines: Multiple OS instances run simultaneously on one
physical machine (e.g., VMware, VirtualBox).
Basic Structure of a Computer System
 Processor (CPU): Executes instructions using the fetch-execute cycle.
 Memory (RAM): Temporarily stores data and instructions for the CPU.
 Peripheral Devices: Input/output devices like keyboards, monitors,
and printers.
Registers and Fetch-Execute Cycle
 Registers: Small, fast storage locations in the CPU that hold data.
 Fetch-Execute Cycle:
1. Fetch: The CPU fetches the next instruction from memory.
2. Decode: The instruction is decoded to determine the operation.
3. Execute: The instruction is executed by the CPU.
4. Store: Results are stored.
1.3 Handling Interrupts
Define Interrupt
An interrupt is a signal that causes the CPU to stop its current task and execute a special routine,
typically used for handling external events or system anomalies.
Hardware and Software Interrupts
 Hardware Interrupts: Triggered by external devices like keyboards,
mice, or network interfaces.
 Software Interrupts: Triggered by software programs, often for
system calls or errors.
CPU Response to Interrupts
 The CPU finishes its current instruction and saves the state of its
registers.
 It then jumps to the interrupt service routine (ISR) to handle the event.
Interrupt Handling in Modern Operating Systems
Prioritization: Some interrupts have higher priority than others (e.g.,

system clock).
 Interrupt Vector Table: Stores the address of all ISRs.
 Nested Interrupts: Higher-priority interrupts can interrupt an ISR
handling a lower-priority one.
Context Switching in Operating Systems
 Context switching occurs when the OS switches the CPU from one
process to another.
 It involves saving the state of the current process and loading the state
of the next one.
This outline provides a foundation for understanding the operation and structure of a computer
system with a focus on operating systems. Let me know if you need further details on any
section!
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4o

What’s context switching?

Explain monolithic structure?

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