OPERATING SYSTEM CONCEPTS

Chapter 1: Introduction

What is an Operating System?

An operating system is a program that acts as an intermediary between a user

of a computer and the computer hardware.
Operating system can also be defined as
Resource allocator – manages and allocates resources.
Control program – controls the execution of user programs and operations of
I/O devices .
Kernel – the one program running at all times (all else being application
programs).

Operating system goals:

i) Execute user programs and make solving user problems easier.

ii) Make the computer system convenient to use.
iii) Use the computer hardware in an efficient manner.

Abstract View of System Components:

Computer System Components:

1. Hardware – provides basic computing resources (CPU, memory, I/O devices).

2. Operating system – controls and coordinates the use of the hardware among
the various application programs for the various users.
3. Applications programs – define the ways in which the system resources are
used to solve the computing problems of the users (compilers, database
systems, video
games, business programs).
4. Users (people, machines, other computers).

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Types of Systems:
i) Batch Systems
ii) Mainframe System
iii) Multiprogramming System
iv) Time Sharing System
v) Interactive System
vi) Desktop Systems
vii) Parallel Systems
viii) Clustered System
ix) Real time Systems
x) Distributed Systems
xi) Networking System
xii) PDA

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i) Batch Systems:

Memory Layout for a Simple Batch System

Early computers are large machines which are run from console . In those days
the common input devices are card readers, tape drives and output devices are card punches,
line printers and tape drives. The programmers prepares a job which consists of a program,
data , some conclude information about the program and submitted to the computer operator.
The operator executes the program when the computer is idle and the computer gives results
after some time i.e., some days, some weeks,…etc.,
The operating system in those days is very simple. The major task is to transfer
the control from one job to another job and the operating system is always resident in the
memory .
To increase the speed, the operator batched together the jobs with similar needs
and the computer run then as a batch and produces result as a batch. The operator will give
appropriate result to the programmer.
In this environment, CPU is idle because the speed of I/O devices are very slow
when compared to CPU. When disk technology is introduced, all the jobs are kept on the
disk, instead of card readers. With direct access to several jobs, the operating system could
perform job scheduling, to use resources and perform tasks efficiently.
ii) Mainframe Systems:
 Reduce setup time by batching similar jobs
 Automatic job sequencing – automatically transfers control from one job to
another. First rudimentary (yet to develop) operating system.
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  Resident monitor
 initial control in monitor
 control transfers to job
 when job completes control transfers pack to monitor

ii) Multiprogramming System:

In the multiprogramming, CPU utilization is increased. A single user can’t kept
CPU and I/O devices busy at all times. The idea of multiprogramming is as follows:
The operating system keeps several jobs in memory simultaneously.

Initially all the jobs are kept in job pool, a storage area in the disk. Some jobs
from job pool are placed in memory. This requires some type of job scheduling. When
operating system selects one job from the memory and begins to execute, this job may require
some input from I/O device to complete. In the non-multiprogramming system, CPU will sit
idle during this time. But in multiprogramming system, CPU will not sit idle, instead of, it
switches to another job. When that jobs needs to wait, CPU switches to another job and soon.
When the first finishes its I/O operation, CPU will go back to execute another job and the
process continues and CPU will never sit idle.

iv) Timesharing System:

Multiprogramming provides an environment in which various system resources are

utilized more efficiently. But it does not provide user interaction with the computer. This can
be called as “Timesharing System”. This is an extension of multiprogramming. Here CPU

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can execute multiple jobs by switching among them, but here switching occurs so frequently
that users can interact with each program while it is running.
In the timesharing operating system multiple users share the computer
simultaneously and each action or command is very short, only a little CPU is time is needed
for each user. So, CPU switches from one user to another user frequently and each user that
CPU is going to serve for him only.

v) Interactive System:
An Interactive or Handsome System provides direct communication between user and
system i.e., the instructions given by the user are not send directly to the operating system or
the program and the user waits for immediate results. Here the response time is very less
( below 1 sec.).

vi) Desktop Systems:

These systems can be called as Personal computers. This computer system dedicated
to a single user. The systems consists

 I/O devices – keyboards, mice, display screens, small printers.

 User convenience and responsiveness.
 Can adopt technology developed for larger operating system’ often individuals
have sole use of computer and do not need advanced CPU utilization of protection
features.
 May run several different types of operating systems (Windows, MacOS, UNIX,
Linux)
vii) Parallel Systems:
Many systems are single processor systems i.e., they have only one CPU. However,
Multiprocessor Systems (also known as Parallel Systems) have more than one
processor in close communication, sharing bus, the clock and sometimes memory and
peripheral devices. Hence, these systems can also be called “Tightly Coupled Systems”.
The advantages of parallel systems are
a) Increased throughput: The execution of the processes will be completed very fast
when compare with single processor system.

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 b) Economy of scale: Multiprocessor systems save money while compare to the
multiple single processor systems because sharing peripheral devices, memory,
secondary storage, common bus etc.,
c) Increased reliability: If we have ten processors and one fails, then each of the
remaining nine processors must pick up the share of a job and complete it. So the
system works with less speed.
There are two types of multiprocessor systems. They are symmetric and asymmetric. a)
Symmetric Multiprocessor System: In this, each processor runs an identical copy of
operating system and the processors communicate each other when they needed.

b) Asymmetric Multiprocessor System: In this, each processor has assigned a specific task
and one processor controls all the remaining.

CPU

CPU CPU ……… CPU

Memory

viii) Cluster Systems:

Like parallel systems, clustered systems gather together multiple CPUs to
accomplish computational task. Clustered systems differ from parallel systems, in that they
are composed of two or more individual systems coupled together.

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  Clustering allows two or more systems to share storage.
 Provides high reliability.
 Asymmetric clustering: one server runs the application while other servers
standby.
 Symmetric clustering: all N hosts are running the application.
ix) Real time Systems:
Real time systems are used when there is fixed time constraints on the processor
operation on data. These systems are used in scientific applications i.e., engineering,
medicine etc., Here sensors bring the data to the computer. The computer analyzes the data
and applying some process on it. So that they control the application. There are two types of
real time systems. They are hard and soft real time systems.
Hard Real time System: In this system, we have well defined fixed time constraints and
processing must be done in these constraints.
Soft Real time System: In this system, we less strength and time constraints. Here we don’t
have any deadlines.

x) Distributed Systems:
In distributed operating system, different operating systems communicate closely to
provide an illusion that there is only one operating system controls all the operating systems.

xi) Networking System:

A networking operating system is an operating system that provides features such as file
sharing across the network and all the processors are exchanging messages between them.

General Structure of Client-Server

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xii) PDA (Personal Digital Assistants):
These systems can be called as Hand Held Systems.
 Cellular telephones
 Issues:
 Limited memory
 Slow processors
 Small display screens.
Migration of Operating-System Concepts and Features

******** End of Chapter : 1 *********

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