OPERATING SYSTEM : AN

OVERVIEW

MCS-041
Block-1
Unit-1
 Topics to be covered

 Introduction to Operating System

 Goals of an Operating System

 Generations/ History of Operating Systems

 Types of Operating Systems

 Desirable Qualities of OS

 Examples of Operating System

 Functions of Operating System

 Operating System
An operating system (OS) is software that manages computer hardware and software resources

and provides common services for computer programs. The operating system is an essential

component of the system software in a computer system. Application programs usually require

an operating system to function.

Abstract view of Operating System
 Goals of Operating System

 The primary goal of an operating system is to make the computer

convenient to use.

 The secondary goal is to use the hardware in an efficient manner.

 History of Operating Systems

• First generation 1945 - 1955

– vacuum tubes, plug boards

• Second generation 1955 - 1965

– transistors, batch systems

• Third generation 1965 – 1980

– ICs and multiprogramming

• Fourth generation 1980 – present

– personal computers
 History of Operating Systems

Early batch system

– bring cards to 1401

– read cards to tape
– put tape on 7094 which does computing
– put tape on 1401 which prints output
 History of Operating Systems

Structure of a typical FMS job – 2nd generation

 History of Operating Systems

• Multiprogramming system
– three jobs in memory – 3rd generation
 Types of Operating system

Batch Processing Operating System

Real Time Operating Systems

Time Sharing Operating System

Multiprogramming Operating System

Multiprocessing Operating System

Networking Operating System

Distributed Operating System

Operating systems for Embedded Devices

 Batch Processing O/S

In a batch processing operating system environment users submit jobs to a central place
where these jobs are collected into a batch, and subsequently placed on an input queue at the
computer where they will be run. In this case, the user has no interaction with the job during
its processing, and the computer’s response time is the turnaround time the time from
submission of the job until execution is complete, and the results are ready for return to the
person who submitted the job.
 Real Time Operating System

A real-time operating system (RTOS) is an operating system (OS) intended to serve real-
time application process data as it comes in, typically without buffering delays.

There are two types of real-time operating systems.

 HARD REAL-TIME SYSTEMS

Hard real-time systems guarantee that critical tasks complete on time. In hard real-time
systems secondary storage is limited or missing with data stored in ROM. In these systems
virtual memory is almost never found.

 SOFT REAL-TIME SYSTEMS

Soft real time systems are less restrictive. Critical real-time task gets priority over other tasks
and retains the priority until it completes. Soft real-time systems have limited utility than hard
real-time systems. For example, Multimedia, virtual reality, Advanced Scientific Projects like
undersea exploration and planetary rovers etc.
Real Time Operating System
 Time sharing Operating System
Time sharing is a technique which enables many people, located at various terminals, to use a
particular computer system at the same time.

Advantages of Timesharing operating systems are following

 Provide advantage of quick response.
 Avoids duplication of software.
 Reduces CPU idle time.

Disadvantages of Timesharing operating systems are following.

 Problem of reliability.
 Question of security and integrity of user programs and data.
 Problem of data communication.
Time sharing Operating System
 Multiprogramming Operating system
A multiprogramming operating system is one that allows end-users to run more than one

program at a time. The development of such a system, the first type to allow this functionality,

was a major step in the development of sophisticated computers. The technology works by

allowing the central processing unit (CPU) of a computer to switch between two or more

running tasks when the CPU is idle.

 Multiprocessing Operating Systems

Multiprocessing is the use of two or more central processing units (CPUs) within a single

computer system. The term also refers to the ability of a system to support more than one

processor and/or the ability to allocate tasks between them.

 Distributed Operating Systems
Distributed systems use multiple central processors to serve multiple real time application
and multiple users. Data processing jobs are distributed among the processors accordingly to
which one can perform each job most efficiently.

The advantages of distributed systems are following.

 With resource sharing facility user at one site may be able to use the resources available at
another.
 Speedup the exchange of data with one another via electronic mail.
 If one site fails in a distributed system, the remaining sites can potentially continue
operating.
 Better service to the customers.
 Reduction of the load on the host computer.
 Reduction of delays in data processing.
Distributed Operating Systems
 Network operating System
Network Operating System runs on a server and provides server the capability to manage
data, users, groups, security, applications, and other networking functions.

The advantages of network operating systems are following.

 Centralized servers are highly stable.
 Security is server managed.
 Upgrades to new technologies and hardwares can be easily integrated into the system.
 Remote access to servers is possible from different locations and types of systems.

The disadvantages of network operating systems are following.

 High cost of buying and running a server.
 Dependency on a central location for most operations.
 Regular maintenance and updates are required.
Network operating System
 Desirable Qualities of Operating
System

Usability: Costs:

• Robustness • Want low cost and efficient

• Accept all valid inputs and can services.
handle them. • Low overhead. Cost of doing
• Consistency nothing should be low. E.g., idle
• Proportionality time at a terminal.
• Convenience • Low maintenance cost. System
• Powerful with high level facilities. should not require constant
attention.
 Desirable Qualities of Operating
System

Facilities: Adaptability:

• Sufficient for intended use • Changeable over time. Adapt as

needs and resources change. e.g.,
• Complete expanding memory and new
• Appropriate. devices, or new user population.

• Extendible-Extensible Adding new

facilities and features - which look
like the old ones.
 Examples of Operating Sytems

DOS (Disk Operating System) was the first widely-installed operating system for
personal computers. It is a master control program that is automatically run when you
start your personal computer (PC). It is a single-user operating system from Microsoft for
the PC. It was the first OS for the PC and is the underlying control program for Windows
3.1, 95, 98 and ME.

UNIX operating systems are used in widely-sold workstation products from Sun
Microsystems, Silicon Graphics, IBM, and a number of other companies. UNIX is
written in C. Both UNIX and C were developed by AT&T and freely distributed to
government and academic institutions. UNIX is made up of the kernel, file system and
shell (command line interface). The major shells are the Bourne shell (original), C shell
and Korn shell.
 Examples of Operating Sytems

Windows is a personal computer operating system from Microsoft. Windows contains

built-in networking, which allows users to share files and applications with each other if
their PC’s are connected to a network. Windows is supported by Microsoft, the largest
software company in the world, as well as the Windows industry at large, which includes
tens of thousands of software developers.

The Macintosh (often called “the Mac”), introduced in 1984 by Apple Computer, was the
first widely-sold personal computer with a graphical user interface (GUI). The Macintosh
has its own operating system, Mac OS which, in its latest version is called Mac OS X.
The Mac was designed to provide users with a natural, intuitively understandable, and, in
general, “user-friendly” computer interface.
 Functions of Operating System
Process Management

Memory Management

Secondary Storage Management

Input Output Management

File management

Protection

Network management

Command interpretation
Functions of Operating System
 Functions of Operating System
 Process management

The operating system is responsible for the following activities in connection with processes
management:
• The creation and deletion of both user and system processes
• The suspension and resumption of processes.
• The provision of mechanisms for process synchronization
• The provision of mechanisms for deadlock handling.

 Memory Management

The operating system is responsible for the following activities in connection with memory
management.
• Keep track of which parts of memory are currently being used and by whom.
• Decide which processes are to be loaded into memory when memory space
becomes available.
• Allocate and deallocate memory space as needed.
 Functions of Operating System
 Secondary Storage management

The operating system is responsible for the following activities in connection with disk
management:
• Free space management
• Storage allocation
• Disk scheduling.

 I/O management

The operating system is responsible for the following activities in connection to I/O
management:
• A buffer caching system
• To activate a general device driver code
• To run the driver software for specific hardware devices as and when required.
 Functions of Operating System
 File management

The operating system is responsible for the following activities in connection to the file
management:
• The creation and deletion of files.
• The creation and deletion of directory.
• The support of primitives for manipulating files and directories.
• The mapping of files onto disk storage.
• Backup of files on stable (non volatile) storage.
• Protection and security of the files.

 Protection

Protection refers to a mechanism for controlling the access of programs, processes, or users
to the resources defined by a computer controls to be imposed, together with some means of
enforcement. Protection can improve reliability by detecting latent errors at the interfaces
between component subsystems.
 Functions of Operating System
 Networking

A distributed system provides the user with access to the various resources the system
maintains. Access to a shared resource allows computation speed-up, data availability, and
reliability.

 Command Interpretation

One of the most important components of an operating system is its command interpreter.
The command interpreter is the primary interface between the user and the rest of the system.
Many commands are given to the operating system by control statements. The command
statements themselves deal with process management, I/O handling, secondary storage
management, main memory management, file system access, protection, and networking.