NAME: JAMES NJUGUNA MUSYOKA

ADM: BITC01/0011/2018

UNIT: DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS BCIT 3264

YEAR: 3 SEM 2

1. Differentiate between time-sharing, parallel processing, network and distributes

operating
systems?

Time-Sharing Operating Systems is one of the important type of operating system.

Time-sharing
enables many people, located at various terminals, to use a particular computer
system at the same
time. Multitasking or Time-Sharing Systems is a logical extension of
multiprogramming.

Parallel processing is Parallel Processing Systems are designed to speed up the

execution of programs
by dividing the program into multiple fragments and processing these fragments
simultaneously. Such
systems are multiprocessor systems also known as tightly coupled systems. Parallel
systems deal with
the simultaneous use of multiple computer resources that can include a single
computer with multiple
processors, several computers connected by a network to form a parallel processing
cluster or a
combination of both.

The main difference between these two operating systems

(Network Operating System and Distributed Operating System) is that in network
operating system each
node or system can have its own operating system on the other hand in distribute
operating system
each node or system have same operating system which is opposite to the network
operating system.

2. In what respect are distributed computing systems better than parallel

processing systems?

- In parallel computing multiple processors performs multiple tasks assigned to

them simultaneously.
Memory in parallel systems can either be shared or distributed. Parallel computing
provides
concurrency and saves time and money.

In parallel computing environments, the number of processors you can add is

restricted.
This is because the bus connecting the processors and the memory can handle a
limited
number of connections. There are limitations on the number of processors that the
bus
connecting them and the memory can handle. This limitation makes the parallel
systems less scalable.

Distributed computing environments are more scalable. This is because the computers

are connected over the network and communicate by passing messages.

In systems implementing parallel computing, all the processors share the same
memory.

They also share the same communication medium and network. The processors
communicate
with each other with the help of shared memory.

Distributed systems, on the other hand, have their own memory and processors.

- In parallel systems, all the processes share the same master clock for
synchronization.
Since all the processors are hosted on the same physical system, they do not need
any
synchronization algorithms.

In distributed systems, the individual processing systems do not have access to any

central clock. Hence, they need to implement synchronization algorithms

- Parallel computing is often used in places requiring higher and faster processing

power. For example, supercomputers.

Since there are no lags in the passing of messages, these systems have high speed
and
efficiency.

Distributed computing is used when computers are located at different geographical

locations.

In these scenarios, speed is generally not a crucial matter. They are the preferred

choice when scalability is required.

4. Discuss the main guiding principles that a distributed operating system designer
must keep
in mind for good performance of the system?

1. Transparency: One main aim of DOS is to display the existence of multiple

computers as invisible
and provide a single system image to users.

2. Reliability: This is possible in DOS due to the existence of multiple instances

of resources.
A fault may occur generating an error. System failures could either be fail-stop
where system stops
functioning after changing to a state in which a failure can be detected or
Byzantine failure where
system continues to function but produces wrong results.
3. Flexibility: allows the following to be achieved:

i. Ease of modification – incorporating changes in a user-transparent manner or

with minimum
interruption on users.
ii. Ease of enhancements – e.g. adding new functionalities from time to time
to make it more powerful and easy to use.

4. 4. What are the major issues of designing a Distributed OS?

(i) Heterogenety - The Internet enables users to access services and run
applications over
a heterogeneous collection of computers and networks.Internet consists of many
different
sorts of network their differences are masked by the fact that all of the computers
attached
to them use the Internet protocols to communicate with one another.For eg., a
computer
attached to an Ethernet has an implementation of the Internet protocols over the
Ethernet,
whereas a computer on a different sort of network will need an implementation of
the Internet
protocols for that network.

(ii) Security - Many of the information resources that are made available and
maintained
in distributed systems have a high intrinsic value to their users.Their security is
therefore
of considerable importance.
Security for information resources has three components: confidentiality,
integrity,
and availability.

(iii) Scalability - Distributed systems operate effectively and efficiently at

many
different scales, ranging from a small intranet to the Internet. A system is
described
as scalable if it will remain effective when there is a significant increase in the

number of resources and the number of users.

(iv) Cocurrency - Both services and applications provide resources that can be
shared
by clients in a distributed system. There is therefore a possibility that several
clients will attempt to access a shared resource at the same time. Object that
represents
a shared resource in a distributed system must be responsible for ensuring that it
operates
correctly in a concurrent environment.

(v) Transparency - Transparency can be achieved at two different levels. Easiest

to do
is to hide the distribution from the users. The concept of transparency can be
applied to
several aspects of a distributed system.

5. What is the major difference between Network OD and Distributed OS?

- Network Operating System’s main objective is to provide the local services to
remote client while
Distributed Operating System’s main objective is to manage the hardware resources.
- In Network Operating System, Communication takes place on the basis of files
while In
Distributed Operating System, Communication takes place on the basis of messages
and shared memory.
- Network Operating System is more scalable than Distributed Operating System while

Distributed Operating System is less scalable than Network Operating System.

- Rate of autonomy in Network Operating System is high while While The rate of
autonomy in Distributed Operating System is less.
- Ease of implementation in Network Operating System is also high while While in
Distributed
Operating System Ease of implementation is less.

6. Why is scalability an important feature in the design of a distributed OS?

Discuss the
guiding principles for designing a scalable distributed system?

-Scalability is an essential component of enterprise software. Prioritizing it from

the
start leads to lower maintenance costs, better user experience, and higher agility.
A system is considered scalable when it doesn’t need to be redesigned to maintain
effective
performance during or after a steep increase in workload.
“Workload” could refer to simultaneous users, storage capacity, the maximum number
of transactions
handled, or anything else that pushes the system past its original capacity.
Scalability isn’t a basic requirement of a program in that unscalable software can
run well with
limited capacity.