CS-100

Fundamentals of ICT

Operating Systems

Institute of Geographical Information

Systems
 Learning Objectives

Grasp the concepts pertaining to:

 What is an Operating Systems (OS)
 Types of OS
 Functions of OS
 System and Application Software
• System: OS and utility programs to control a computer system and
allow to use it
• Enables boot process, launches application, transfers file

• Application: Programs to perform user specific tasks on a computer

• Word processing programs, spreadsheets, playing games etc.
 System Software
System software
OS
Manages hardware, software resources, and provides services
for programs

Schedule tasks for cost allocation of processor time, mass storage,

printing, and other resources

Kernel :Program at core of OS with complete control over system

Windows, Linux, Sun, Unix etc

Network operating system

For network devices e.g. router, switch or firewall

Utility
AntiVirus
 What is an Operating System?
•Controls the general operation of a computer, and provides a way to interact with
computers and run applications

• Computer’s master control program

• A collection of programs that manages and coordinates the activities taking
place within computer
• Acts as an intermediary between the user and computer
• Kernel space: system memory where the kernel runs and provides its
services and the user is not allowed to interfere with.
• User space : Memory in which user processes run
What is an Operating System?
 Types of Operating Systems

Real-time OS

Single User/Single
Tasking
Types of OS
Single
User/Multitasking

Multi
User/Multitasking
 Real-Time Operating Systems
• Designed for real-time applications to process data as it comes
in, without buffer delays
• A time-bound system with well-defined, fixed time constraints
• Level of consistency concerns the amount of time to accept and
complete an application's task
• Embedded OS (only able to run a single application)
• Responds quickly to the user input
• Used in scientific experiments, control systems, robots, etc.
 Single-User/Single-Tasking OS
• One user works on the system
• Performs one task at a time
• For example MS-DOS and Palm OS
• Take up little space on disk
• DOS Shell : A basic GUI type file manager
 Single-User/Multitasking OS
• User performs many tasks at once
• Most common form of OS
• Windows and Macintosh
• Require expensive computers
• Tend to be complex
 Multi-User/Multitasking OS
• Permits several users to utilize the programs, concurrently
running on a single network server/computer
• Each user has a unique session
• UNIX, Linux, and VMS
• Terminal server : Single network server
• Terminal client : Software to support user sessions
 Functions of OS
• Interfacing with the users
– Provides a UI : An environment for the user to
interact with the machine
– Set of items seen on the screen of the computer
are together taken as user interface (UI)
– Either graphical or text-based
 User Interface
The most common types are:
o Graphical User Interface (GUI)
o Command Line Interface
 Graphical User Interface (GUI)
• Provides an environment with tiles, icons and/or menus
• User interacts with images through mouse/keyboard/touchscreen
• Windows, MAC OS
• Uses a mouse to control objects
• Shortcuts open programs or documents
• Open documents have additional objects
• Task switching
• Dialog boxes allow directed input
 Command Line Interface (CLI)
• Non-graphical method of interaction
• Text-only service with feedback from the OS appearing in text
• Requires knowledge of commands available on machine
• DOS, Linux, UNIX
• User types commands at a prompt
• Included in all GUIs
• Uses less memory
 OS Functions
• User Interface
• Booting/initializing the computer
• Running Programs
• Managing memory
• Device Configuration
• Managing resources and jobs
• File Management
• Hardware Management
• Sharing Information
 Booting/initializing the computer

– Startup instructions are read and executed

– Determines connected hardware and software
 Running Programs
•System call : Program with built in instructions
•The program calls on the OS to provide the requested services/information
•User opens a program by:
•clicking on an icon
•selecting the program from a menu
•or typing in an instruction at the command line
•The OS is used to run the programs
•E.g. When we click on Open tab in MS word, the files in folders are
populated
 Managing the CPU
The OS performs the sequence of steps:
• Program code is found on the storage drive
• Section of RAM is reserved for program and is allocated its data
• Program code is copied from storage into reserved space in memory
• Program counter is a register that always contains the memory
address of the next instruction execution begins
 Memory Management
The OS manages how main memory is used.

It decides:
• How memory is shared between processes
• What happens when there is not enough main
memory to get the job done
• Different processes running at the same time must
not interfere with one another
• Usage/allocation of different parts of the computer’s
memory
• Handles the transfer of data between processes
 Memory Management
• Setting aside areas in memory where data values can
be shared
• The OS uses buffering for temporary storage of data
• Data buffer : Memory storage region used to temporarily
store data while it is being moved from one place to other

• A process may output data and leave it in the buffer

• Processes can each get on with their jobs at own rate
• It is only when the buffer is full that processes will wait
 Instruction set
• A command given to a digital machine to perform an
operation on a piece of data
• Execute instructions: translate into machine code –
binary codes : activate CPU
• Instruction set: Basic set of machine level instructions
that a microprocessor is designed to execute

Examples are:
– Copy data from a memory location
– Compare two values
– Add, subtract, multiply, or divide two values
 Machine Cycle
4 basic operations:
• Fetch – obtain a program instruction or
data item from memory
• Decode - translate the instruction into
commands
• Execute - carry out the commands
• Store - write the result to memory
 Hardware Management
– OS coordinates how programs and hardware interact with each other
• Interrupts
• Interrupt Request (IRQ) - used by OS to send requests to use memory
and hardware devices attached to the computer system
• Hardware signal sent to processor that temporarily stops a running
program and allows a special program, interrupt handler, to run instead
• Used to handle events such as receiving data from a network card, key
presses, or mouse movements
– Hardware device is accessed
 Device Configuration
• Peripheral device : Auxiliary devices such as mouse or keyboard, that
connects/communicates with computer
• Protocols
• Each peripheral is programmed with its own machine code
• Rules for controlling & communicating with the device
• Device drivers
• Programs to manage connections with peripherals
• Handles the translation of requests between a device and the computer
• Defines where a process must put outgoing data before it can be sent, and
where incoming messages will be stored when they are received
• wakes up the dev. when it is needed and put it back to sleep when it is not
 Device Configuration
– Most OS are designed to detect new hardware and configure
it automatically
– An OS will have generic device drivers to enable it to connect
to most common peripherals
– Device drivers are often needed, can be reinstalled
– Plug and play devices are recognized automatically
– Some peripherals, use their own drivers, need to be installed
– Peripherals with same protocol may be controlled by same driver
 Managing resources and jobs
– Makes resources available for devices
– Monitors for problems etc.
– Program malfunctions:
– Most OS close only the program causing the
problem, rather than requiring full system reboot
 File Management
– Manages information storage and retrieval
– Keeps track of files stored in computer
– Folders can be created/nested
– Hierarchal Format
– Storage devices work
consistently
 Data Sharing
• Object linking & embedding (OLE) :Microsoft technology
to facilitate the sharing of application data and objects
written in different formats from multiple sources
• Linking establishes a connection between two objects,
and embedding facilitates application data insertion
• Used for application data transfer via drag-and-drop and
clipboard operations
• Utilities
• Common Operating Systems
 Enhancing an OS

• Utilities
o Enhance or extend the operating system’s capabilities
o Offer new features not provided by the OS itself.
o With every OS improvement and updation,
functionality of popular utilities is included with the
subsequent releases of the OS
 Utilities: Backup software
o Regular backup plan is important for small business to
handles people's personal information
o Lets you choose : which data should be stored, how,
where, and whether it should be encrypted for extra
security and recovering your data after a disaster
o Archives files onto removable media
o Ensures data integrity
o Most OS incl. backup package
o Third party packages
o EaseUS, Google Backup etc
 Utilities: Anti-virus software

o Finds, blocks and removes viruses

o Must be updated regularly
 Utilities: Firewall
o Protects computer from intruders
o Makes computer invisible to hackers
o Cisco : hardware firewalls
o Examples include ZoneAlarm Free Firewall, TinyWall
 Utilities: Intrusion detection
• Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) : response to increasing
frequency of attacks on networks

• Inspects host configuration files for risky settings, password files

for suspect passwords and other areas to detect violations that
could prove dangerous to the network

o Records suspicious activities/attacks, report them to administrator

o Similar to a firewall, but in addition to guarding against attacks

from outside the network
o Identifies suspicious activity and attacks from within the system
 Utilities: Intrusion detection
• Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) : recognizes and responds to
known threats, following a large body of criteria

• IDS shows you what is happening, while an IPS acts on known

threats

• Often part of a firewall package

• Announces attempts to breach security

• Examples :Snort, Bro IDS, Prelude OSS, Malware Defender

 Utilities: Screen savers
o Computer settings to automatically turn off display –
saves energy, reduces electricity, increases battery life
o Examples (screensaver makers) : Axialis Software,
Ultra Screen Saver Maker
Common Operating Systems
 Disk Operating System (DOS)

 Non-GUI OS.
 1980’s-1990’s
 Not used any more…
 Windows NT

• Successor to DOS
• Used for workstations and network servers.
• Used in architectural firms, audio video
production houses.
 Windows

Series of OS designed by Microsoft.

• Use graphical user interface.
• Support multitasking and multiple user.
• First version:Windows1.0(1985)
 MAC OS
Apple Corporation’s registered OS
• Easy working environment.
• Great graphical features.
• Safer than Windows=> Less viruses
• First version : Mac System 1(1984)
 UNIX

• Multitasking, multi-user OS
• Used in mainframe computers, super-computers &
workstations.
• Possesses greater processing power than Windows.
• For serving the Web
• Greater built-in security features
 Solaris
• A Unix-based OS originally developed by Sun
Microsystems
• Multi-user multi-tasking OS
• For server and workstations
• First version : Solaris1 (1991)
 Linux
• An open-source, multi-user OS
• For servers, mainframe computers & supercomputers
• First version : Linux (1992)
 Android
• A Linux-based OS for mobile devices

• Developed by Google

• First version : Android1.0 (2008)

Thanks