International University, School of Computer Science

VNU-HCMC & Engineering

IT101- Introduction to Computing

Lect. 3: Operating Systems

Fall 2016

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Operating Systems
3.1 The History of Operating Systems
3.2 Operating System Architecture
3.3 Coordinating the Machine’s Activities
3.4 Handling Competition Among Processes
3.5 Security

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3.1 The History of
Operating Systems

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Functions of Operating
Systems
Oversee operation of computer
Store and retrieve files
Schedule programs for execution
Coordinate the execution of programs

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History of Operating Systems
 job - an execution of a program
 job queue – jobs are organized in first-in first out (FIFO) fashion

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Evolution of Shared
Computing
Batch processing
Interactive processing
o Requires real-time processing

Time-sharing/Multitasking
o Implemented by Multiprogramming

Multiprocessor machines

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Batch processing

Computer operator

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Interactive processing
Remote user at
a terminal

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Multiuser, time-sharing OS
Central computer

job
job
job
job

workstation workstation

workstation workstation

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Operator Sys. Admin.
Overseeing the installation of new hardware & software
Enforcing regulations
o Issuing new accounts
o Establishing mass storage space limits

Resolving problems

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New problems
Load balancing
o dynamically allocating tasks to various processors

Scaling
o breaking tasks into subtasks compatible with the number of processors

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3.2 Operating System
Architecture

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Types of Software
Application software
o Performs specific tasks for users
o Eg. spreadsheets, database systems, desktop publishing systems,
accounting systems, program development software, and games etc.

System software
o Perform common tasks to computer systems in general
o Provides infrastructure for application software
o Consists of operating system and utility software
o Utility software extends the capabilities of operating system
◦ eg. format disks, burn CD/DVDs, compress/decompress data, play multimedia
presentations, handle network communication

Distinction between application s/w and utility s/w can be vague

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Mac OS Utilities

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Software classification

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Operating System
Components
User Interface: Communicates with users
◦ Text based (Shell), e.g. Bourne shell, Bash shell, C shell, and Korn
shell
◦ Graphical user interface (GUI), e.g. GNOME, KDE , Unity, etc.

Kernel: Performs basic required functions

◦ File manager
◦ Device drivers
◦ Memory manager
◦ Scheduler and dispatcher

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Mac OS Terminal (shell)

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Linux’s Window Manager
User can select different GUIs
o E.g. GNOME and KDE for Linux

KDE

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The user interface act as an intermediary
between users and the operating system kernel

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Kernel
Perform very basic functions
o File manager
o Device drivers
o Memory manger
o Scheduler
o Dispatcher

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File Manager
Coordinate the uses of mass storage facilities
Directory (or Folder): A user-created bundle of files and other
directories (subdirectories)
Directory Path: A sequence of directories within directories

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Memory Manager
Allocates space in main memory
May create the illusion that the machine has more memory than
it actually does (virtual memory) by shifting blocks of data
(pages) back and forth between main memory and mass storage

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Getting it Started
(Bootstrapping = booting)
Boot loader: Program in ROM (example of firmware)
◦ Run by the CPU when power is turned on
◦ Transfers operating system from mass storage to main memory
◦ Executes jump to operating system boot
loader

ROM Program
Mass storage counter

OS
Main
memory

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The booting process

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3.3 Coordinating the
Machine’s Activities

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 Processes
Scheduler & Dispatcher handle the execution of processes
Process: a running program
Process State: Current status of the running program including
o Program counter
o General purpose registers
o Related portion of main memory

Process
Scheduler table
Dispatcher
Users’ Job1
CPU
programs Job3
Job5
Job2
…

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Process Administration
Scheduler: Adds new processes to the process table, removes
completed processes from the process table, and assigns priority
to processes
o ready state
o waiting state

Dispatcher: Controls the allocation of time slices to the

processes in the process table
o The end of a time slice is signaled by an interrupt
o Procedure of changing one process to another is called process
switch or context switch
o interrupt handler handles interrupts

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Time-sharing between
process A and process B

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3.4 Handling Competition for
Resources
Semaphore: A “control flag”
o test-and-set instruction

Critical Region: A group of instructions that should be executed

by only one process at a time
Mutual exclusion: Requirement for proper implementation of a
critical region

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Deadlock
Processes block each other from continuing
Conditions required for deadlock
1. Competition for non-sharable resources
2. Resources requested on a partial basis
3. An allocated resource can not be forcibly retrieved

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A deadlock resulting from competition for
non-shareable railroad intersections

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Security
Attacks from outside
◦ Problems
◦ Insecure passwords
◦ Sniffing software
◦ Counter measures
◦ Auditing software

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Security (continued)
Attacks from within
◦ Problem: Unruly processes
◦ Counter measures: Control process activities via privileged modes and
privileged instructions

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