Chapter 1: Introduction

What is an Operating System?

Mainframe Systems
Desktop Systems
Multiprocessor Systems
Distributed Systems
Clustered System
Real -Time Systems
Handheld Systems
Computing Environments
 Computer System Components
A computer system can be divided roughly into four
components:
 Hardware: provides basic computing resources (CPU,
memory, I/O devices)
 Operating system: controls and coordinates the use of
the hardware among the various application programs
for the various users.
 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).
 Users: people, machines, other computers.
 Abstract View of System
Components

Operating System Concepts

 Introduction
What is an Operating system?

• A program that acts as an intermediary between

a user of a computer and the computer
hardware.
• Operating system goals:
– Execute user programs.
– Make the computer system convenient to use.
– Use the computer hardware in an efficient manner.
 What Operating Systems Do?
• Depends on the point of view
• Users want convenience, ease of use and good performance
• Don’t care about resource utilization
• But shared computer such as mainframe or minicomputer must keep all
users happy
• Users of dedicate systems such as workstations have dedicated resources
but frequently use shared resources from servers
• Handheld computers are resource poor, optimized for usability and
battery life
• Some computers have little or no user interface, such as embedded
computers in devices and automobiles
 Operating System Definitions
• OS can be viewed as:

- A resource allocator which acts as a manager of computer

resources (hardware and software) and allocates them to
specific programs and users as necessary for tasks.

- A control program which controls the execution of user

programs and operations of I/O devices to prevent errors and
improper use of the computer.
 Operating Systems Definition (Cont.)
• “The one program running at all times on the
computer” is the kernel.

• Everything else is either

 a system program (ships with the operating system) ,
or
 an application program.
Computer Startup
 Mainframe Systems

 Multi-programmed Systems
 Time-Sharing Systems
 Memory Layout for a Simple System

Operating System Concepts

 Multiprogrammed Systems
Several jobs are kept in main memory at the same time, and the
CPU is multiplexed among them.

Operating System Concepts

 Multi-programmed Systems
• Increase the CPU utilization by organizing jobs
such that the CPU has always one to execute.
• Provide an environment where the various
system resources (e.g. CPU, memory.
Peripheral devices) are utilized effectively.
• The operating system keeps several jobs in
memory at a time. This set of jobs is a subset
of jobs kept in the job pool.
 OS Features Needed for Multiprogramming

• I/O routine supplied by the system.

• Memory management – the system
must allocate the memory to several
jobs.
• CPU scheduling – the system must
choose among several jobs ready to
run.
• Allocation of devices.

Operating System Concepts

 Time-Sharing Systems – Interactive Computing

• Time sharing, or multitasking is alogical extension of

multiprogramming. In order to obtain reasonable
response time, several jobs must be kept
simultaneously in memory.
• The CPU is multiplexed among several jobs that are
kept in memory and on disk (the CPU is allocated to a
job only if the job is in memory).
• Process is a program loaded into memory and is
executing.
• A job swapped in and out of memory to the disk.

Operating System Concepts

 Time-Sharing Systems
• A time-shared operating system allows the many users to
share the computer simultaneously.
• It uses CPU scheduling and multiprogramming to provide
each user with a small portion of a time-shared computer.
• Each user has at least one separate program (process) in
memory.
• More complex than are multiprogrammed OS.
 Computer System Architecture
• Personal computers – computer system dedicated
to a single user.
• I/O devices – keyboards, mice, display screens,
small printers.
• User convenience and responsiveness.
• The goal of these systems is maximizing user
convenience and responsiveness, instead of
maximizing CPU and peripheral utilization.
• May run several different types of operating
systems (Windows, MacOS, UNIX, Linux)

Operating System Concepts

 Computer System Architecture (Cont.)
Multiprocessor Systems
• Multiprocessors systems growing in use and importance
• Multiprocessor systems with more than one CPU in close communication.
• Also known as parallel systems, tightly-coupled where processors share memory
and a clock; communication usually takes place through the shared memory.

• Advantages include:
 Increased throughput
 Economy of scale
 Increased reliability – graceful degradation or fault tolerance
(Graceful degradation is the ability to continue providing service proportional to the
level of surviving hardware)

• Two types:
 Asymmetric Multiprocessing – each processor is assigned a specie task.
 Symmetric Multiprocessing – each processor performs all tasks

Operating System Concepts

 Multiprocessor Systems (Cont.)
• Symmetric multiprocessing (SMP)
– Each processor runs an identical copy of the operating system,
and these copies communicate with one another as needed.
– Many processes can run at once without performance
deterioration.
– Most modern operating systems support SMP

• Asymmetric multiprocessing
– Master-slave relationship
– Each processor is assigned a specific task; master processor
schedules and allocates work to slave processors.
– More common in extremely large systems

Operating System Concepts

Symmetric Multiprocesser Architecture
(Multi-Core Design)
Asymmetric Multiprocessing Architecture
(Multi-Core Design)
 Distributed Systems
• Distribute the computation among several
physical processors.
• Loosely coupled system – each processor has its
own local memory and a clock; processors
communicate with one another through various
communications lines, such as high-speed buses
or telephone lines.
• Advantages of distributed systems.
– Resources Sharing
– Computation speed up – load sharing
– Reliability
– Communications
Operating System Concepts
 Distributed Systems (cont)
• Requires networking infrastructure.
• Local area networks (LAN) or Wide area networks
(WAN)
• May be either client-server or peer-to-peer systems.
• The processors in a distributed system may vary in
size and function (e.g. Small microprocessors,
workstations, minicomputers, and large general-
purpose computer systems).
• Processors are referred to by a number of different
names, such as sites, nodes, computers, ...

Operating System Concepts

 General Structure of Client-Server

Operating System Concepts

 Clustered Systems
• 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.

Operating System Concepts

 Real-Time Systems
• Special purpose operating system.
• Often used as a control device in a dedicated
application such as controlling scientific
experiments, medical imaging systems,
industrial control systems, and some display
systems.
• Well-defined fixed-time constraints.
• Real-Time systems may be either hard or soft
real-time.

Operating System Concepts

 Real-Time Systems
• Hard real-time systems:
- Guarantees that critical tasks complete on time.
- Secondary storage of any sort is usually limited or missing
- Data instead being stored in short-term memory, or in read-only
memory (ROM).
- Most advanced OS features are absent too (e.g. Virtual memory).
- Used in industrial control and robotics.
• Soft real-time systems:
- critical real-time task gets priority over other tasks, and retains that
priority until it completes.
- Used in several areas (e.g. Multimedia, virtual reality)
 Handheld Systems
• Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)
• Cellular telephones
• Issues:
– Limited memory
– Slow processors
– Small display screens.

Operating System Concepts

The End