DFC10103

OPERATING SYSTEM
TOPIC 1 : INTRODUCTION TO OPERATING SYSTEM
[PART 1]
OBJECTIVES
• Define operating system
• Identify basic functions of operating system
• Describe various type of operating system structure
• Describe various architecture of operating system
• Identify concepts in relation to operating system
• Describe the components of operating system
• Describe the relationship between system calls and API
OPERATING SYSTEM (OS)
Operating System (OS) is one of the core software programs that runs on the
hardware and makes it usable for the user to interact with the hardware so that
they can send commands (input) and receive results (output). It provides a
consistent environment for other software to execute commands.
So we can say that the OS acts at the centre through which the system
hardware, other software's, and the user communicate.
OPERATING SYSTEM (OS)
The following figure shows the basic working of the operating system and how it
utilizes different hardware or resources.
BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE OS
The key five basic functions of any operating system are as following:
1. Interface between the user and the hardware : An OS provides an
interface between user and machine. This interface can be a graphical user
interface (GUI) in which users click onscreen elements to interact with the OS
or a command-line interface (CLI) in which users type commands at the
command-line interface (CLI) to tell the OS to do things.
BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE OS
2. Coordinate hardware components :An OS enables coordination of
hardware components. Each hardware device speaks a different language,
but the operating system can talk to them through the specific translational
software's called device drivers. Every hardware component has different
drivers for Operating systems. These drivers make the communication
successful between the other software's and the hardware.
BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE OS
3. Provide environment for software to function: An OS provides an
environment for software applications to function. An application software is
a specific software which is used to perform specific task. In GUI operating
systems such as Windows and mac OS, applications run within a consistent,
graphical desktop environment.
4. Provide structure for data management : An OS displays
structure/directories for data management. We can view file and folder
listings and manipulate on those files and folders like (move, copy, rename,
delete, and many others).
BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE OS
5. Monitor system health and functionality: OS monitors the health of our
system’s hardware, giving us an idea of how well (or not) it’s performing.
We can see how busy our CPU is, or how quickly our hard drives retrieve
data, or how much data our network card is sending etc. and it also
monitors system activity for malware.
TYPES OF OS STRUCTURE
1. SIMPLE STRUCTURE
• Operating systems such as MS-DOS and the original UNIX did not have well-defined
structures.
• There was no CPU Execution Mode (user and kernel), and so errors in applications could
cause the whole system to crash.
TYPES OF OS STRUCTURE
2. MONOLITHIC APPROACH
• Functionality of the OS is invoked with simple function calls within the kernel, which is one
large program.
• Device drivers are loaded into the running kernel and become part of the kernel.
TYPES OF OS STRUCTURE
3. LAYERED APPROACH
• This allows implementers to change the inner workings, and increases modularity.
• As long as the external interface of the routines don’t change, developers have more
freedom to change the inner workings of the routines.
• With the layered approach, the bottom layer is the hardware, while the highest layer is
the user interface.
• The main advantage is simplicity of construction and debugging.
• The main difficulty is defining the various layers.
• The main disadvantage is that the OS tends to be less efficient than other implementations.
 The Microsoft Windows NT Operating System.
The lowest level is a monolithic kernel, but many OS components
are at a higher level, but still part of the OS.
TYPES OF OS STRUCTURE
4. MICROKERNELS
This structures the operating system by removing all nonessential portions of the kernel and
implementing them as system and user level programs.
• Generally they provide minimal process and memory management, and a
communications facility.
• Communication between components of the OS is provided by message passing.
The benefits of the microkernel are as follows:
• Extending the operating system becomes much easier.
• Any changes to the kernel tend to be fewer, since the kernel is smaller.
• The microkernel also provides more security and reliability.
Main disadvantage is poor performance due to increased system overhead from message
passing.
TYPES OF OS STRUCTURE
5. NETWORK / DISTRIBUTED
• A networked OS is aware that it is connected to the network
• Every node has an OS running
• Every node manages the resources at that node
 General structure of distributed system as General structure of multicomputer operating
middleware system

DISTRIBUTED
• Users not aware of multiplicity of machines.
• Looks to the user like a centralized OS
• But operates on multiple independent CPUs
• Presents users with a virtual uniprocessor