UNIT 1

INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW OF

OPERATING SYSTEMS

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Abstract Views of an Operating

System
Goals of an OS
Operation of an OS

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Abstract Views of an Operating

System

What is an OS?
Abstract views
To a college student: SW that permits access to the
Internet
To a programmer: SW that makes it possible to develop
programs on a computer system
To a user of an application package: SW that makes it
possible to use the package
To a technician in a computerized chemical plant:
invisible component of a computer system that controls
the plant

An abstract view focuses only on essential

characteristics
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Abstract Views of an Operating

System (continued)

Operating system designer also has an

abstract view

OS is a collection of routines that facilitates execution

of user programs and use of resources
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Abstract views

We use abstract views to present design of

OS components. It has two benefits:
Managing complexity
Abstract view contains only selected features of a
system

Presenting a generic view

For example, user interface has many variants in
practice
Command line interface
Graphical user interface (GUI)

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Abstract views

Logical and physical organization

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Goals of an OS

Fundamental goals of an operating system

1) Efficient use of computer resources
2) User convenience
3) Noninterference in the activities of its users

When these goals conflict, designer makes

a trade-off for
)Efficient use
)User convenience

Notion of effective utilization

)Each OS provides a different flavor of
effectiveness
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Efficient Use

OS ensures efficient use of memory, CPU, and

I/O devices
Poor efficiency can result if a program does not use a
resource allocated to it

OS itself consumes CPU and memory

resources, which constitutes overhead
It reduces resources for user programs

OS can monitor use of resources to ensure

efficiency
It would increase the overhead

OS uses policies that ensure efficiency

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User Convenience

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Noninterference

User can face interference in computational

activities
Program execution or operation of OS can be
disrupted by actions of other persons
OS prevents interference by allocating resources for
exclusive use of programs and OS services, and
preventing illegal accesses to resources

Illegal file access

OS knows which user files can be accessed by whom
Achieved through authorization

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Operation of an OS

Principal functions of OS:

Program management
Resource management
Security and protection

Concern
Programs

Resources

Scheduling
Protection

OS responsibility
Initiation and termination of programs.
Providing convenient methods so that
several programs can work towards a
common goal.
Ensuring availability of resources in the
system
and allocating them to
programs.
Deciding when and for how long, to
devote the CPU to a program.
Protect data and programs against
interference from other users and their
programs.
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Operation of an OS
(continued)

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Program Management

OS can interleave execution of programs on

a fast CPU
Scheduling decides which program should be
given the CPU at any time
Policy influences efficient CPU use and user service
Preemption: Taking away the CPU from a program

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Resource Management

Resource allocations and deallocations can

be done with a resource table
Entry: name, address and status of a resource unit
Constructed by the boot procedure, maintained
during operation

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Resource Management
(continued)

Popular resource allocation strategies:

Resource partitioning
OS decides a priori what resources to allocate to
each user program; divides system resources into
partitions
A resource partition is a collection of resources

Resource table contains entries for partitions

Simple to implement, but lacks flexibility

Pool-based
OS allocates resources from a pool of resources
Consults table and allocates the resource if it is free

Less overhead of allocating and deallocating

resources
Achieves more efficient use of resources
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Resource Management
(continued)

A virtual resource is a fictitious resource

Abstract view of a resource taken by a program
Supported by OS through use of a real resource
Same real resource may support several virtual
ones
Started with the use of virtual devices
E.g., a print server

Provides effect of having more resources

Most OSs provide virtual memory
May execute a program bigger than size of RAM

Some OSs create virtual machines

Each virtual machine can be allocated to a user
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Security and Protection

Security counters threats of interference or

illegal use posed by persons/programs
outside OS control
Authentication: only registered user can use a
computer system

Protection counters threats posed by users

of an OS
Memory protection is a HW feature used by OS to
thwart disruption of programs and OS services
Authorization thwarts interference with files

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Security and Protection

(continued)

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Security and Protection

(continued)

Intruders are outsiders who can cause

interference
May use or create malicious programs
Trojan horses
Viruses
Worms

Methods of addressing security threats

Authentication techniques
Plugging security holes
Internet firewalls

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