OS Concept Map Final Project
Anthony
Dulin
CPT304:
Operating Systems Theory and Design
Instructor: Nelson Stewart
3/02/2022
Introduction
Today's world of advanced Operating Systems (OS) like
Microsoft's Windows 10 and 11, along with Apple's macOS and Linux's MX Linux, have
become mainstays in business, classrooms, and the home. They are the divers of
industrial machinery and the keepers of applications that maintain our special
memories and meaningful projects. Teams of Computer Scientists have
meticulously written the inner workings of these ubiquitous programs. Protocol
coupled with technology has advanced these programs beyond the expectations of
the original designers to the extent that these programs have become nearly
autonomous. This paper will primarily focus on the following topics:
·
Features and structure
of contemporary operating systems
·
Threads and process
synchronization
·
Memory management
·
File systems
·
Mass storage
·
I/O
·
Security and
protection (Silberschatz, 2014).
Features and Structures of Contemporary
Operating Systems
Operating Systems work
on principles of design that are common to most modern produced OSs but not to all
– most often written as proprietary code - some are open-sourced and
manipulated by any user with the knowledge to do so. The Kernel, which sits at
the heart of an OS, constantly operates while the computer is running. It
communicates with several components such as the Daemon, Input/Output
components, Middleware (firmware), and the User interface. The Daemon runs in
the background after the Kernel is loaded and executes sets of instructions not
handled by the Kernel (Silberschatz, 2014).
Threads
and Process Synchronization
Kernel-Level and User-Level
Thread Synchronizations are a part of "flow control within a process."
(Silberschatz, 2014). Instances of events generate
signals which are then delivered to processes and eventually handled by either
the default signal handler or the user-defined signal handler. Silberschatz, (2014).
Page184.
Memory Management
An often-overlooked portion of Operating System operations is Memory
management, the function of an OS to call upon memory components to produce the
user's desired result. Memory consists of Cache (onboard the processor), Random
Access Memory (RAM), and Hard disk drives (HDD). The two types of drives are Solid
State Drives comprised of digital electronic components that have no moving
parts. The other drives are those having spinning plates to which data is
stored. These plates are spun at high speeds and are read and written to using
read/write heads attached to drive arms that sweep across the disks to specific
locations called out by the Operating system. Base and Limiting registers,
which the OS can only load, rendering users unable to change register content.
Instead, the OS has full access to both types of memories to ensure the
integrity of the data.
Compile, load, and execution times are parts of a process that lead
to successful completion. The Compile time is the part of the process where the
Absolute code is derived, while load time is the duration of time it takes to
complete that process. If a relocatable code gets generated, the compile-time is
unknown. Execution time is the duration of time it takes to run an operation. Silberschatz,
(2014).
Mass Storage
Mass storage devices, also known as Hard Disk Drives (HDD), are
at the heart of any computer; they are the tools that keep data safe and
retrievable. However, some of these devices are more robust than others. Drives
are divided into two distinct types; modern mass storage devices can store large
amounts of data, sometimes at terabyte levels. Solid State Drives are storage
devices entirely devoid of moving parts that benefit the user with fast boot
and retrieval speeds. They are also less likely to crash, especially accidental
drops or faulty drive arms.
File System
A File system is the means of accessing disks to allow storage,
location, and data retrieval. There are n-disk and in-memory structures that may
contain vital information, such as the Booting the computer from the Boot
Control Block. (Silberschatz, (2014)). The size and number of drive partitions are
found in the Volume Control block. A Control File control Clock consists of
permissions, file dates, the Access Control List, the size of the file, and data
blocks and functions. Silberschatz, (2014). Creating a file is done by making a
system call from the application program. The directory is read to memory
locations and updated with new file names written to the disk. Silberschatz, (2014).
Security and Protection
Businesses, schools, and home networks all share a common need –
the need to be free of malicious and even inadvertent intrusions into their
systems. The internet has provided a means for threat actors worldwide access
to even the most obscure networks, which has drawn consternation from the
network owners. Security: defined as ensuring the authentication of a system
user to protect the integrity of information stored in the system. Silberschatz,
(2014). This definition acknowledges that any user can be a threat if they lose
their credentials to access the network or any of its components.
Conclusion
Operating Systems such as Linux, Mac OS, and Windows have made
business, home, and schools more productive in that processing information is more
accessible due to systems organized by Operating Systems. These OSs give the means
to store, share and retrieve files created by the user and manage system
protection and security. As an alternative to Command-Line Interfaces (CLI),
the Operating System makes work less difficult for the average user with Graphical
User Interfaces (GUI) that often make tedious chores less labor-intensive.
Final Concept Map.drawio - diagrams.net
References
Silberschatz, A., Galvin, P.
B., & Gagne, G. (2014). Operating system
concepts essentials (2nd
ed.). Retrieved from https://redshelf.com/
