Week 5 Final Blog

Final Blog

Megan Bush

CPT304 Operating Systems Theory & Design

Dr. Cemal Tepe

Submission Date: 03 June 2023

 

            Operating systems (OS) are a collaboration of features in a system that manages and control computing devices such as computers, tablets, smartphones, web servers, and other such devices. The OS allows users to manage these systems without the need to understand a coding language, meaning that it is very user-focused. The operating system's main function is the regulation of program execution and administration of the software side of the computer. Today there are many types of operating systems such as Windows, Apple macOS, and Linux to name a few and each one works in a similar way when it comes to the OS. The main features and structures of the contemporary OS include processor management, file management, booting, device management, error detection, security, and coordination between the user and other software.

            Processor management in operating systems is a function that manages the allocation of resources to process in an efficient way. The file management feature is the most common and critical feature of the operating system as it is used to manage computer files. The operating system is in charge of all the files within the system. Booting is the process that starts the computer system and runs certain instructions within the ROM to configure all hardware and software when the computer is turned on (Silberschatz et al., 2014). Device management within OS is the control of devices connected to the computer through drivers. This function is also known as the input/output management which is responsible for all the devices. The error detection and security of the OS is another very important function as it helps protect the OS from both internal and external threats.

            Operating systems enable processes to share and exchange information by using the process management function. A process can be defined as an execution unit where a program runs. The operating system helps the user create, execute, and terminate processes that are in use by the CPU. The sharing and exchange of information within the operating system can be brought down to the process control block which is also called the task control block. All information is put into a process state, which then moves it to a CPU scheduler to enable the program to be processed (Alrashid, 2021).

            Main memory is a nonvolatile storage unit that is closest to the computer’s microprocessor. The main memory solves memory management issues by addressing the logical address, relative address, and physical address. Figure 1 shows how the main memory works with memory management through the different addresses.

Figure 1

The main memory or CPU can calculate a re-locatable address of this variable relative to the module memory address space.

            Virtual memory extends the main memory to secondary memory such as a solid slate drive (SSD) or hard drive (HDD). Expanding the memory into a secondary memory device adds more complexity and hardware to the system affecting its performance. This helps memory management and OS control how information is stored and retrieved and divides data up into different sections. Having a function such as memory management like this can provide an environment for mass storage and helps to manage media servers and data centers. A redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) can be configured on a system with multiple HDDs to either provide faster access times and transfer speeds or provide redundancy in case one HDD fails.

            Files, mass storage, and I/Os are handled in modern computer systems through the operating system. Today mass storage is measured in gigabytes and terabytes due to technological advancements the amount of data that can be stored has gone up. The operating system takes the drivers from all of the mass storage devices, which at times can be external devices (I/O), and allows those drivers to be configured into the computer system.

            Mechanisms such as firewalls and access control lists are ways that programs or users are allowed to control access to a computer system. Firewalls keep malicious or corrupted code, programs, or viruses from accessing the computer system. Access control lists are used to give permissions to certain users so they can only access the correct areas of the system.

            I will use these concepts about operating systems in the future to try and optimize the overall functions of the computer systems within my own work center. With this new knowledge, I can optimize print servers to allow more jobs to get done more efficiently. File management in operating systems to organize the files and only allow personnel access to the folders they require. Increasing security will keep the operating system safe and secure.
References:

Alrashid , S. Z. (2021). Process Management - University of Babylon. University of Babylon. https://www.uobabylon.edu.iq/eprints/publication_11_2045_44.pdf

Silberschatz, A., Galvin, P. B., & Gagne, G. (2014). Operating system concepts essentials (2nd ed.). Retrieved from https://redshelf.com/