Learning Objectives
5 objectives- Understand the fundamental concepts and roles of operating systems.
- Trace the historical development and evolution of operating systems.
- Analyze the internal structure and components of operating systems.
- Explain core management functions including processes, memory, files, and I/O.
- Evaluate security, networking, and real-time operating system principles.
Content Outline
PreviewUnit 594: Operating Systems Fundamentals
1. Introduction to Operating Systems
- Definition and purpose of operating systems
- Roles in managing computer hardware and software resources
- Types of operating systems:
- Batch, Time-sharing, Distributed, Real-time, Mobile OS
- Examples of popular operating systems (Windows, Linux, macOS, Android)
2. History of Operating Systems
- Early computing and mainframe systems
- Key milestones:
- Batch processing systems
- Multiprogramming and time-sharing
- Introduction of UNIX and its impact
- Development of graphical user interfaces
- Emergence of mobile and real-time OS
- Influential developments and technologies
3. Operating System Structure
- Major components:
- Kernel: Types (monolithic, microkernel)
- User Interface: Command-line, graphical interfaces
- File System: organization and management
- Device Drivers: role and operation
- Interaction between components
- System calls and APIs
4. Process Management
- Definition of a process
- Process states and lifecycle
- Process creation and termination
- Scheduling algorithms:
- First-Come-First-Served (FCFS)
- Shortest Job Next (SJN)
- Round Robin
- Priority scheduling
- Process synchronization and communication:
- Critical sections
- Semaphores, mutexes
- Inter-process communication (IPC)
- Multithreading concepts
5. Memory Management
- Memory hierarchy overview
- Allocation and deallocation techniques
- Virtual memory concepts
- Paging and segmentation
- Memory protection and sharing
- Swapping and thrashing
6. File System Management
- File concepts and attributes
- Directory structures and organization
- File operations: create, read, write, delete
- File system types (FAT, NTFS, ext4, etc.)
- Access control and permissions
- Mounting and unmounting file systems
7. Input/Output Management
- I/O devices and controllers
- Device management techniques
- I/O buffering and spooling
- Interrupts and interrupt handling
- Direct Memory Access (DMA)
- Communication with peripheral devices
8. Security and Protection
- Importance of OS security
- User authentication methods
- Access control mechanisms
- Encryption basics
- Firewalls and intrusion detection
- Security policies and best practices
9. Networking and Distributed Systems
- Networking basics and protocols
- Client-server architecture
- Distributed systems concepts
- Network file systems
- Communication and synchronization over networks
- Fault tolerance and scalability
10. Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS)
- Characteristics of RTOS
- Task scheduling and priorities
- Deadlines and response times
- Types of real-time systems: hard vs soft
- Applications in embedded and control systems
- Examples of RTOS (VxWorks, FreeRTOS)
Unlock the full outline
Get the complete content outline, learning outcomes and assessment methods for Operating Systems.
KSh 20 one-off, or included with a plan
Learning Outcomes
Unlock the outline above to see learning outcomes.
Assessment Methods
Unlock the outline above to see assessment methods.