Unit 5

Operating System
We attemp to answer these questions:
What is an operating ?
What does it do ?
Why do we need one ?

By answering these questions we hope to

give the reader an idea of what we are
trying to achieve and how operating
systems are constructed.
Broadly speaking there are two design
Objectives in the construction of an
Operating System.

1.To transform a raw piece of hardware into

a machine is amenable to its potential
users. An operating system will relieve the
user of the burden of understanding this
complexity and will present to him a
virtual machine with much simpler to
use,though equally powerful, I/Q
capabilities.The transformation of
I/Qcapabilities is in fact a function of
most Operating System.

2. The second design objectives in

operating system construction is to give
good value for money, that is to make the
best possible use of the hardware
available.
One might speculate as to whether
the motivation for this is aesthetic
/simply a variation on the profit motive !

Certainly the economic argument is compelling.

The broad functions of an operating system
Divided into :
. Into real-time system
By a real-time system we mean one in which a
respon must be given to an external stimulus
within a limited period of time.
For example , in an airlines seat-reservation
system

a request for a seat booking must be

answered during the few minutes that the
customer is prepared to wait.
. A job-shop system, on the other hand,is one
which processes a sequence of jobs(tasks)
with no particular time constraints,except
those of overall throughput ---to process
salary, orders and sales in a marketing
organization or

to run a variety of problem-solving

programs for university research groups.
1.1 Real-Time System
a.Process Data
The term process control generally implies
the Control by computer of an industrial
process Such as the refining of oil /the
manufacture of Machine /tool,the
monitoring of a patients Condition. The
common feature of all these

Application is feedback, that is, the

computer receives input from controlled
process, computers response which will
maintain its stability and initiates the
mechanism for giving it. For example, if
the input signifies dangerous rise in
temperature, then the response may well
Be to open a valve to increase the flow of
coolant.

The main function of the operating System

in process control is to provide
maximum reliability with the minimum of
Operator intervention, and to fail safe in
the event of any hardware malfunction.
b.File Interrogation systems
The distinguishing feature of these systems
is

a large set of data/data base,which can be

Interrogated for information.
The response to information requests must
Occur within a short time(typically less than
a minute).The information on company
Performance and medical information
system,
For example (the user,the company
manager/doctor)

expects to be able to access information

without any knowledge of how the data
base is organized,either in terms of
software structure/hardware storage
devices.
C.Transaction processing
Transaction processing systems are
characterised by a data base with is
frequently
Being modified,perhaps several times a
second.

Typical applications are in airline seatReservation and banking.

The real-time character of transaction
process-Ing derives from the necesity
of keeping the data base to date.
1.2.Job-Shop
System Job-shop systems are designed
to handle

a continuous flow of work in the form of job

to be run on the computer. Each job
performs a specific task for a particular
user(for example, Analysis of survey
data,solution of differential
Equations,calculation of monthly payroll) The
provision and control of these facilities,
together with the organization of the flow of
work,are the broad functions of job-shop
operating system.

Job-shop systems can be classified into 2

groups
batch
multiaccess
The chief characteristic of a batch system is
that once a job enters the computer the user
has no further contact with it until it hasbeen
completed.

 In

a multi-access system, on the other hand,

a user may submit a job by typing on a terminal
and may use the terminal to monitor and
control the job as it runs.
Functions and characteristics of an operating
system
Operating system functions.
In the absence of any software aids ,the
Operation of loading and running a user
program

Must be performed entirely under human

Control.The operator must perform a
tedious Sequence of tasks.The speed of
the machine Is obviously dependent on
the rate at which the Operator can press
buttons and feed peripherals and the
system is therefore very much operated
Limited.

An obvious first improvement is to make the

Machine carry out automatically, without
Operator intervention,the sequence of steps
Necessary to read in,compile,load and execute
Programs.
The foregoing discussion has led us an
Operating system which must perform at least
The following functions:

- Job sequence,job control language

interpretation, error handling ,I/Q
handling ,interrupt
handling,scheduling,protection.
Operating System Characteristics :
1.Concurrency
2.Sharing
3.Long-term storage
4.Non-determinacy