Operating System Services

1.0 Rationale
An Operating System is basically a system program that controls the execution of
application programs and acts as an interface between applications and the computer hardware.
It manages the computer system resources to be used in an efficient manner. This course enables
to learn internal functioning of operating system and will help in identifying appropriate
Operating System for given applications/task. This course is also a prerequisite for the group of
courses included in 'Cloud Infrastructure Maintenance Elective group.
.

2.0 Aim/Benefits of the Micro-Project

To create a report depicting information about different services provided by operating
system.

 Benefits:
a) Understanding the different services provided by operating system.
b) Understanding of how the OS manages and facilitates the execution of programs
on a computer.

3.0 Course Outcomes Addressed

a) Use operating system tools to perform various task.
b) Calculate efficiency of different memory

4.0 Literature Search

Sr.
No. Book Name Author/Urls Contents

Operating system Silberschatz, Galvin  Operating System Components

1. concepts

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5.0 Actual Methodology Followed

1. Gathered Information :-

Gathered all the possible information about different services of operating system from various
sources like:
a) Books on Operating System.
b) Reference links / websites - Geeksforgeeks and etc.
c) Online tutorials on the given title.

2. Literature Review :-

All the gathered information from books, articles, report, manuals, websites and etc about the
Directory Structure in Operating Systems: Single Level, Two Level and Tree Structured Directory,
is reviewed and is and is discussed within the group.

6.0 Actual Resources Used

Sr. Name of
Specification
No. Resources/Material

Computer system HP i5 processor, 8th generation,4gb RAM,

1.
500gb HDD

2. Operating system Windows 10 Pro

3. Software MS-Word

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7.0 Output of the Micro-Project:

1) Process Management
Process management is a crucial service provided by an operating system. It involves several tasks
related to the creation, scheduling, and termination of processes. Below is a detailed explanation of
process management:

i. Process Creation:
When a program is executed, the operating system creates a process. This includes allocating memory,
setting up data structures, and initializing various parameters.

ii. Process Scheduling:

The operating system allocates CPU time to processes. It decides which process to execute next and
how much CPU time to allocate. This is crucial for efficient resource utilization.

iii. Process States:

Processes can be in different states, including:
Running: The process is currently being executed.
Ready: The process is ready to run but is waiting for its turn.
Blocked (or Waiting): The process is waiting for an event (e.g., user input, I/O operation) to occur.
Terminated (or Finished ): The process has completed its execution.

iv.Context Switching:

When the operating system decides to switch from one process to another (e.g., due to time sharing or
an event), it performs a context switch. This involves saving the current state of the running process
and loading the state of the next process to be executed.

v. Process Synchronization:

In a multi-process environment, processes may need to coordinate their activities. The operating
system provides mechanisms (e.g., semaphores, mutexes) for synchronization to avoid conflicts and
ensure data integrity.

vi. Inter-Process Communication (IPC):

Processes may need to exchange information or coordinate their activities. The OS provides IPC
mechanisms such as shared memory, message passing, and pipes.

vii. Process Termination:

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When a process completes its task, it may be terminated. The operating system is responsible for
cleaning up resources associated with the terminated process.
Process Priority and Scheduling Algorithms:

The OS may assign priority levels to processes to determine their access to system resources.
Different scheduling algorithms (e.g., First-Come-First-Serve, Round Robin, Priority Scheduling)
are used to determine which process gets CPU time.

viii. Process Communication:

Processes may need to communicate with each other. The OS provides various methods for processes
to exchange data and signals.

ix. Deadlock Handling:

The OS must be able to detect and resolve deadlocks, which occur when processes are unable to
proceed due to circular dependencies on resources.

x.Process Termination Handling:

The OS ensures that when a process is terminated, all resources associated with it are properly
released, and any child processes are appropriately handled.

2) Memory Management
The main memory is central to the operation of a Modern Computer. Main Memory is a large
array of words or bytes, ranging in size from hundreds of thousands to billions. Main memory is a
repository of rapidly available information shared by the CPU and I/O devices. Main memory is the
place where programs and information are kept when the processor is effectively utilizing them. Main
memory is associated with the processor, so moving instructions and information into and out of the
processor is extremely fast. Main memory is also known as RAM (Random Access Memory). This
memory is volatile. RAM loses its data when a power interruption occurs.

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What is Memory Management?

In a multiprogramming computer, the Operating System resides in a part of memory, and the rest
is used by multiple processes. The task of subdividing the memory among different processes is called
Memory Management. Memory management is a method in the operating system to manage
operations between main memory and disk during process execution. The main aim of memory
management is to achieve efficient utilization of memory.

Why Memory Management is Required ?

Allocate and de-allocate memory before and after process execution.
To keep track of used memory space by processes.
To minimize fragmentation issues.
To proper utilization of main memory.
To maintain data integrity while executing of process.

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3) User Interface
A user interface (UI) in an operating system serves as a bridge between users and the underlying
system resources and functionalities. It provides a way for users to interact with the computer and its
software. Here's a detailed explanation of user interfaces in operating systems:
Types of User Interfaces:
i. Command-Line Interface (CLI):
Users interact with the system by typing commands into a text-based interface.
Commands are typically in the form of text strings, and users need to remember specific commands and
syntax.
Examples include the Windows Command Prompt, Linux Terminal, and macOS Terminal.

ii. Graphical User Interface (GUI):

Users interact with the system through graphical elements like windows, icons, buttons, menus, and a
mouse pointer.
GUIs are more intuitive and user-friendly compared to CLIs, making them accessible to a wider range of
users.
Examples include the Windows desktop environment, macOS interface, and various Linux desktop
environments like GNOME and KDE.

Functions of a User Interface:

 Input: The UI receives user input, which can include keyboard input, mouse clicks, touch gestures,
voice commands, or other forms of interaction.

 Output: It provides feedback to the user through visual elements, text, sounds, or other sensory
feedback.

 Navigation: The UI allows users to navigate through the system, open applications, browse files, and
access various features.

 Manipulation of Resources: Users can create, modify, and delete files, folders, and other resources
through the UI.

 Configuration and Customization: Users can customize settings, preferences, and appearances to suit
their preferences.

 Feedback and Help: The UI can provide guidance, notifications, and error messages to assist users in
using the system effectively.

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 Accessibility: A good UI design ensures that the system is accessible to users with disabilities, using
features like screen readers, high contrast modes, and keyboard shortcuts.

4) File System Services

File system is the part of the operating system which is responsible for file management. It provides a
mechanism to store the data and access to the file contents including data and programs. Some
Operating systems treats everything as a file for example Ubuntu.

The File system takes care of the following issues

i. File Structure
We have seen various data structures in which the file can be stored. The task of the file system is to
maintain an optimal file structure.

ii. Recovering Free space

Whenever a file gets deleted from the hard disk, there is a free space created in the disk. There can be
many such spaces which need to be recovered in order to reallocate them to other files.

iii. disk space assignment to the files

The major concern about the file is deciding where to store the files on the hard disk. There are various
disks scheduling algorithm which will be covered later in this tutorial.

iv. tracking data location

A File may or may not be stored within only one block. It can be stored in the non contiguous blocks
on the disk. We need to keep track of all the blocks on which the part of the files reside.

5) Device Management

Device management in an operating system means controlling the Input/Output devices like disk,
microphone, keyboard, printer, magnetic tape, USB ports, camcorder, scanner, other accessories, and
supporting units like supporting units control channels. A process may require various resources,
including main memory, file access, and access to disk drives, and others. If resources are available,
they could be allocated, and control returned to the CPU. Otherwise, the procedure would have to be
postponed until adequate resources become available. The system has multiple devices, and in order to
handle these physical or virtual devices, the operating system requires a separate program known as an
ad device controller. It also determines whether the requested device is available.

The fundamentals of I/O devices may be divided into three categories:

 Boot Device
 Character Device
 Network Device

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Functions of the device management in the operating system

The operating system (OS) handles communication with the devices via their drivers. The OS
component gives a uniform interface for accessing devices with various physical features. There are
various functions of device management in the operating system. Some of them are as follows:
1. It keeps track of data, status, location, uses, etc. The file system is a term used to define a group of
facilities.

2. It enforces the pre-determined policies and decides which process receives the device when and for
how long.

3. It improves the performance of specific devices.

4. It monitors the status of every device, including printers, storage drivers, and other devices.

5. It allocates and effectively de-allocates the device. De-allocating differentiates the devices at two
levels: first, when an I/O command is issued and temporarily freed. Second, when the job is
completed, and the device is permanently release

8.0 Skill Developed / Learning outcome of this Micro-Project

1) Comprehensive understanding about fundamental services provided by operating system

2) Learned how the OS allocates and manages resources like CPU time, memory, and devices to
ensure optimal performance

9.0 Application of the Project

1) Able to understand the different services of operating system.
2) Knowing the concept of all services provided by operating system.