SYSTEM SOFTWARE

Lecturer: Pablo M. Ishmael

Assignment 1
SSO 110
Darren Pillay
201705491
Damelin East London
Diploma in Information Technology
Year 1
Semester 2
Table of Contents

Table of Figures ....................................................................................................................................... 3

Question 1 ............................................................................................................................................. 1
Question 2 ............................................................................................................................................. 5
Question 3 ............................................................................................................................................. 7
References .......................................................................................................................................... 10
Table of Figures

Figure 1 Top-Level View of Computer Components .............................................................. 2

Figure 2 Basic Instruction Cycle ............................................................................................ 3
Figure 3 The Memory Hierarchy ............................................................................................ 4
Figure 4: 5 State Process Model ........................................................................................... 8
Question 1

1.1 CPU / Processor / Central Processing Unit - is the brain of the computer. It does
the bulk of the processing and coordinates all of the other pieces of hardware so the
computer works as it should do. The processor fetches, interprets, processes and
sends information. (CHARLES, 2016)

I/O Modules - The input-output interface provides a method for transferring

information be-tween internal storage and external I/O devices. Peripherals
connected to a computer need special communication links for interfacing them with
the central processing unit. The purpose of the communication link is to resolve the
differences that exist between the central computer and each peripheral. I/O Module
functions are Control and Timing, CPU Communication, Device Communication,
Data Buffering and Error Detection. (AK Quick Info Kannada, 2017)

Main Memory - Also known as System Memory, Real Memory and Primary
Memory. This component is used to temporarily store information that is currently in
utilization by the computer which includes anything from documents to videos. The
more memory you have mounted in your computer the more efficient it can perform.
RAM is volatile.You can open and utilize more programs at the same time without
slowing the computer down. (Nicholls, n.d.)

System Bus - A system bus is a kind of like all the train tracks that connect the CPU
with the computer memory (the houses of addressable data) and with the smart
devices that let us interact (like the mouse, keyboard, screen, and audio system).
(McPherson, 2000)

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1.2

Figure 1 Top-Level View of Computer Components

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1.3

Figure 2 Basic Instruction Cycle

1.4
Program - Something that occurs as a result of program execution such as
illegal instructions, arithmetic overflow, divide by zero, or memory handling error.

Timer - Generated by one of the processor's internal timers so that the processor
can perform some time-scheduled task.

I/O - Generated by an I/O controller to request service from the processor such
as keyboard, mouse, NIC, disk drive.

Hardware Failure - Signifies some error condition with the hardware, such as
power failures or memory parity error.

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1.5

Figure 3 The Memory Hierarchy

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Question 2

2.1 A program that acts as an intermediary between a user of a computer and the
computer hardware. The operating system is the bottom layer of any software
base on any computer system. It provides the ability to easily integrate all of the
I/O capabilities into a way which they may be used intelligently. (tutorialspoint,
n.d.)

2.2
To make the computer system convenient to use efficiently.
To hide the details of the hardware resources from the users.
To provide users a convenient interface to use the computer system.
To act as an intermediary between the hardware and its users, making it easier
for the users to access and use other resources.
To manage the resources of a computer system.
To keep track of who is using which resource, granting resource requests, and
mediating conflicting requests from different programs and users.
To provide efficient and fair sharing of resources among users and programs.

(tutorialspoint, n.d.)

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2.3

Context Switching & Scheduling - Allocates a process CPU time to execute

its instructions.
Memory Management - Which deals with allocating memory to processes.
Inter-process Communication - Deals with facilities to allow concurrently
running processes to communicate with each other.
File Systems - Provides higher level files out of low-level unstructured data
on a disk.
High level I/O facilities - Frees a process from the low-level details of
interrupt handling.
(Dewan, 2004)

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Question 3

3.1 A set of blocked processes each holding a resource and waiting to acquire a
resource held by another process in the set. (Michele Cyran, 2005)

3.2

Mutual Exclusion If a process is executing in the critical section, then no other

process can execute in the critical section. Only 1 process is allowed execute in
the critical section.

Hold and Wait It is a scenario where the process has acquired a resource and
is waiting for other resources to be acquired.

No Preemption - Resources previously granted cannot be forcibly taken away

from a process. They must be explicitly released by the process holding them.

Circular Wait - A closed chain of processes exist such that each process holds
at least one resource needed by another process in the chain.
(Michele Cyran, 2005)

3.3
Availability - Concerned with protecting the system against interruption.
Confidentiality - Assures that users cannot read data for which access is
unauthorized.
Data integrity - Protection of data from unauthorized modification.
Authenticity - Concerned with the proper verification of the identity of users
and the validity of messages or data. (Michele Cyran, 2005)

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3.4

Dispatch

Admit Release
New Ready Running Exit

Timeout

Event
Event Waits
Happens

Blocked

Figure 4: 5 State Process Model

New: A process has been created but has not yet been admitted to the pool of
executable processes.

Ready: Processes that are prepared to run if given an opportunity. That is, they
are not waiting on anything except the CPU availability.

Running: The process that is currently being executed. (Assume single

processor for simplicity.)

Blocked: A process that cannot execute until a specified event such as an IO

completion occurs.

Exit: A process that has been released by OS either after normal termination or
after abnormal termination (error).

(Ramanurthy, 2000)

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3.5
Multiple Applications Invented to allow processing time to be
shared among active applications.
Structured Applications Extension of modular design and
structured programming.
Operating System Structure Operating systems themselves
implemented as a set of processes or threads.
(Ebrahim, 2014)

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References
AK Quick Info Kannada, 2017. Explain I/O module and its usage?. [Online]
Available at: https://sites.google.com/site/assignmentssolved/mca/semester1/mc0062/23
[Accessed 12 August 2017].

CHARLES, C., 2016. Computer Processors (CPUs) Explained. [Online]

Available at: http://techexplained.net/computer-processors-cpus-explained/
[Accessed 12 August 2017].

Day, P., n.d. Glossary of Computer Related Terms. [Online]

Available at: http://www.math.utah.edu/~wisnia/glossary.html
[Accessed 13 August 2017].

Dewan, P., 2004. Services provided by an Operating System. [Online]

Available at: http://www.cs.unc.edu/~dewan/242/s06/notes/intro/node7.html
[Accessed 12 August 2017].

Ebrahim, A., 2014. Concurrency: Mutual Exclusion and Synchronization. [Online]

Available at: https://www.slideshare.net/enganas22/concurrency-mutual-exclusion-and-
synchronization?qid=a52b5913-e1ed-4b05-9562-dda8558714eb&v=&b=&from_search=5
[Accessed 13 August 2017].

Kumar, R., 2015. Difference between Server 2012 and Windows Server 2008. [Online]
Available at: http://www.geekbraindump.com/2015/01/19/difference-between-server-2012-and-
windows-server-2008-interview-preparation/
[Accessed 11 August 2017].

McPherson, J., 2000. Understanding your motherboard's bus system. [Online]

Available at: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/understanding-your-motherboards-bus-system/
[Accessed 12 August 2017].

Michele Cyran, P. L. J. P., 2005. Deadlocks. In: Second, ed. Oracle Database Concepts . California: Oracle
Corporation, pp. 240, 241, 242.

Nicholls, M., n.d. Components of a Computer System and Storage Devices. [Online]
Available at: https://www.ictlounge.com/html/computercomponents.htm
[Accessed 12 August 2017].

Ramanurthy, B., 2000. Process Description and Control. [Online]

Available at: https://www.cse.buffalo.edu/faculty/bina/cse421/spring00/lec3/sld001.htm
[Accessed 13 August 2017].

tutorialspoint, n.d. COMPUTER - OPERATING SYSTEM. [Online]

Available at:
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/computer_fundamentals/computer_operating_system.htm
[Accessed 12 August 2017].

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