MODULE 1 - Operating Systems Fundamentals

A program that manages computer hardware and provides services to users and

applications.

What is an operating system?

To execute user programs efficiently and make the system convenient to use.

What is the primary goal of an operating system?

The core part of the OS that runs at all times.

What is the kernel?

Programs that support OS operations but are not part of the kernel.

What are system programs?

Software that provides services and frameworks for application developers.

What is middleware?

Hardware, operating system, application programs, and users.

What are the four components of a computer system?

Keeping multiple jobs in memory so the CPU always has work.

What is multiprogramming?

Rapid CPU switching among processes for interactive use.

What is multitasking?

Dividing CPU time among users for responsiveness.

What is time-sharing?

A technique allowing execution of processes not fully in memory.

What is virtual memory?

Moving processes between memory and disk.

What is swapping?

A signal that transfers control to the OS.

What is an interrupt?

Code executed in response to an interrupt.

What is an interrupt service routine?

A software-generated interrupt.

What is a trap?

Direct memory access allowing device-to-memory transfer without CPU.

What is DMA?

A program in execution.

What is a process?

A program is passive; a process is active.

Difference between program and process?

he smallest unit of CPU execution.

What is a thread?

Saving and restoring CPU state between processes.

What is context switching?

Selecting which process runs on the CPU.

What is CPU scheduling?

Processes waiting indefinitely for resources.

What is deadlock?

Tracking, allocating, and deallocating memory.

What is memory management?

Primary volatile storage accessed by the CPU.

What is main memory?

Non-volatile long-term storage.

What is secondary storage?

Storing frequently used data in faster memory.

What is caching?

Requested data found in cache.

What is a cache hit?

Requested data not found in cache.

What is a cache miss?

OS method for storing and organizing files.

What is a file system?

A structure for organizing files.

What is a directory?

Deciding order of disk access requests.

What is disk scheduling?

Restricting who can access resources.

What is access control?

Controlling access to system resources.

What is protection?

Defending the system against attacks.

What is security?

Verifying user identity.

What is user authentication?

A unique identifier for a user.

What is a user ID?

Identifier for a group of users.

What is a group ID?

Gaining higher access rights.

What is privilege escalation?

Running multiple OSes on one machine.

What is virtualization?

Software managing virtual machines.

What is a virtual machine monitor?

Running software for one CPU on another.

What is emulation?

Independent systems acting as one.

What is a distributed system?

CPUs share equal responsibilities.

What is symmetric multiprocessing?

CPUs assigned specific tasks.

What is asymmetric multiprocessing?

Multiple systems working together.

What is a clustered system?

Providing computing resources over the internet.

What is cloud computing?

Software delivered via the internet.

What is SaaS?

Platform for application development online.

What is PaaS?

Internet-based infrastructure services.

What is IaaS?

Program request for OS service.

What is a system call?

Interface between applications and OS services.

What is an API?