COM221: OPERATING SYSTEMS
COURSE OUTLINE
SEMESTER: FALL 2012
Faculty Member’s Details:
Name:
Office Hours:
Email:
Web Site:
Pelekanou Olga
By Appointment
fe_olga@mail.ru
http://www.cdacollege.ac.cy/
Course Description
This course has two components: a theory component to teach you the concepts and
principles that underlie modern operating systems, and a practice component to relate
theoretical principles with operating system implementation. In the theory component, you
will learn about processes and processor management, concurrency and synchronization,
memory management schemes, file system and secondary storage management, security and
protection, etc. The practice component will bridge the gap between the operating system
concepts taught in the lectures and the actual operating systems. Students will learn to
perform operating systems functions at the support level in a single-user environment for MS
Windows OS and popular Linux Distributions.
Course Aims and Objective
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To understand what an operating system is, what it does, and how it is designed and
constructed.
To understand operating system implementations and basic concepts such as process
scheduling, interprocess communication, process synchronization and deadlock
handling,
To understand memory management schemes, such as segmentation, paging and
virtual memory,
To use basic mechanisms for protection and system security.
To understand operating system performance.
To install, management and support MS Windows Multi and Single user OS
To develop a basic understanding of alternatives to MS Windows OS
To install, customize and use Linux Distribution systems
Contents of subject
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Basic concepts: structures, services, shell user view vs. system calls, evolution of
operating systems.
Process management: notion of process and its states, interrupts and context switch,
threads vs. processes, interprocess communication and synchronization, deadlocks,
scheduling.
Memory management: storage organizations, storage placement strategies, VM
implementation, page replacement algorithms.
I/O systems: device-independent interface, disk, clock, and terminals drivers, disk
scheduling policies.
File systems: file system structure, file management, file allocation, file reliability.
Security and protection: specific and general protection schemes, access control list,
capabilities, and encryption.
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Prerequisites: None
Type of Course: Compulsory for Information & Communication Technology
Teaching Methods: Face-to-face lectures, presentations, problem and case studies
discussion, independent and private study, preparation of projects and group work.
Course Teaching Hours: 42 hours a semester. The course is delivered during a 14-week
semester.
Assessment method and weight: 30% coursework and 70% final examination. Student
performance can be one or more of the following: student attendance and participation during
the semester, mid-term examination, tests, assignments and projects. Passing mark: 40%
ASSESSMENT
Assignments:
Class Participation:
Mid-term examination:
Final examination:
5%
5%
20%
70%
Assignments: The students will be assigned to carry out a theoretical research and practical
work in the existing literature over the topics covered in the course outline, or to carry out an
exercise using the Internet and/or other applications. The faculty member will determine the
character of the assignment. The students are requested to deliver their assignments on an
individual or group basis and on time. Although collaboration among the students for the
preparation of the assignments is encouraged, students should avoid copying. Presentations
and discussions over the assignments will follow.
Mid-term examination: The mid-term examination will be of one and a half hours. It may be
essay questions, practical exercises and/or multiple-choice questions.
Final Examination: The final examination will be of two hours. It will be comprehensive
and it will test the students on the material covered during the semester.
Grading System
% Grade
90-100
80-89
75-79
65-74
60-64
55-59
40-54
Below 40
Grade
Grade Meaning
A
B+
B
C+
C
D+
D
F
W
I
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Above Average
Average
Below Average
Poor
Failure
Withdrawal
Incomplete
COURSE BOOK
Required Textbook
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Title
Author(s)
Publisher /Year
Edition
Understanding Operating Systems
Ida M. Flynn and Ann McHoes
Course Technology/2007
5th edition
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
Title
Author(s)
Publisher /Year
Edition
Modern Operating Systems (3rd Edition
Andrew S. Tanenbaum
Prentice Hall, 2007
3rd Edition
Title
Author(s)
Publisher /Year
Edition
Operating System Concepts
Abraham Silberschatz Peter B. Galvin, Greg Gagne
Wiley, 2008
2nd
Learning Outcome Table
Week Learning Outcomes and Content of the Course
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Understand the different innovations in operating systems
development; Appreciate the basic role of an operating system;
Identify the major operating system software subsystem managers
and their functions; Differentiate among the types of machine
hardware on which operating systems run and the basic functionality
of the three memory allocation schemes presented.
Define on the basic functionality of the memory allocation methods
covered in this chapter: paged, demand paging, segmented, and
segmented/demand paged memory allocation; Identify the influence
that these page allocation methods have had on virtual memory;
Differentiate between a first-in first-out page replacement policy, a
least-recently-used page replacement policy, and a clock page
replacement policy;
Discuss the several causes of system deadlock; The difference
between preventing and avoiding deadlocks; Learn how to detect
and recover from deadlocks; Differentiate between deadlock,
starvation, and race; define the basic concepts of multi-core
processor technology and the significance of a critical region in
process synchronization;
File Management:
Define File Systems: Files; Directories;
What is a file and File Manager? How files are organized logically,
how they are stored physically and how they are accessed. The
interaction between the File Manager and the Device Manager
Example file systems
Hands on Unix OS: The goals of UNIX designers; Strengths and
weaknesses of having competing versions of UNIX; Advantages of
command-driven user interfaces;
Hands on Unix OS: Basic features and components. Utility
programs for work with files. Basic commands for file management.
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Educational
Activities
Lectures,
Presentation
and class
discussion.
Lectures,
Presentation
and class
discussion
Lectures,
Presentation
and class
discussion
Lectures,
Presentation
and class
discussion
Lectures,
Presentation
and class
discussion.
Lectures,
Presentation
and class
discussion.
Revision
Lectures, and
discussion
7.
Hands on Unix OS: Redirection of standard input and standard
output: the shell variables. Parameters and commands.
8.
Hands on MS-DOS: Explain how to access MS-DOS emulators
from other operating systems; and how MS-DOS provided a
foundation for early Microsoft Windows releases; learn the basics of
command-driven systems and how to construct simple batch files
and the limitations of MS-DOS
Midterm
Lectures,
Presentation
and class
discussion.
10. Hands on MS WINDOWS OS: Identify the role of MS-DOS in
early Windows releases and the design goals for Windows operating
systems; Challenges for Windows system security; Functions of
current Windows user interface
11. Hands on linux OS: The design goals for the Linux operating system
and the significance of using files to manipulate devices;
Differentiate between command-driven and menu-driven interfaces;
Strengths and weaknesses of Linux
12. Hands on linux OS: The design goals for the Linux operating system
and the significance of using files to manipulate devices;
Differentiate between command-driven and menu-driven interfaces;
Strengths and weaknesses of Linux
13. Revision
Lectures,
Presentation
and class
discussion
Lectures,
Presentation
and class
discussion
Lectures,
Presentation
and class
discussion
Revision
9.
Midterm
OTHER INFORMATION:
Academic Affairs And Policy: You are responsible for making yourself aware of and
understanding the policies and procedures of our college. These policies include cheating,
fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple submission, plagiarism, complicity and
computer misuse. If there is reason to believe you have been involved in academic
dishonesty, you will be referred to the Office of Student Affairs. You should consult with me
if you are uncertain about an issue of academic honesty prior to the submission of an
assignment or test.
Class Attendance: Students are expected to attend classes regularly so that new material can
be delivered to all students without delays, without having to repeat newly delivered material
and without disturbing the smooth running of the course schedule. Students should enter their
lecture room at least five minutes before the lecture begins in order not to disturb fellow
students and interrupt the lecture process. Attending classes assures that all students receive
equal attention and everyone is up to date with the course schedule. In case of a student being
absent he/she is responsible for all material covered and required during the class period.
He/she should also be updated for any tests the instructor has announced in class. All mobile
phones must be switched off before coming into class.
Library: Students are advised to use library facilities in a productive way. Do not hesitate to
ask the librarian for help and guidance.
Office Hours: Students are encouraged to visit me during office hours, for any sort of matter,
academic or not. Students are encouraged to visit me and discuss any issues of their concern. I
recommend that you send me an email to arrange for a meeting or to get advice on issues that
concern you.
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